New data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research* released today has uncovered the carnage Labor has wreaked on Queensland’s vocational training industry.
Under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, program completion rates at TAFE and other government providers have decreased 42% since 2014. Compared with the LNP Government there are now 16,375 fewer Queenslanders per year completing government-funded training programs.
LNP Shadow Minister for Training and Skills Development Fiona Simpson said the sustained year-on-year free fall in vocational training completion rates was jaw dropping.
“Program completions at TAFE and other government providers have fallen every single year since Labor was elected,” Ms Simpson said.
“The figures released today recorded 14.8% year on year drop in Queenslanders completing vocational programs.
“With a 42% drop in completions since the LNP Government, it’s clear that Queensland is in the grip of a Labor-induced training crisis.
“Rather than fixing the training crisis, Labor Minister Fentiman is hell bent on stoking it further by cutting $41 million from the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training this year.**
“As many regions battle rampant youth unemployment, the Labor Government continues to kick the next generation of Queenslanders in the guts – with cuts to Back to Work, cuts to the department and a vicious contempt for vocational training.”
Key facts:
• Government-funded vocational student program completions have dropped 14.8% from 2016 to 2017.
• Program completions of government-funded students at TAFE and other government providers have dropped by 42% under Labor (2014 vs 2017)
• Since 2014 government-funded vocational training program completions have dropped by 16,375 (106,060 in 2014 compared with 89,685 in 2017).
*https://www.ncver.edu.au/data/collection/students-and-courses-collection/government-funded-students-and-courses