Technical and further education or simplyTAFE (/ˈteɪf/) is the common name inAustralia forvocational education, as a subset oftertiary education. TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational courses.
Individual TAFE institutions (usually with numerous campuses) are known as either colleges or institutes, depending on the state or territory.
InAustralia, where the term TAFE originated, institutions usually host qualifying courses, under theNational Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/VET Quality Framework. Fields covered include business, finance, hospitality, tourism, construction, engineering, visual arts, information technology and community work. TAFE colleges are owned, operated and financed by the variousstate/territory governments.
TAFE colleges award Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications accredited in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector that align to Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma qualifications.[1] In many instances, such as atUNSW andSouthern Cross University, TAFE study at a Diploma or above level can be used as partial credit towards bachelor's degree-level university programs.[2][3]
From 2002 the TAFE education sector has been able to offer bachelor's degrees and post-graduate diploma courses to fill niche areas, particularly vocationally focused areas of study based on industry needs. As of June 2009, ten TAFE colleges (mainly in New South Wales[4] and Victoria, but also Western Australia, ACT, and Queensland) now confer their own degree-level awards and post graduate diplomas, though initially not beyond the level of bachelor's degree. HoweverMelbourne Polytechnic was accredited in 2015 to offer two master's degree courses.[5] Similarly, some universities (e.g.,Charles Darwin University, andRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology) offer vocational education courses (traditionally the domain of TAFE); these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.[6][7]
Students who enrol in these undergraduate degree courses at TAFE are required to pay full fees and are not entitled toCommonwealth Government supported student fee loans, known as HECS loans, but may access a FEE-HELP loan scheme.[8] While Universities have the ability and power to design and offer their own degree courses, each TAFE degree course must be assessed and approved by the Higher Education Accreditation Committee (HEAC).[6]
TAFEs in some states can also teach senior high school qualifications, like theVictorian Certificate of Education,Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, and theHigher School Certificate. Some universities, e.g.Charles Darwin University andRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology, offer TAFE courses; these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.
Some private institutions also offer courses from TAFEs, however they more commonly offer othervocational education and training courses. Before the 1990s, the TAFEs had a near monopoly in the sector. TAFE courses provide students an opportunity for certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma qualifications in a wide range of areas.
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In most cases, TAFE campuses are grouped into TAFE institutions orinstitutes along geographic lines. Most TAFEs are given a locally recognised region of the country where they exclusively operate covering a wide range of subjects.
A few TAFEs specialise in a single area of study. These are usually found near the middle of the capital cities, and they service the whole state or territory. For example, theTrade and Technician Skills Institute in Brisbane, from 1 July 2006, has specialised in automotive, building and construction, manufacturing and engineering, and electrical/electronic studies for students throughout Queensland and theWilliam Angliss Institute of TAFE in Melbourne has specialised in food, hospitality and tourism courses for Victoria.
In theAustralian Capital Territory, these include:
There were tenTAFE NSW Institutes inNSW, which have since been joined into a state-wide service.OTEN or TAFE Digital[9] is TAFE's online offering.
In theNorthern Territory, these include:
InQueensland,TAFE Queensland includes:
As of May 2014, the TAFE institutes have amalgamated into six regions of the central TAFE Queensland (parent body). The regions of TAFE Queensland are:[10]
And as of the 1 July 2014, Central Queensland TAFE (branded as CQ TAFE) was merged intoCentral Queensland University (branded as CQUniversity) to create Queensland's first dual sector university.
InTasmania, there are two government TAFE organisations:
InVictoria these include:
InWestern Australia, this includes:
TAFE course comparison sites