November 8, 2012

The Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE – which operates the TAFE campuses in Kingaroy and Cherbourg – will undergo a major shake-up if recommendations in the Queensland Skills and Training Taskforce final report released on Tuesday are adopted by the State Government.

The report recommends that 37 TAFE campuses close throughout Queensland – but does not specify which will be affected – and that a new parent body be established.

The 44 remaining campuses will be re-sorted under a new “rationalised structure” recommended by the Department of Education, Training and Employment.

SQIT Director Trevor Schwenke today reassured students that it is “business as usual” at the moment.

“While the Queensland Government is looking into ways to improve TAFE and training, changes that will occur won’t be known until later in the year,” he said.

The report recommends that a new TAFE Queensland parent entity should be established and operational by July 1 next year.

A “rationalised structure” under this new entity would reduce the number of campuses:

  • Far North Queensland Region (from 26 to 15 campuses)
  • Fraser and Sunshine Coast Region (from 13 to 8 campuses)
  • Western Corridor Region (from 16 to 11 campuses)
  • Brisbane Metropolitan Region (from 15 to 5 campuses)
  • Skills Tech Australia (from 6 to 2 campuses)
  • Gold Coast Region (from 6 to 3 campuses).

The Taskforce noted that Central Queensland could form a seventh region, subject to the separate consideration by the State Government of a proposed merger of the Central Queensland Institute and CQ University.

The State Government is expected to formulate a response to the report by the end of this month.

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the recommendations were independent and had been made by a taskforce consisting of members from industry, government and the union movement.

“Our government will now consider these recommendations and respond accordingly by the end of the year – no decisions have been made,” she said.

“However, you can be assured I have always promoted the strengths and advantages of our local SQIT campus as I believe it is an excellent facility which offers so much to our community.”

Taskforce members were:

  • Michael Roche – Queensland Resources Council
  • Daniel Gschwind – Queensland Tourism Industry Council
  • Warwick Temby – Housing Industry Association
  • Matthew Martyn-Jones – Australian Industry Group
  • Alex Livingstone – Growcom
  • Gary Black – National Retail Association
  • Pat McKendry – Careers Australia Group
  • Claire Field – Australian Council for Private Education and Training
  • Michael Ravbar – Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union
  • Julie Grantham – Director-General, Department of Education, Training and Employment
  • Jon Grayson – Director-General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
  • Helen Gluer – Under Treasurer, Department of Treasury and Trade.

Download the Queensland Skills and Training Taskforce final report (2.24Mb PDF)