JOHN Howard's vision for 24 federally funded technical colleges to tackle the skills shortage has unravelled, with the Government threatening to strip some regions of the training centres promised at the last election.
The vocational colleges, which fall largely in marginal electorates held by the Coalition, from Darwin to coastal Queensland and regional Victoria, are being set up in competition with state-run TAFE colleges.
But Vocational Training and Education Minister Gary Hardgrave revealed yesterday that three of the colleges could be scrapped after bidders failed to satisfy government tender requirements and another four were running behind schedule and may not open on time.
The colleges, to be established at a cost of $350 million over four years, were to offer tuition to 7500 students by 2009.
Mr Hardgrave said three colleges announced in NSW - at Dubbo, Queanbeyan and Lismore/Ballina on the far north coast - could be scrapped within weeks unless he received a "clear indication" from the community of local support. He also accused the NSW Government of obstructing the moves to establish the colleges.
"In the case of those communities - if they don't take up the offer, we will have to look at other regions," Mr Hardgrave told The Australian.
"In the areas where the communities haven't taken ownership of it, I am going to have to look at taking them off them and giving them to other regions.
"There were several other regions around Australia - there's a couple in Queensland, some in South Australia and Victoria and at least one other in WA - that expressed interest."
Australian Technical Colleges proposed for Geelong in Victoria, Illawarra in NSW, Darwin and Adelaide North may not meet their expected starting dates.
Asked yesterday if he was concerned these colleges would open on time, Mr Hardgrave replied: "Absolutely. I am worried about it. I am going to Darwin next week to give them a hurry up.
Source For Full Article :
Click Here
Credit To Author.
Disclaimer
This website contains copyrighted news material - the use of which has
not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We believe
that our use of such material for nonprofit educational purposes (and other
related purposes) constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as
provided for in the US Copyright Law at Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. If you
wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. If
for any reason you believe that our use of your material on this site does
not fall within the fair use guidelines, please immediately notify The Black
Vault so that we can promptly address the matter.
Sincerely,
John Greenewald, Jr.
The Black Vault Headquarters
http://www.blackvault.com
| 
Online Stats: 
