Loading ...STATE Government budget cuts will result in the loss of 43 jobs from the South West Institute of TAFE campuses across the region.
On Friday afternoon it was revealed SW TAFE would lose more than $7 million in Government funding in 2013 and $2.7 million in 2012.
SW TAFE campuses were put under the magnifying glass after the budget removed $290 million from TAFE revenue, putting pressure on TAFE institutes across Victoria.
Premier Ted Baillieu and Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall refused to rule out closures as a result of the cuts.
However, SW TAFE Portland Campus manager David Stafford has spoken out to reassure the Portland district community the institute will remain open, although the courses offered will be adjusted.
The TAFE is conducting an in-depth review to determine what courses and programs will run for 2012 and 2013, after SW TAFE executive teams and directors met with the government.
“Some of the regional differences from metropolitan TAFEs were highlighted at the meeting,” Mr Stafford said.
The government asked for a transitional plan for SW TAFE in the wake of the announcement and the results of the review determined how much SW TAFE’s budget was cut.
To accommodate this reduction the institute needs to adjust to the reduced 2012 revenue and deliver immediate salary savings of $1.35 million.
These cuts will mean the institute will make 43 effective full time positions redundant across the region. Currently 15 of those positions are vacant and will not be filled. The remaining 28 positions will be cut through a mix of voluntary and forced redundancies, end of contract positions and retirements.
Read more in Monday’s edition of the Portland Observer.
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