After an injury sustained in her previous employment she was getting retrained in a different field to accommodate her disability. Rather than going on WorkCover or the dole, she had taken on a Certificate 4 to gain new employment skills.

She had hoped to begin a diploma next year to improve her chances of finding another job - but now that the concession to enable her to do this has been abolished she cannot afford the $1500 course fees, and she doesn't want to leave her children with an unpaid debt.

This is just one of many stories we heard campaigning across Victoria last week.

A single mother spoke of being forced to choose between her TAFE course fees or her child's school fees.

A young boy expressed his concern that the charity sponsoring his further education would be unable to absorb the cost increase.

Over three days we've campaigned in Gippsland, Ballarat and Bendigo to give people the information that the government won't - and this week we'll be out in Shepparton, Warrnambool and Geelong.

Large numbers of students and teachers joined us, ready to share their story about how the government's TAFE changes are affecting them and their education choices.

Two things struck me in particular: people do not know enough about these reforms; and secondly, the people who know feel really cheated. They are furious that they're being disadvantaged for trying to get educated.

The skills reforms are just not fair - and Victorians know it.

I'm looking forward to this week's campaigning in Shepparton, Warrnambool and Geelong. If that's near you get involved - we need your help to protect Victorian TAFEs!

Join the TAFE 4 All campaign:

Tuesday 4 August - Shepparton: Goulburn Ovens TAFE
Wednesday 5 August - Warrnambool: South West Institute of TAFE
Thursday 6 August - Geelong: Gordon TAFE, Fenwick St campus

— Posted by Gillian Robertson, AEU TAFE vice president