More students to study at publicly-funded training colleges this year
Feb 5, 2010
An increasing number of students are opting to study at publicly-funded training colleges this year, with a 17 per cent rise in the number of offers to students.
Training and Workforce Development Minister Peter Collier said 12,903 students received first-round offers to study in semester one, compared with 10,985 last year and 9,870 in 2008.
“This steady increase during the past three years shows that more Western Australians realise the importance of a vocational education and training qualification,” Mr Collier said.
“The State Government introduced a number of initiatives last year to boost training in WA, including course fee exemptions for unemployed people wanting to learn in publicly- subsidised training.
“This program has been successfully implemented with 1,400 students receiving course fee exemptions as at the end of October 2009.”
Of the15,411 applications received by the Department of Training and Workforce Development’s TAFE admissions for semester one, 84 per cent received an offer of a place in a training course and 92 per cent of these were offered their first choice.
More than 40 per cent were lodged by school leavers.
Eighty-two per cent of total applications were lodged electronically, which was the highest rate ever achieved and contrasts with a rate of only seven per cent in 2004.
The most popular courses include Mining and Engineering; Building and Construction; Business and Management; Computing and Information Technology; Community Services, Health and Education; and Arts and Entertainment.
The Minister said it was important that WA had a skilled workforce to meet the growing employment opportunities that were unfolding in the State.
“As WA enters an exciting new era in training and workforce development, the Government will maintain its commitment to developing, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce for the longer term,” he said.
“As part of that new era, TAFE colleges have been given the opportunity to increase their autonomy to be more competitive in Australia and overseas.
“It will also allow them to be more responsive to a rapidly growing and changing population and workforce.”
Minister's office - 9213 7150
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