Federation Vice-Chancellor advocates for accessible education to Senate Committee
Federation University Australia Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Bentley has provided in-person evidence to the Australian Senate Committee for Education and Employment at its inquiry into the Commonwealth Government’s FreeTAFE Bill 2024 in Adelaide, advocating for greater access to education as the nation’s regional and remote communities continue to feel the impact of skills shortages.
In responding to the Senate Committee’s questions in a session last Friday, Professor Bentley emphasised how the need for accessible education is particularly acute in regional and remote communities and how Federation TAFE provides critical infrastructure to support students entry into the employment market, especially in priority industry sectors such as energy, health, construction and advanced manufacturing.
Professor Bentley’s attendance at the Senate Inquiry follows a recent visit to Federation TAFE’s SMB Campus in Ballarat from the Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon. Andrew Giles MP. On a tour of the campus, the minister heard from Federation students and educators on how the Free TAFE program has improved access to education for thousands of students throughout regional and remote Victoria.
As Victoria’s only dual-sector regional university, Federation is ideally placed to comment on the benefits that improved access to education has had in regional and remote areas. With over half of Federation students being from traditionally underrepresented cohorts - including those with disabilities, caring responsibilities, First Nations peoples and from low socioeconomic backgrounds - removing financial barriers and providing improved support services will encourage more people to seek a tertiary qualification and contribute to the prosperity of their respective communities.
Federation University will continue to advocate for programs which benefit the communities it serves and which will help the Commonwealth Government achieve its own target of having 80 per cent of the working age population with a tertiary qualification by 2050.
Quote attributable to Professor Duncan Bentley, Vice-Chancellor and President of Federation University Australia:
"Improving access to education through programs such as Free TAFE has been successful in encouraging more people to gain qualifications in priority industries, but there is much more that needs to be done. Free TAFE has shown how well implemented policy can help bridge the skills gap, particularly in regional and remote areas, but it is imperative that such programs are enshrined into legislation so that Federation and the sector as whole can maintain their strong momentum in building our domestic workforce to meet the nation’s future ambitions."