The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) has called for a major reset in governmental skills training policy and funding priorities following the release of data showing that private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) outperform public sector counterparts when it comes to employer satisfaction with nationally recognised training.
“What the NCVER [National Centre for Vocational Education Research] data confirms is that independent skills training is great for students, great for employers, and great for Australia,” said Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.
According to ITECA, the NCVER’s Employer’s Use And Views Of The VET system shows significant levels of employer satisfaction with nationally recognised training delivered by private RTOs, publishing the following statistics:
- Relevance of skills taught:
- TAFE: 80.1 per cent
- Private RTO: 85.7 per cent
- Condition of equipment and facilities:
- TAFE: 74.1 per cent
- Private RTO: 84.9 per cent
- Training cost-effectiveness:
- TAFE: 72.8 per cent
- Private RTO: 80.6 per cent
- Provider flexibility in meeting requirements – satisfaction:
- TAFE: 66.9 per cent
- Private RTO: 86.8 per cent
- Trainer’s knowledge and experience of your industry – satisfaction:
- TAFE: 76.8 per cent
- Private RTO: 86.3 per cent
- Standard of assessment:
- TAFE: 72.9 per cent
- Private RTO: 8 per cent
- Overall satisfaction with training:
- TAFE: 76.6 per cent
- Private RTO: 85.9 per cent
“As businesses across the nation continue to grapple with skills shortages, the survey data shows that they have confidence in the work of ITECA members that deliver quality skills training,” said Williams.
ITECA said that the NCVER data on employer satisfaction is consistent with results from previous years and a strong argument for a major reset in government skills training policy and funding priorities.
“Currently, there is a significant push by the government to put TAFE ‘at the heart’ of the skills training system, which many employers are pushing back against. Instead, ITECA firmly believes in putting students at the heart of the system, where their freedom to choose their preferred training provider is backed by the government.”
Other NCVER data shows that independent skills training providers support more than 89 per cent of the 4.5 million students in skills training.