Currently I am a program coordinator at a large metro TAFE.

I co-ordinate the delivery of four different courses from Cert IV to Diploma. In 2012 I will have 13 groups of students with an expectation of 25 students per group. Staffing is equivalent to seven EFT staff (including myself), and the institute is insisting delivery be done by 30% sessional staff. This increases the administrative duties to engage and induct each sessional staff member.

Discussion has been raised that staff redundancies may be evident in 2012. Already I have experienced this, as a staff member has taken leave without pay from October 2011 until February 2012 and replacement for that person was not granted. Current staff are expected to pick up the duties of that teacher, sessional staff cover the teaching aspect but all other duties are done by staff available.

This is during the time when prospective applicants are interviewed and enrolled and current students finalised. Compliance with Quality requirements places emphasis on these duties.

Fortunately our teaching hours are set at 730 per year, but the demands from students and their increasing needs mean teachers are constantly providing extra support. Our delivery hours are less than the nominal hours for each unit, creating situations where students need support.

Staffing is calculated on delivery hours and not nominal hours, yet fees are set against nominal hours. Tutorials and individual meetings are timetabled to meet the hours.

In our classes we have students who have paid the highest level of fees sitting beside another student who has paid concessional rates. This anomaly is difficult when demands are made. Although we employ the highest level of sessional teachers from Industry, they only attend on the hours they are teaching and are not available for students for follow-up with concerns. When paying such high fees, students are entitled to better service.

The fees under the Skills Reform has seen us lose high-quality applicants who cannot afford fees. We had to cease a Diploma because of fee costs. We are now introducing a Cert III, as fees will be more accessible for those who have no other qualification, but changes the cohort of students we will be teaching.

Staff will be expected to forgo teaching Diploma units, which they are highly trained to do under Vocational Competency, to teach Cert III. The decision for Cert III is to attract students who otherwise would not be accepted into our Cert IV and create a pathway.

— Posted by Marg