June 2017

26 APAC / June 2017 , 1702AP27 Improving Access to Education TAFE SA is South Australia’s largest vocational education and training (VET) provider and one of the largest in Australia. It is also a registered higher education provider. We invited Interior Design Lecturer at TAFESA, Darren Blaess to reveal more about this prestigious institution and what it offers. More than one million students have studied with us since we were established in 1971. Each year, we deliver more than 1,300 courses to over 70,000 students right across South Australia. Our courses cover more than 80 areas of industry and activity, with flexible delivery options that suit the needs of our students. Studying at TAFE SA gets results Research by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2015 - showed that 95.7% of graduates benefitted from their training - and 92.8% would recommend TAFE SA to others. These results are fantastic for students, and they also demonstrate our significant contribution to building a skilled, sustainable workforce for the state of South Australia. TAFE SA is responsive to the needs of employers, working with industry groups to deliver relevant, high quality training that aligns with contemporary career opportunities. Our reputation extends far beyond our state and national borders International students from more than 70 countries choose to study at TAFE SA for the quality of education and support they receive, as well as the enviable South Australian lifestyle. Quality Assurance TAFE SA’s status as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and Higher Education Provider (HEP) is managed through the National Regulators, Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). It is a requirement of registration with ASQA and TEQSA that TAFE SA demonstrates ongoing compliance with all requirements of the VET Quality Framework and the Higher Education Standards Framework. Compliance is assessed though regular audits. The most recent audit occurred in November 2014 as part of a national strategic review of training in the equine industry. TAFE SA was re- registered as a HEP following an audit conducted in November 2015. TAFE SA 2016–2019 Strategic Plan TAFE SA is South Australia’s largest vocational education and training (VET) provider and one of the largest in Australia. Students across the state and from more than 70 countries choose TAFE SA because we provide the training people need to win jobs, earn promotions and build successful, productive businesses. Our Strategic Plan for 2016–2019 provides our organisation and staff with the direction to deliver training outcomes for the next three years and beyond. The Strategic Plan outlines: Our Vision • Recognised as Australia’s best vocational education and training provider. Our Mission • Transform people’s lives by delivering high-quality and financially sustainable training and education in a competitive environment, Our Core Values • Service excellence; • Work as one team; • Success focused; • Accountability and; • Respect. Through the TAFE SA Strategic Plan 2016–2019, we will continue to deliver training to meet our responsibilities to the students of today and tomorrow, current and potential employers, the South Australian Government and taxpayers. Improving access to education Findings from the state-wide Improving Access to Education consultation are helping shape the future of TAFE SA’s skills training, ensuring that what we teach, how we teach and where we teach meets the needs of industry, businesses, local communities and students. Three key themes emerged from the public consultation: 1. Tailoring courses to local needs Consultation identified existing and emerging local market demands and in several areas, we are already offering courses to meet them. We also received feedback on a range of different courses that industry and communities are looking to us to deliver. We will continue to explore the feasibility of implementing new ideas as they arise. In addition, we received consistent and significant feedback about the importance of secondary schools and TAFE SA working closer together, and identified some great models of where this is happening which we could implement in other areas across the state. 2. Innovative delivery By using the latest technology and innovative delivery methods, including facilitated online and mobile classrooms, we can deliver more courses to more students in more areas. While careful consideration will be given to issues that may impact the effectiveness of new modes of course delivery in some areas, such as variations in internet connectivity, download speeds and access to computers, we can offer a range of blended methods to suit local conditions. See our innovation page for information about our mobile classrooms. Numerous suggestions were also received about the use of additional community facilities, which will enable TAFE SA to