Training for the Next Emergency at Your University

The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet and there are other foreseeable challenges as great in the near future, so perhaps it is time for universities to ensure they have staff qualified in Emergency Management. TAFE NSW National Center for Emergency Management Studies are offering qualifications and training in areas very relevant to higher education, such as Critical Incident Messaging, Working with Spontaneous Volunteers,  Commanding Under Pressure, Political Acumen for Emergency Management, Business Continuity Planning, and Exercise management for emergencies.

An emergency becomes a disaster only if we are not prepared for it. In early 2020 I activated the online option I had built into my learning design. It was still not easy, but much easier if I had not planned for this foreseeable event. 

 

TAFE NSW Restructuring

The NSW Government has announced, that TAFE NSW's ten institutes will be merged into one state wide institution, with surplus buildings closed, administrative staff reduced and more on-line and workplace learning (NSW Tafe, 2016). This follows a report from Boston Consulting, commissioned be the government, which found TAFE NSW was not competitive with private sector Registered Training Organizations (RTOs).

The goals set for the restructured institution  are to:

• "deliver the best possible education and training outcomes for students
• be relevant to employers and responsive to
  industry change
• be flexible, efficient and competitive
• be a leader in quality and innovation
• be accountable to the taxpayer."
  From TAFE NSW (2016, p. 4).

Another implied goal is to be the "... State’s largest vocational education provider..." (TAFE NSW, 2016, p. 4). The vision also mentioning TAFE NSW "... retain its competitive strengths...". However, what has made the TAFE different from the RTOs is what also has made it noncompetitive: many regional campuses and face-to-face delivery.

The new NSW TAFE strategy is for a "digitally capable workforce" (TAFE NSW, 2016, p. 5). The question then is, if TAFE NSW is to adopt the same on-line delivery techniques as the commercial RTOs,using a small number of instructors, can it be competitive and why is it needed?

The vision notes that TAFE NSW has 2,000 buildings at 129 campuses, with the "... land and property footprint is estimated to be at least 20 per cent greater than requirements" (TAFE NSW, 2016, p. 8). However, to make the institution competitive a much higher reduction in buildings and campuses may be needed.

TAFE NSW is to "bring together" eleven existing online platforms.The obvious option would be to Moodle/Mahara, as commonly used elsewhere in higher education. But TAFE NSW has had significant difficulties with its on-line systems. It may be preferable to contract out the maintenance and operation of the on-line system to a proven provider.

References

TAFE NSW. (2016, July). A Vision for TAFE NSW. https://www.tafensw.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/22570/a-vision-for-tafe-nsw.pdf

Improving TAFE NSW

A report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), commissioned by TAFE NSW concludes the institution is uncompetitive and the situation will get worse without changes to reduce costs and improve services. The report is "The NSW Vocational Education and Training market and TAFE NSW's competitive position within it" (BSG, 2015).

BSG point out that while TAFE NSW is Australia's largest
vocational education and training (VET) provider, it is now competing with thousands of private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). TAFE NSW rates well on the quality of teaching, but lower on job placement and convenience. Also TAFE NSW costs are much higher than RTOs and other TAFEs.

BSG suggests TAFE NSW needs to rationalize its campuses and overlapping on-line courses. The consultants also point out TAFE NSW is not making enough of having campuses in Sydney, a very desirably destination for international students.

This report should be read by all those interested in Australian higher eduction. There are lessons here for universities, not just TAFE.