By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
LABOR has pledged up to $20 million for 1600 technical education places in a pilot scheme in Berwick, if the party wins government on 2 July.
Opposition Higher Education Spokesman Kim Carr, with La Trobe ALP candidate Simon Curtis, said the proposed Commonwealth Institute of Higher Education would “fill a big hole” in the education system.
The institute will offer two-year sub-degree courses at advanced diploma and associate degree levels, with a focus on “employability”, Mr Carr said.
Students would have a “high-skill exit qualification”, with the option of going on to university.
The ALP will pledge similar institutes in Frankston and Preston, and nationally, as part of its 2 July Federal Election pitch.
The Berwick institute’s $20 million federal funding was subject to a joint funding agreement with the Victorian Government.
Mr Carr said increasing numbers of unprepared students were being signed up for university, with many dropping out or failing.
Half of students with entrance scores less than 50 and enrolled in university did not succeed, he said.
“We’re filling a gap in the education system, particularly in areas such as this.”
He cited the Casey area’s economic downturn, higher-than-average unemployment and the need to teach a technical skills-set for manufacturing and material-science jobs.
“Educational attainment is way under par,” Mr Carr said.
“Engagement with the higher education system is lower than we want to see.”
The institute would be partnered by Chisholm Institute and the future operator of the soon-to-be-vacated Monash University site in Berwick, Mr Carr said.
“We’d like to see that we continue to offer higher education at the (university) site. That we … ensure people of this region get entitlements that the rest of the state gets.”
La Trobe ALP candidate Simon Curtis said he’d advocated for such an institute at the site – which linked education and skills to “real jobs”.
He said La Trobe incumbent Jason Wood had known of Monash’s potential closure at Clyde Road for two years, but “nothing’s been done to ensure its future”.
Mr Wood said the solution was for a university to succeed Monash so “innovation and entrepreneurship can be the key focus while working with business and other institutions”.
“Labor’s policy is light on detail and is not clear what it will do. We need to make sure that La Trobe maintains access to university education.“
Training and Skills Minister Steve Herbert said the State Government looked forward to supporting “these industry linked institutions in partnership with our TAFEs and universities”.
“Victoria has the best universities and TAFEs in Australia and this will only be enhanced with the introduction of Commonwealth Institutes of Higher Education.”
