Technical and Further Education: Australia

Technical and further education (TAFE) as a sector of public education has had a short history in Australia. Funded by the government beginning in 1974, TAFE supported school-leavers and adults enroled in apprenticeships, other work-related training and personal development courses. Public-sector TAFE was overtaken by privatisation in the 1990s. According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, the number of private training providers peaked in 2010. This entry provides an overview of TAFE as a sector of public education in Australia, exploring its history, development, and legacy.

The Bigger Picture

This short history of TAFE as part of public tertiary education rests upon the longer tradition of adult education in Australia, which always had a strong technical aspect but co existed with active adult engagement in ...

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