CHAIR – A question about the Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques. Is that on Skills Tasmania’s priority funding list?
Mr ELLIS – Thanks, Chair. We mentioned that we’re already supporting three different specialised training institutions to provide the Certificate IV in Laboratory Tech training. We do note as well that there are other training providers that have that qualification on scope, but I’ll pass over to Ms Paterson to provide further information.
Ms PATERSON – Yes, thank you, minister through you. Certainly, the Certificate IV in Lab Tech is a qualification that we currently fund as an apprenticeship and traineeship through three existing providers in Tasmania.
CHAIR – Are they Registered Training Organisations (RTO)?
Ms PATEERSON – Yes.
CHAIR – Private RTOs, or are they –
Ms PATERSON – They’re public – they’re government‑funded RTOs, yes.
CHAIR – So does it continue with priority funding?
Ms PATERSON – Yes.
CHAIR – Right. In a briefing that Ms Badger attended which was on the course subsidies cuts, she asked for data that shows the RTOs that are now receiving the course subsidies versus the cuts to TAFE. Do they have the same or more completion or employment outcomes as the course at TAFE? Is there the same course graduation completion with those?
Ms PATERSON – We don’t have the breakdown of completion rates by provider, but we can certainly provide comparative completion rates between TAFE and other government-funded registered training organisations. The private providers’ completion rate average is 64.9 per cent and the TAFE average completion rate is 52.1 per cent. There are obviously good reasons why the TAFE number is a bit lower. They are delivered to some higher-needs cohorts and provide a lot of wraparound support in those situations, so I wouldn’t read too much into equality aspects of those varying numbers.
CHAIR – Do you strive to get better outcomes?
Ms PATERSON – Absolutely, yes, through you, minister. Under the National Skills Agreement, the improving completions project which is funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments and half of that funding, $7.2 million, is for TasTAFE to develop an improving completions framework designed to look at improving those completion rates because obviously if we can get better outcomes for the training we’re already funding in the system, we can support more Tasmanians into work and that’s our policy objective.
CHAIR – Thank you. Minister, are you happy for that to be taken on notice?
Mr ELLIS – We’ll see what’s available for you, if that works, Chair.
CHAIR – Sorry? The completion rates?
Mr ELLIS – I think you’re asking about individual providers so we’ll see what information is available.
Ms PATERSON – Yes, I’m just concerned about the market sensitivities of providing information on individual RTOs.
CHAIR – I understand.
