Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations

Inquiry into the Role of Institutes of TAFE
Submissions

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Submission 31

Eastern Institute of TAFE

23 October, 1997

SUBMISSION TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Inquiry into the Appropriate Roles of Institutes of Technical and Further Education

 

1. Introduction

Eastern TAFE welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Inquiry in relation to the terms of reference.

The first section relates to the first term of reference

• the appropriate roles of technical and further education.

It outlines the current activities of Eastern TAFE and the future requirements for the provision of TAFE to illustrate the role we believe is appropriate for a TAFE Institute.

The second section relates to the second term of reference

• the extent to which those roles should overlap with universities.

This outlines potential overlap and some positive collaborative arrangements which capitalise on some of the overlap in terms of course provision.

2. Nature and Extent of the Provision of Vocational Education and Training

2.1 Brief History on the Growth and Development of Eastern TAFE

2.1.1 Growth and Development from 1987 to 1996

Eastern TAFE enrolled its first students on the Wantirna Campus for February 1987.

The focus of Institute activity at the time was twofold:

- an industry focus with delivery of fee for service courses in the workplace;

- a local region and community focus with an emphasis on delivering accredited programs in community based locations (Outreach Program).

The delivery focus was on flexibility and innovation which involved:

- individualised or self-paced learning;

- delivery in community based locations, libraries, community houses, etc;

- delivery in workplace training facilities;

- mobile equipment, eg electronics courses and computing courses;

- delivery through the "training caravan" a mobile electronics and computing laboratory.

Eastern TAFE was established to meet the growing demand for TAFE from a local industry base which was expanding and a population base of approximately 500,000 people in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Eastern TAFE is now a multi-campus operation with:

- a campus established in Wantirna in late 1986;

- a campus established in Lilydale in early 1987 to provide a range of classroom based courses plus distance education programs;

- a campus established in Healesville in 1987 which co-located with Healesville Living and Learning Centre;

- a major campus established in Croydon commencing 1991 through to completion of three stages;

- a campus established in Healesville in 1997 in the former Shire of Healesville offices which complements the existing campus and broadens the program range offered to Healesville and its surrounds and to towns to the east such as Marysville and Alexandra;

- a campus under construction with Lillydale Lake Campus Stage 1A in 1997, with planned occupancy in November 1997 and programs to commence in January 1998;

- a further stage to the Lillydale Lake Campus under design and development, known as Stage 1B, with design work to resume in August 1997;

the development and operation of an "extended campus" or outreach model with program delivery in up to 26 community locations and in many workplaces throughout the eastern and south eastern region of Melbourne.

Eastern TAFE is now a multi-campus operation serving individuals and government and private organisations in the eastern region of Melbourne and offers some programs nationally and internationally.

Eastern TAFE has developed a distributed management structure, an electronic communication system and a quality management system to enable it to effectively operate the multi-campus, multi-location operation.

 

2.1.2 Growth in Student Activity and Revenue

In the period 1987 to 1996 Eastern TAFE has experienced significant growth in its Government funded student contact hour activity and in its Short course program as outlined in the table below:

Student Contact Hours*				% Change
1987		1996
Government	738,938	Government	2,778,979	276
Short Course	24,056	Short Course	150,667	526
TOTAL	762,994	TOTAL	2,929,646	284

*Excludes Industry fee for service activity, DEETYA programs etc.

Revenue for the period 1987 to 1996 has also increased significantly as shown with a strong revenue stream being maintained from sources other than the Government during this period.

Revenue						% Change
1987	%	$	1996	%	$
Government	94	5,786,751	Government	60	18,566,000	221
Capital	0	0	Capital	2	500,000	-
Other	6	369,673	Other	38	11,739,000	308
TOTAL	100	6,156,424	TOTAL	100	30,805,000	402

 

2.1.3 Program and Service Delivery

Eastern TAFE has provided program delivery and service delivery consistent with State Training Board and Australian National Training Authority policies and strategic directions.

It is a leader in flexible learning and delivery and has been developing this expertise and skill since its inception in 1987. The Institute now has an extremely strong base of skilled personnel who are experienced in the delivery of programs and services in a flexible manner in a wide variety of locations. The Institute has a strong philosophical and cultural basis for its flexible learning and flexible delivery approaches. This base gives the Institute a major strength in its capacity to continue to meet the increasing demands by individuals and enterprises for "just in time", flexibly delivered training, with the associated flexibly provided support services.

Eastern TAFE has increased its capacity to deliver in a flexible manner through planned strategic development over the period 1987 to 1996 and has extensive flexible delivery approaches which are used in the workplace, at home, in community locations and on-campus. For example, using computer mediated and managed learning using the Internet; workplace tutors/trainers, workplace assessment; delivery on the production line, all designed to meet the many and diverse needs of the individual and the enterprise.

Eastern TAFE provides a wide range of support services to individuals and enterprises and provides extensive support to the economic development of the region in which it operates.

Eastern TAFE's service delivery to customers includes:

Eastern Employment

• an employment service for the unemployed in the region and for current students.

Business Enterprise Centre

• a support centre for small business in the region, providing training programs, business counselling, mentor support programs, a business network group and other support services.

Industry Development Centre

• a facility which provides training rooms, small business support services for local industry.

Industry Consultancy Service

• consultants who visit enterprises and assist with the provision of training needs, training delivery and assessment, organisational development, quality management implementation, etc.

Health and Aged Care Unit

• a specialist unit which provides consultancy and training support in the aged care industry and conducts research into this specialist field.

Workplace Language Unit

• a service for workplace delivery of adult literacy and numeracy programs directly related to the needs of the enterprise and the individuals concerned.

Personal Counselling

Employment Counselling

Career Counselling

Disability Support

Recreation Services

Financial Support, Loans, Deferred Payment Scheme

Library Services, Internet Access, Computer Practice Access

Information Services, Student Newsletter

Child Care Services

Eastern TAFE provides a range of vocational education and training programs which have been developed consistent with State-wide requirements, but more importantly, developed to meet the needs of the Region. Eastern TAFE keeps in touch with the needs of the Region through extensive research and through its participation on the Regional Economic Development Organisation, Business East; the Area Consultative Committee, Jobs East; and local Government Economic Development Committees. Programs and services are developed and offered to meet these needs through the accredited program profile or through Eastern TAFE developed and delivered fee for service programs.

Eastern TAFE has extended its products and services and its capabilities through .

Strategic alliances have been developed:

• with over 40 local Secondary Colleges for the delivery of the VET in Schools Program;

• with a consortium of local Secondary Colleges to deliver Professional Development to Secondary College staff;

• with Victorian TAFE Institutes for local and international projects;

• with international organisations in Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and the Commonwealth of Learning (for activity in South Africa, Caribbean, PNG and the Pacific) for the delivery of products and services;

• with private providers for joint program or project delivery, generally being enterprise private providers, for example, Australian Automotive Air, Mercedes Benz, Computer Power, Australian Fire Services, Country Fire Authority, Automotive Training Australia, DuPont, NEC, Stokes;

• with interstate TAFE institutions, for example:

Canberra Institute of Technology

Regency (SA)

Douglas Mawson (SA)

Onkaparinga (SA)

Central Metropolitan (WA)

OTEN (NSW)

• with community based providers (including neighbourhood houses) for joint or shared delivery of programs and developmental projects;

• with Universities for articulation and delivery of Dual Awards on Eastern TAFE campuses;

• with Universities, that is, Deakin, La Trobe and Central Queensland for joint ventures in international activity;

• with other providers for English language programs and joint international promotion, that is, Hawthorn Institute of Education (University of Melbourne), Melbourne Language Centre (private provider) and the Adult Multicultural Education Service (AMES).

The Institute has made appropriate strategic alliances with organisations to meet the needs of the particular situation. In this way, the Institute is able to complement its skills and to operate in a very flexible manner to meet the varying demands placed on TAFE Institutes.

The development of strategic alliances for specific purpose operations is an effective manner of operation for a TAFE Institution to achieve its objectives and outcomes while maintaining its flexibility and responsiveness. This mode of operation, to maintain its flexibility and responsiveness, will become increasingly more important in the environment in which we will all be operating in the future.

This is a preferable mode of operation compared with forming large inflexible organisations.

Eastern TAFE has managed its affairs to enable flexible human resource responses and flexible delivery approaches which enable it to plan and reallocate programs and services to meet the changing and emerging needs.

Eastern TAFE's program delivery is through the following Teaching Centres:

Art and Design

Automotive

Agriculture and Horticulture

Building and Construction

Business and Management

Computing and Information Technology

Health and Human Services

Hospitality and Tourism

Manufacturing, Electrical and Electronics Technology

Eastern TAFE has the full range of University articulation arrangements available to it, similar to other Victorian TAFE Institutes, with Victorian Universities. It also has negotiated special Double or Dual Awards for its students. That is, students can study for a TAFE Diploma and a University Bachelor's degree at the same time usually on Eastern TAFE's campus.

Two such arrangements have been negotiated with Monash University with two others currently being negotiated for 1998. Two such arrangements have been negotiated with Deakin for 1998 and four such arrangements have been negotiated with Swinburne at Lilydale (Division of Swinburne University of Technology) for 1998 and are awaiting approval from the Swinburne Academic Board.

Eastern TAFE programs are delivered to individuals with diverse experience and backgrounds as shown by the following characteristics for its 1996 enrolments:

Age Distribution

Age Range	%
<19	16.6
19-24	23.6
25-34	22.4
35-44	22.5
45-54	12.2
>55	2.7

The data shows that at least 60% of the students are older than 24 years.

Distribution of Full Time and Part Time

Of these students 20.7% were full time with the remaining 79.3% being part time students.

The data therefore indicates that the large majority of students are part time. These are more likely to be studying for existing employment requirements or to enhance career change opportunities, rather than to proceed to full time study at a higher education institution.

Employment

The data also shows that during the period of study, 35% of these students were in full time employment, with 11 % in part-time employment with the remainder either not stating their employment status or they are not in paid work.

This indicates a significant proportion, at least 46%, are in some form of employment while studying, with the majority of these in full time employment.

% Post Year 12

The data indicates that for those under 19 years, only 4.3% have studied at Year 12 standard. There is no indication that all of these completed Year 12 in 1995, but this is likely, given the age of the student. Therefore, the percentage of young people (<19) who have completed Year 12 and who have progressed directly to Eastern TAFE is quite small compared with the total student population in this age range.

% Who Progress to University

Students who would be eligible to progress to University would normally be expected to complete a TAFE Diploma except in the Art and Design field.

Data for TAFE Diploma completions in 1995 and 1996 is as follows:

Completed TAFE Diploma	Number of Students	% of Total Enrolments	Number Who Studied Full Time	Number who Studied Part Time
1995	242	2.2	156	86
1996	365	2.8	204	161

The data shows that less than 3% of the total Institute enrollees complete a TAFE Diploma either through full time or part time study. Consequently, the number of students and the percentage of Institute activity related to progression to University study is extremely small.

% Who Have Prior University Study Experience

The data shows that 447 students who enrolled in 1996 had a Degree or Post Graduate qualification and 146 students had attempted a Degree or Post Graduate qualification. That is, 5.7% of those who enrolled for the first time in 1996 had a completed University qualification and a further 1.9% had attempted a University course.

Completion Rates

The Institute achieved high completion rates in 1994, 1995 and 1996 on both Module Completion Rate and Module Load Completion Rate as shown below.

	1994	1995	1996
Module Completion Rate	78.85	80.00	N/A
State Average	70.63	70.63	N/A
Module Load Completion Rate	73.64	81.85	79.07
State Average	66.20	72.81	72.32

 

2.1.4 Cost Efficient Operation

Each TAFE Institute in Victoria is paid exactly the same price for each student contact hour (SCH) in a particular discipline or program. No funding differential exists across any Institute for any particular program or any particular mix of the same programs. The mix of programs within the program profile is different for each Institute, but the relative funding, through the "funding model" is exactly the same.

Therefore, a measure of cost efficiency for the OTFE is the output achieved based on an equal input ($ for SCH delivery) for each Institute. The Module Load Completion Rate measures the efficiency of the output compared with the input. That is, Eastern TAFE had an 81.85 efficiency rate of converting the input to a successful output in 1995 and 79.07 in 1996.

Eastern TAFE's module load completion rate has been in the top five for the past three years (with it being the top in 1996). Therefore, it is among the top five in converting the OTFE dollar input to successful outcomes.

On this basis, it is one of the most cost efficient Institutes in the system and, based on the OTFE data, was the most cost efficient metropolitan TAFE Institute in 1995 and the most cost efficient in 1996.

2.1.5 Quality Provision

Eastern TAFE was the first organisation in Australia to be certified to 150 9001 for Total Business Registration. This level of registration certifies that all parts of the organisation and the key activities in those parts have been documented within a quality system against the 150 9000 series of standards. This level of registration also requires systems whereby top level policies and decisions can be shown to be effectively implemented into all relevant parts of the organisation. The 150 9001 requires an external audit by the certifying authority every six months to determine and monitor improvements and development of the system.

The Institute is committed to continuous improvement and the maintenance of 150 9001 standards.

A reflection of this commitment is the Institute's success in having the highest module load completion rate in Victoria. The focus is on quality learning outcomes and services to the Institute customers.

The achievement of 150 9001 and subsequent quality initiatives has set Eastern TAFE on a path of continuous improvement and the maintenance and improvement of high quality activities and outcomes. The achievement of high completion rates and the high performance on other indicators reflects the Institute's current high performance.

2.1.6 Strengths, Capability and Provision

In relation to the first Term of Reference, Eastern TAFE has developed programs and services specifically to meet the needs of the outer eastern region of Melbourne through its flexible human resource base, its philosophical and cultural base of flexibility and responsiveness and its flexible delivery approaches.

Eastern TAFE has developed extremely strong links within the Eastern Region at regional level, local Government level and with enterprises and other public and private organisations. It has formed strategic alliances within the Region and external to the Region to satisfy the particular requirements of the task.

These strategic alliances have included strong links with Universities in the Region, namely, Deakin, Monash and Swinburne and have enabled the development of joint TAFE Diploma/Bachelor courses for delivery on Eastern TAFE campuses with each of these Universities as well as strong articulation arrangements for the small number of Eastern TAFE's student population who proceed to a University following a TAFE qualification.

These strategic alliances have also included strong links with regional Secondary Colleges to support and provide VET for the VET in Schools Program. This has included offering VET programs to a cluster of Secondary Colleges to deliver programs on a TAFE Campus or a school site; providing curriculum and equipment support for programs delivered by the schools; and providing professional development programs for Secondary College staff to enable them to conduct VET programs in the school.

Finally, the local strategic alliances have included joint delivery or partnerships with local enterprise for the delivery of nationally accredited programs in the workplace.

2.2 Current and Future Demands on TAFE Institutes

Eastern TAFE has established the following Vision, Mission and Goals for the period to the year 2000 which outline the role the Institute sees for itself in the near future.

Vision

Eastern TAFE is the leader in flexible delivery of quality customer focussed education and training programs and services at any time and any place.

Mission

Eastern TAFE, the leader, committed to excellence in education and training. To achieve this Vision and Mission, Eastern TAFE will provide:

• nationally recognised vocational education and training programs:

• programs and services which are highly flexible and meet the customer's needs;

• programs and services to the eastern and south eastern regions of Melbourne;

• specialist programs and services nationally and internationally.

The programs and services will be characterised by:

• a high level of customer service;

• a responsive, flexible and innovative approach to customer requirements;

• an increase in the provision of programs and services in the workplace;

• a value added service to support enterprise based training and development;

• a quality outcome achieved through a continuous improvement program.

Eastern TAFE Goals, 1996 - 2000

The Institute Goals are:

• To be the leader in customer service through high quality, accessible and comprehensive services.

• To provide flexible, innovative and timely responses to meet customer requirements.

• To deliver more high quality programs and services in the workplace.

• To develop and provide value adding services to enhance enterprise and workplace based training and development.

• To achieve quality outcomes for Eastern TAFE and its customers through a continuous improvement program.

• To increase Institute income and profit to maintain a competitive, viable organisation.

This Vision, Mission and Goals reflect the views of the Institute and represent the response which will be required of TAFE Institutes to meet the current and emerging demands from individuals, enterprises and the ANTA policy changes.

In order to remain competitive, each TAFE Institute's operation will need to be characterised by a high level of customer service; service which is designed to meet its customers' needs.

2.2.1 Flexibility and Responsiveness

The future requirement will be for TAFE Institutes to become more flexible and responsive and to work in partnership with industry to develop more innovative and creative solutions to the enterprise's training requirements.

To satisfy these demands TAFE Institutes will need to be flexible and responsive and have:

• extremely flexible and responsive record keeping and administrative systems;

• responsive and flexible employment systems and arrangements;

• flat structured organisational arrangements with a high level of devolution;

• good internal communication, with strong support for a flexible and responsive approach;

• a high level of liaison with industry and strong industry linkages.

These requirements are increasingly moving TAFE Institutions away from the "educational systems" formerly used for administration and management to much more flexible and sophisticated management arrangements and approaches. These management and system requirements are totally different from those required for higher education or other sectors of education and will lead to increased divergence between the operating systems and the style of organisation required within the different sectors.

Eastern TAFE is continually moving in this direction and is achieving greater flexibility and developing innovative learning models and approaches which are very responsive to the needs of industry and individual enterprises.

Eastern TAFE is a leader in the development of open learning and flexible delivery options in vocational education and training. The Institute has strengths in this area, in particular, in remote access and innovative workplace delivery including the provision of learning support services and the development of print-based learning resources.

The Institute is extending its services to enterprises and the community through an Open Learning Centre Network and the development of new learning strategies using the emerging technologies of Email, video conferencing and the Internet. The range of learning options available to Institute customers will continue to expand thereby giving the customer the choice of delivery mode and options to package the course to meet their needs.

The Institute has undertaken extensive work to expand its capacity to deliver in a flexible manner over its years of operation.

Delivery programs include:

all Information Technology courses and modules offered through individualised learning from any location;

all Small Business Management modules, comprising the total Certificate Ill course, are offered through individualised learning from any location;

all Accounting courses and modules offered through individualised learning;

basic electronics, automotive, and horticulture programs all offered in a flexible manner in terms of place of delivery and timing;

Child Care, Managing Social and Community Studies offered in a flexible individualised manner at any location any time;

Vehicle Industry Certificate, Engineering Production Certificate offered in the workplace in flexible manner, sometimes with training occurring on the production line;

Office Administration program offered in a flexible manner in location and time;

A publishing company, Eastern House, has been established to produce learning materials and assessment materials to promote and support the Institute's flexible delivery approaches.

Eastern TAFE also recognises the increasing importance of the Internet and remote access for supporting flexible and responsive approaches and is a significant participant in this activity within the TAFE system.

Eastern TAFE is currently producing modules for the following six courses for on-line delivery including the appropriate learner support structures:

Managing Social and Community Services;

Certificate III in Small Business Management;

Diploma in Information Technology;

Advanced Diploma in Business (Accounting);

Certificate l in Retail Studies;

Certificate of Office Administration.

Eastern TAFE has recently won a tender to develop a further 20 modules in the Business Skills training framework which will extend its capacity to offer on-line delivery.

Eastern TAFE is involved in pilot projects for two different models of a virtual campus. These developments place Eastern TAFE as a major player in the development and delivery of on-line courses. Eastern TAFE currently provides remote access to course delivery and assessment through a computer mediated system which enables delivery in the home, the workplace or a community location. Delivery has occurred in each of these locations.

Eastern TAFE has a number of flexible delivery models involving enterprise trainers, enterprise assessment and other co-operative developments with local enterprise.

The Australian National Training Authority policy relating to the National Training Framework and the introduction of Training Packages and User Choice will have a significant impact on the delivery and management approaches of TAFE Institutes.

Training Packages which will comprise competency standards to be achieved by the individual, no longer specify a course curriculum or learning outcomes or other prescribed activities. Individuals are required to demonstrate the competency in the workplace to the specified standard. The competency level required can be-developed by the individual through many different processes, including previous experiences of all kinds; undertaking normal or special tasks or projects in the workplace which are directly related to the person's work role; studying a unit or module of a course; shadowing a competent person; working on team based tasks, projects or assignments, and so on.

The TAFE Institute (or Registered Training Organisation) is required to manage and track the individual students and the variety of approaches undertaken to develop the capacity to demonstrate the competency. The management and delivery of these learning experiences, and the eventual workplace assessment of the competency at the standard required, will require sophisticated learning management, student management and assessment systems.

The systems required to manage these new approaches will increasingly move the TAFE Institute away from an "educational systems" approach to a different and more appropriate approach which will enable this activity to be managed in an efficient manner.

Enterprises are becoming more sophisticated in their training demands and in the specification of their training requirements. The increasing flexibility required by ANTA policy and its Training Package development, and the increasing sophistication of enterprises in specifying their training requirements and demanding "just in time" approaches, emphasises the importance of maintaining an independent vocational education and training sector in the form of TAFE Institutes. Such Institutes have to change and develop the delivery and management skills and the systems and support structures which will meet these changing demands.

2.2.2 Delivery in the Workplace

Increasingly, industry and enterprises will have more influence over the direction in which training provision will move. The enterprise, be it large or small, will become a focus of TAFE Institute activity.

Eastern TAFE has always provided for those currently in the workforce. Previously, it has been the individual who has chosen the course and attendance mode, usually on-campus. But increasingly the enterprise is specifying the training required and the conditions for delivery. This has caused a shift to enterprise-based training often combined with flexible delivery modes and sometimes using industry trainers supported by Institute staff.

Eastern TAFE has increased its delivery of programs in the workplace and is operating with a number of different learning models. These involve cooperative and collaborative approaches in partnership with the particular enterprise. Personnel working within such a training model are often employed by the enterprise and are working in partnership with Institute staff.

These approaches are increasingly being used by Eastern TAFE for training which is undertaken on-the-job with the use of enterprise employed trainers and Institute employed project managers and Institute workplace assessors. Some innovative approaches in the vehicle manufacturing industry, food processing industry and metals and electronic manufacturing industries are currently in operation. These approaches put considerable strain upon the "educational management model" and require more flexible approaches from TAFE Institutes than is required from other educational sectors. As indicated previously, these systems and approaches will become increasingly incompatible with those which will be required by other educational sectors.

The Institute is moving to increase its level of delivery in the workplace and is progressively changing its systems to cope with the increased flexibility required. As mentioned previously, the systems required to manage these new approaches will increasingly require an approach which is different from the "educational systems" required by other sectors and those currently used by TAFE Institutes.

2.2.3 Value Added Services

Enterprises, as they become more independent in their training requirements, look to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their training. In this environment TAFE Institutes are required to provide value added services in partnership with an enterprise.

Eastern TAFE has provided services to enterprises and industry which assists those companies in the development of their own quality training. Services in instructional design, curriculum development, support for enterprise trainers and the development of learning materials, learning models and learning assessment systems are required by enterprises offering their own training programs. Increasingly, the training will include new learning technologies. The Institute provides value adding services to enterprises in the development of their workplace training and is able to offer other delivery options which also link enterprise training to nationally accredited training.

Industry and specific enterprises are much more aware of the learning and training options and are looking for more creative and sophisticated solutions to their needs. The provision of such learning models and delivery models requires an equally sophisticated TAFE Institute operation.

The flexibility, responsiveness and workplace delivery options provided by a TAFE Institute are critical, but in addition it must be able to provide the higher level professional skills and approaches relating to "how people learn most effectively", and the development of learning models, learning materials and assessment processes to satisfy the new requirements. Most of these services will be required to be provided in the workplace by professional educators who have developed a high degree of knowledge and understanding of delivery and working in this environment.

2.3 Features of the TAFE Institute of the Future

As indicated in the previous section, the TAFE Institute of the future will continue to offer a range of services and programs to the individual and to individuals in the workplace through the particular enterprise.

Increasingly, entry level training within a TAFE Institute will diminish as the Year 12 cohort diminishes and many more of these aspire to go to Universities. Mass education opportunities at Universities will continue to encourage year 12 students to apply for and enter University Courses.

Increasingly, TAFE Institute's will be enrolling students who are currently in the Workforce and who will be using a "just-in-time" approach to training which is initiated by the individual or the enterprise. The current demand for this type of training, and the trend which has emerged over the last three years, clearly indicates that most TAFE Institutes will need to develop their products and services to meet these "just-in-time" modular training demands.

To meet these demands TAFE Institutes must increase their flexibility and responsiveness and will be required to develop solutions for particular enterprises and customise programs for groups or individuals. The introduction of Training Packages, through the National Training Framework policy of ANTA, will further emphasise the need for TAFE Institutes to be flexible and responsive and to customise a Training Package for the individual or an enterprise.

These changes will require shifts in the way in which TAFE Institutes are currently managed in terms of the allocation and deployment of resources and the systems which are introduced and implemented to manage and record the activity and the outcomes. Individual students undertaking customised programs need to be effectively and efficiently tracked. Work based assessment and campus based assessment will need to be recorded and managed against a series of competency standards to be achieved. No longer will individuals undertake a prescribed course or series of learning activities to achieve learning outcomes. Students will now follow unique learning programs which will be designed to enable them to demonstrate in the workplace that they have achieved the specified competencies at the standards required.

This mode of operation will increasingly become the major mode of operation for a TAFE Institute. This mode of operation is significantly different from that required in other sectors of education such as higher education.

2.4 Linkages with Victorian Universities

Eastern TAFE has developed Strategic Alliances with Universities as outlined in section 2.1.3. The features of this development include the diversity of the alliances which are with five Victorian Universities and which include:

offering Double/Dual Awards on Eastern TAFE campuses;

international alliances and joint ventures;

articulation arrangements for students across a range of courses that are not available at one University.

It should be noted, however, that less than 3% of the Institute's total enrollees in 1995 and 1996 were qualified to proceed to University through articulation or through undertaking a Double Award.

Consequently, while these strategic alliances are an important part of the Institute's diverse operation, they form only a small part of the outcomes for students.

These strategic alliances have significance in relation to income generation; for example, a joint venture between Eastern TAFE and Deakin University in partnership with a number of Indian educational institutions to jointly deliver a Diploma in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Commerce will provide an income stream for both Institutions.

Eastern TAFE contends that linkages with Universities (and similarly with Secondary Colleges) are important and that the diversity of these alliances is equally important, given the different career options and course choices made by the students who do continue on to higher education.

3. Extent of Overlap of Roles with Universities

3.1 Divergence of Roles

Eastern TAFE contends that the roles of Universities and TAFE Institutions should be different, each having a specific and different charter.

Eastern TAFE believes that there will be an increasing divergence between the roles of the TAFE Institute and the University as TAFE Institutes increase their activity in the workplace and respond to the "just in time" requirements of the enterprise and move away from the enrolment of entry level Year 12 students. This shift will be driven by the reduction in the Year 12 cohort, the ample access available to University places and the increasing activity of the VET in Schools' Program.

The introduction of Training Packages will require significant shifts in the way in which TAFE Institutes operate and in the roles of staff as outlined briefly in section 2.2.1 and 2.2.2. These shifts in roles and the modes of operation will create further tension within the multi-sector institutions operating in Victoria.

The roles of the staff in each of the sectors will also diverge further as the TAFE Institute offers programs which meet the needs of the enterprise and as staff also provide value added services to support enterprise based and funded training activity. Direct partnerships will be developed with enterprises to enhance the training provided and the training outcomes.

This role is significantly different from that required of Universities. While Universities will need to work closely with industry in their vocational programs, their major activity is still the delivery of industry relevant professional programs to the individual.

3.2 Areas of Overlap

Areas of overlap occur to some extent in the content of courses, but often this common content is dealt with in a different context and from a different perspective.

Such overlap will and should occur in the future and should continue to be the subject of credit transfer and recognition of previous studies. This overlap has positive outcomes through sound articulation arrangements and the capacity to develop and deliver double or dual awards between a TAFE Institute and a University.

The individual who participates in both a TAFE program and a University degree can develop sound practical and theoretical skills and in specific job situations can provide maximum benefit for an employer and also achieve benefit for the individual.

Unproductive overlap occurs when a University develops an Associate Degree, which purports to have a direct vocational outcome and which has been developed to provide direct competition with a TAFE Institute.

The establishment of such courses appears to have ceased in Victoria for the present time through the lack of market support. Further programs of this nature should not be encouraged.

Unproductive overlap can also occur when a University develops a degree program in an attempt to satisfy a particular job requirement and set of competencies, when these are already satisfied by a TAFE qualification or would be best satisfied by a TAFE qualification at an appropriate ASF level.

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