TAFE: The third revolution

In the past three decades there have been two occasions on which new thinking about technical and further education brought such significant changes that they can rightly be seen as revolutionary.

The Kangan report in 1974, which gave TAFE its identity, marks the first major revolution.  The Kangan report provided a vision for TAFE in which educational and social objectives, and the rights and needs of individuals had precedence.

The second revolution began in the 1980s when political and economic thinking diverged from the Kangan philosophy and the national training reform agenda evolved.  This second revolution has been characterised by the increasing dominance of economic policy in the education sector, a shift to demand-driven provision, greater industry ownership and involvement, the creation of a training market and competency, not time-based delivery. The second revolution has been cumulative, stretching over almost two decades. Since 1984, under ANTA arrangements and ANTA leadership, TAFE has emerged as a more flexible, more relevant and more efficient system.

Now there are compelling economic, social and educational signs that another revolution in thinking about TAFE is needed. Increasingly, in the media, at conferences and in research papers, there are calls for a revitalisation and reconceptualisation of TAFE and its role in the nation's educational, social and economic life.