Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing has today welcomed the Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert’s announcement that the Andrews Labor Government will clean up Victoria’s training system with more onsite audits, closer scrutiny of high-risk providers and new, tougher contracts for training providers.

$30 million will be spent over the next three years to increase contract compliance and to fully implement the recommendations of the Review of Quality Assurance in Victoria’s VET System which was handed down earlier this year.

The commitment, on top of the $9 million quality blitz announced in June, is delivering on the Labor Government’s promise to crack down on low quality training providers.

Harriet Shing MP said Gippslanders have a right to be confident that the training courses they sign up to will result in them finding a job.

Funding will also go to enhancing the Department’s capability to investigate student complaints and providing better information and support for students.

This $30 million investment will clean up Victoria’s $1.2 billion training system and will give Gippsland employers the confidence in the skills and expertise of apprentices and trainees entering the workforce.

This announcement coincides with the Department’s Expression of Interest process for training providers wanting to obtain a 2016 Victorian Training Guarantee (VTG) funding contract.

This includes the introduction of mandatory performance reviews, the introduction of the VTG Quality Charter and new types of contracts tailored to the relative risk profiles of different providers.
The former Liberal Government allowed low quality training to proliferate in their four years of mismanaging the training system and did not take quality assurance seriously.

The Labor Government is helping transform Victoria into the Education State and cleaning up the training and skills sector will help to deliver on that election commitment.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing MP

“The majority of training providers do the right thing and follow the conditions of their government-funded contracts, but unfortunately there are still some providers taking advantage of students.”

“Every Gippsland student should be able to have confidence that their chosen training provider is credible, reliable, and won’t rip them off.”

“I would urge anyone who wants to start a course or training to shop around and not just sign up for the first course they’re offered.”

“After four years of savage coalition cuts, we’re re-investing in TAFEs and rebuilding our training system so that young people can get the skills and training they need for the jobs they want.”