Page 2652 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The ACT Labor government continues to support CIT though a direct appropriation. It is a challenging time for the VET sector nationally, with Australia experiencing a continued decline in VET enrolments. The growing imbalance between VET and higher education has been evident since 2012, when full funding for demand-driven higher education commenced. With the commonwealth government’s higher education reform proposals currently before the Senate, the present and future landscape for tertiary education funding in Australia is still far from clear, but I understand that this will be debated shortly in the Senate.
There are also significant changes to the future world of work, with the Centre for Economic Development of Australia reporting an expected loss of up to 40 per cent of today’s jobs in the next 10 to 15 years. This is reflected in CIT’s most recent commercial—for those who have not seen it yet. The expectations of contemporary learners, with less demand for physical space and more demand for online and flexible learning, must be catered for.
In 2015 the government established a governing board for CIT. This was part of the government’s commitment to the national partnership on skills reform but, more importantly, was critical for CIT to continue to operate as the sole public provider of vocational education and training as well as becoming more business focused to be able to adapt and evolve in the changing environment. Since the introduction of the board, CIT has begun a major process of transformation. In August 2016 the board released its vision and direction for CIT under four pillars, articulated in CIT’s Strategic compass 2020—evolving together. These themes are: shaping change, growing our region’s economy, advancing Canberra’s workforce and transforming our business.
Complementing these aspirations are nine discrete projects that the government has invested in. These projects are the building blocks for CIT to transform its business and are focused on modernising teaching and learning resources, upskilling the teaching workforce, providing exceptional customer experiences, growing and investing in new and emerging markets, and investing in digital infrastructure. Campus modernisation is also a key driver in the aspirations of the CIT strategic compass and a priority for CIT, with the main CIT campuses characterised by standards from the 1960s and 1970s, when the majority of education was delivered in formal classroom settings.
The opening of the state-of-the-art CIT Tuggeranong last year was the first instalment in a major overhaul of all CIT campuses. At the same time modern, quality learning spaces and facilities were also constructed at CIT Reid and Bruce, including a state-of-the-art nursing facility and new aged care and disability training environments that replicate real work settings, upgrades made possible with a $1.8 million funding boost from this government. CIT has some excellent facilities, and I encourage all of you to go—as I know Ms Cody has on many occasions—and look at what is on offer. It has been said that CIT is one of the ACT’s best kept secrets.
CIT has come a long way in the last few years. It is an active member of the CBR Innovation Network and stands alongside ANU, UC, UNSW, Data 61 and the CSIRO
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video