Linda Simon

Linda Simon has been a teacher in schools, TAFE and now at university. She currently teaches subjects relating to adult education at Charles Sturt University. She was Secretary of the TAFE Teachers Association for over fifteen years, and Federal TAFE President of the Australian Education Union for six years. Currently she is Vice-President of the Australasian VET Research Association (AVETRA) and an organiser of the TAFE Community Alliance. She has served on the Boards of NCVER and BVET in NSW, and is an educationalist and researcher committed to equity and public education

Linda's recent articles

Federal Budget: TAFE at the heart of Labors economic plan?

Federal Budget: TAFE at the heart of Labors economic plan?

To understand the complete picture of what the Federal Labor Government has promised for TAFE and vocational education and training, you need to look at Labors election Plan for the Future, the outcomes of the Jobs and Skills Summit and now the Federal Budget.

We still have a chaotic VET system

We still have a chaotic VET system

The Federal Budget has identified the need for increased skilled workers as a critical area. In analysing some of the Budget's promises and what commentators had to say, it appears there is a lot more to be done.

Made in Australia: will Labor get the job done with free TAFE?

Made in Australia: will Labor get the job done with free TAFE?

Vocational education needs investment and reforms to ensure Australia's prosperity: Anthony Albanese has revealed how Labor will meet the challenge.

Is equity on the Federal Government's training agenda?

Is equity on the Federal Government's training agenda? As the Government continues to make changes to vocational education and training resulting from economic issues highlighted by the current pandemic, the question arises as to whether educational opportunities and funding are being equitably applied.

If there is no crisis in VET, why is it so difficult to tackle acknowledged weaknesses?

How does the Productivity Commission see vocational education and training: is it about quality training needed now by employers and employees and provided by TAFE during the Covid-19 pandemic, or about a competitive training market?

TAFE has been drained of funds for poorly performing and dodgy private providers

What a difference there is between the public vocational education and training provider, TAFE, and private for-profit training providers.

LINDA SIMON. VET system a dud? I don't think so.

The VET system has again been criticised by the Government, this time by the Prime Minister in his recent address to the National Press Club, when he referred to it as a dud system.

LINDA SIMONS. Now is the time to support the public provider of VET

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of strong public institutions in Australia, both to help deal with critical health and economic challenges, and to make sure all Australian residents are given opportunities to be part of the economic recovery. This is particularly true of public vocational education and training, TAFE.

LINDA SIMON. More than a vision is needed for vocational education and training

National Skills Week 2019 recognised that more than just words were needed from Australian governments. The recent COAG meeting produced a vision for the VET sector, and whilst a cohesive vision is important, it means nothing unless backed up with additional funding for a sector that has been undermined for over a decade. Industry groups and companies call out for a revitalisation of training to rebuild our skilled workforce. They need more than a vision to do this.

LINDA SIMON. More of the same in VET or a new vision?

Vocational education and training does not always feature strongly during Federal election campaigns. But given the critical state of the sector, both major parties have announced early on the directions they will pursue if elected. For the Government this is based on their recent expert review of VET Strengthening Skills, from which a number of budgetary announcements were taken. For the Labor Party, initial announcements around funding and support for TAFE, are to be further explored through a national inquiry into post-secondary education, which they have termed as a once-in-a-generation National Inquiry.

LINDA SIMON. NSW election candidates Stand Up for TAFE

NSW goes to the polls on 23 March and the outcome is not clear at this time. There are many programs being highlighted and funding promised by the major parties, with TAFE an area of concern. The TAFE Community Alliance asked candidates to Stand Up for TAFE and were overwhelmed with the strength of the responses from many candidates and not surprised at the lack of interest from others.

Review Lite for VET! - What happened to the Royal Commission?

Under the pressure of an upcoming Federal election and little action taken to address ongoing issues in the vocational education and training sector, in November 2018 the Prime Minister announced a review into VET. The review was to be undertaken by a New Zealander with a report due in March 2019. One suspects this is only review lite for the VET sector with restricted consultations and limited recommendations.

LINDA SIMON. When will students get their money back?

How many students have been the victims of the VET FEE-HELP rorts? The Government doesnt know the answer to this question, nor how much it may cost to waive such debts. New legislation being introduced to Federal Parliament seeks to make it easier for students who have suffered due to the inappropriate conduct of their VET provider, to have these debts waived. But when will they get their money back?

LINDA SIMON. Falling enrolments in TAFE! How can this be?

The latest NCVER report shows that TAFE enrolments 2016-17 have fallen by 6.5% and government-funded VET programs by 5.9%, with the greatest fall in NSW of 6.8%. This blog is a commentary on some of the reasons why this has occurred which focus on cuts to funding for the VET sector and poor public policy decisions. If such enrolments continue to fall, the consequences for skilled employment in Australia, will be disastrous.

LINDA SIMON. TAFE upfront in Shortens Budget speech in reply.

Whilst the Governments 2018 Federal Budget failed to recognise the importance of TAFE and skills development to Australias economy, TAFE and funding were upfront in the Labor Oppositions speech in reply.Labor has put TAFE back as the centrepiece of national skills training, promising to scrap upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE students as part of its platform.

LINDA SIMON. A Royal Commission for the finance sector? What about VET?

The stories of vulnerable people being deceived through corrupt practices in the financial services sector are currently part of a Royal Commission. But surely of no less concern are those stories that continue to be highlighted around students being left with enormous debts and no training due to some corrupt government funded training providers. Do we place less value on our VET system?

LINDA SIMON. What has happened to enrolments in the TAFE sector?-The creeping commercialisation of education.- A REPOST from October 6 2017

Enrolments in the TAFE sector have dropped in many qualifications. Tracing the reasons for this change at a time when Australia needs more skilled technicians and paraprofessionals is complex. They appear to be tied to the overall changes in funding of tertiary education, the increase in student fees as well as the status of the VET sector.

Productivity Commission shirks real problems in VET

The Productivity Commission has undertaken a five year review of Australias productivity performance, identifying skills and the VET sectors as an area of concern. But have they got the answers?

LINDA SIMON. Axing access and equity in VET!

The axing of TAFE NSW Outreach programs as part of a current restructure process, highlights the importance of these programs to individuals and the community. It also raises the issue as to VETs role in delivering access and equity programs and why governments should make them a priority.

LINDA SIMON. A crisis approach to reform in the VET sector

Many of us who write about vocational education and training (VET) are asked not to use the word crisis as it undermines confidence in the system. Unfortunately it will take a lot more than a change of language to restore consumer confidence, as private training providers continue their financial collapse and students are left stranded.

LINDA SIMON.The future of VET remains uncertain!

The 2017 Federal Budget provided little new funding for vocational education and training, with its main focus the Skilling Australians Fund. This Fund appears to only exacerbate the uncertain future of the VET sector with its narrow student application, dependence on revenue generation and outcomes focus.

LINDA SIMON. NO quorum at COAG! Who cares about VET?

Linda Simon says that the vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia has faced many challenges over a number of years, including cuts to funding, lack of government attention and a system that has enabled students to be rorted by unscrupulous providers. Yet, current events and processes do not give one confidence that this is all about to change.

LINDA SIMON. CEDA joins call for urgent VET Review

The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) has released a report into aspects of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. The report is entitled VET: securing skills for growth and makes a number of recommendations including the need for COAG to undertake a long-overdue comprehensive, national review of the sector that aims to examine its role in meeting Australias skill needs. It goes on to say that this review would form the basis of the COAG discussions towards a new VET Agreement between the Commonwealth and states/territories. The following discussion outlines some of the issues raised in the...

LINDA SIMON. Australian VET in crisis! Are there lessons to be learned from the UK?

For some the crisis in vocational education and training (VET) and the fate of TAFE was a critical issue in the recent Australian Federal elections. For others it hardly made the radar. Unfortunately a number of those others included members of the re-elected Federal Government. Karen Andrews is now the fifth Minister or Assistant Minister responsible for VET since September 2013, bringing another new face to the sector.

LINDA SIMON. The national scandal in Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Redesigning VET FEE-HELP In late April the Federal Government released a discussion paper entitled Redesigning VET FEE-HELP. It had become apparent that continuing legislative changes put through the Federal Parliament were not enough to prevent the behaviour of some private training providers. The most recent of those changes was in January this year when the Higher Education Support (VET) Guidelines 2015 were introduced to further strengthen the scheme and constrain growth[1] These Guidelines were aimed at capping VET FEE-HELP loans at 2015 loan amounts, protecting students from providers or their agents including new entry requirements, stronger cooling off...

LINDA SIMON. Do the Parties really care about vocational education and training (VET) these elections?

National TAFE Day was celebrated on June 16 this year, a little over two weeks before the Federal elections. Both Labor and the Greens took the opportunity to restate their support for TAFE and launch further policies. However the Governments media release from Senator Scott Ryan, Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, focused only on criticisms of Labors policies, with no indication of how the Government might support TAFE. On National TAFE Day 2016, he said, The Turnbull Coalition Government is standing with thousands of TAFE students against Bill Shortens knee-jerk plan to charge students thousands of dollars in upfront...

Is this the vocational education and training system we need?

Hearing or reading about vocational education and training (VET) today, we expect it to be another story of rorts and wrongdoings. And it is an horrific story, a story of for-profit private providers accessing public funding and not delivering the education and training students expected. It is a story of a number of private providers using brokers to search out vulnerable and nave prospective students, and signing them up to a lifetimes debt with promises of free courses and iPads. How did we get to such a position in such a short time?

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