The development of TAFE in Australia

Abstract

Technical and Further Education (TAFE) is the largest provider of post-secondary education in Australia. TAFE systems are administered by eight State and Territory authorities of varying size and character. This book is essentially a history of TAFE policy and administrative arrangements at both State and national levels. It provides, in chapter 2, a brief review of the history of technical education in Australia and of Commonwealth involvement in TAFE prior to 1970, which is intended to enrich understanding of the present day TAFE system and structure. The main themes of the following chapters are: the impact of the increasing level of Commonwealth Government intervention in TAFE policies and programs; the inter-relationship between the Commonwealth and the States over the past twenty-five years; and the structural changes that have occurred at Commonwealth and State levels. The final chapter looks at TAFE in the late 1990s, bringing the document up-to-date. The future of TAFE is also briefly discussed.