CHAIR – We’ll go around again, I think. We probably have time at least for another one or two rounds.
Minister, I was really pleased to attend with you, although I did note that it was easier to get there by bike rather than by car, the TAFE graduation, which was held at 3C last year. It was a pleasure to be there, and I noticed that it was a very multicultural list of graduates. It was certainly good to see that. Just following on, Mr Vermey has talked of the migrant skills program, but I’m curious to know, do you have a breakdown of people who come from other countries who are who are learning at TAFE?
Mr ELLIS – I really appreciated you being there and I know a lot of our learners appreciate the support. It’s important that we celebrate VET in the same way that we celebrate a university graduation. You’re right, too, it is one of the amazing features of a TasTAFE graduation that we have people coming from all over the world, whether they are Australian but have different ancestry, or they are new migrants. I think it’s quite an extraordinary feature of TasTAFE and really about the hope and opportunity that we look to provide. I’ll pass to the team to talk more specifically about migrant numbers and support.
CHAIR – I might suggest that clearly my question is around migrant enrolments.
Mr GARDNER – Chair, just so I understand, because I’ll have to take the question on notice to provide the data to you, are you looking for enrolments for people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, or specifically multicultural – anyone who is not Australian by –
Ms BURNET – No, are there international students at TAFE?
Mr GARDNER – There are two different cohorts; migrant students, who now reside here in Tasmania, and then we have international students who travel here to undertake their training specifically in Tasmania. That’s quite a small cohort, which we’re looking to build. The larger one is those that are part of the migrant community. We would have to see what we can provide in terms of specific data in relation to that, but I’m happy to have a look at that for you.
CHAIR – Thank you, and I note that – I think it might have been last week – that Be Hers was featured for members of the migrant community, mainly women who have had poor opportunities to get into the workforce, and many were going to TAFE. Will they be impacted with TAFE service cuts or course cuts?
Mr ELLIS – I might look to Stuart Hollingsworth on Be Hers. Are you the right person to speak on that one, Stu?
Mr HOLLINGSWORTH – Yes, thanks, minister. It might be the TAFE team, in terms of the last part of that question. Be Hers and Migrant Resource Centres have been funded for those programs under the Workforce Participation Training Program to support that engagement, in particular that Be Hers program with TasTAFE.
Alongside that, other supports to engage the migrant community are through work with the Multicultural Council on their employment strategy; connections to our Employer of Choice program, ensuring employers are accessing, able and prepared to take on the opportunity to build their skilled workforce through the migrant community; and of course, through our regional jobs hubs as well, particularly the Glenorchy Jobs Hub and our Career Connector Program. The Be Hers program and the TAFE interfaith, I might pass back through the minister, to the TAFE team, if there’s anything to add on that, noting the program is probably a fairly new one.
Mr ELLIS – Thank you, Mr Hollingsworth, and I will pass to the team at TasTAFE.
Mr McSHANE – I will probably have to come back to that.
CHAIR – Okay, another question on notice?
Mr McSHANE – Yes.
CHAIR – In relation to English as another language and availability for people with non‑English‑speaking backgrounds, is there any change to availability of those courses, with these cuts to courses?
Mr ELLIS – Again, Chair, the list of 12 doesn’t refer to English as a Second Language training. I suppose more broadly, TasTAFE are really increasing the support that we provide to our learners to succeed. It’s actually Pillar Two of our Skills Plan, supporting the learners to succeed – the taypani learning centres that we’ve invested in, including recently at the Alanvale campus, are really about making sure that support is available to our learners, whether they’ve got challenges with language, literacy, numeracy, access to digital technology, or even just the need for peer mentorship and support.
I will look to the team at TasTAFE to talk through support that we provide to our learners.
CHAIR – Or if those are being cut, really, is my question.
Mr GARDNER – To your question, there’s no change to the program. We run an adult migrant English program that’s separately, federally funded, and that remains unchanged.
CHAIR – So, it’s federally funded?
Mr GARDNER – Yes.
