View source for Technical and further education

{{Short description|Vocational education system in Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2011}}
{{About||the similar concept in the United Kingdom and Ireland|Further education|the similar concept in the United States and Canada|Continuing education|a related but different category of educational institution in various countries|Institute of Technology}}
{{Redirect|TAFE|the Indian manufacturing company|Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited}}

'''Technical and further education''' or simply '''TAFE''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|eɪ|f}}) is the common name in [[Australia]] for [[vocational education]], as a subset of [[tertiary education]]. TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational courses.

Individual TAFE institutions (usually with numerous campuses) are known as either colleges or institutes, depending on the state or territory. 

In [[Australia]], where the term TAFE originated, institutions usually host qualifying courses, under the [[National Training System (Australia)|National Training System]]/[[Australian Qualifications Framework]]/VET Quality Framework. Fields covered include business, finance, hospitality, tourism, construction, engineering, visual arts, information technology and community work. TAFE colleges are owned, operated and financed by the various [[States and territories of Australia|state/territory]] governments.

==Qualifications awarded by TAFE colleges==
TAFE colleges award Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications accredited in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector that align to Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma qualifications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aqf.edu.au/register/about/|title=About the AQF Register|access-date=17 July 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704223551/http://www.aqf.edu.au/register/about/|archive-date=4 July 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In many instances, TAFE study at a Diploma or above level can be used as partial credit towards bachelor's degree-level university programs.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

From 2002 the TAFE education sector has been able to offer bachelor's degrees and post-graduate diploma courses to fill niche areas, particularly vocationally focused areas of study based on industry needs. As of June 2009, ten TAFE colleges (mainly in New South Wales<ref>{{cite web|title=TAFE NSW Higher Education|url=http://www.highered.tafensw.edu.au/}}</ref> and Victoria, but also Western Australia, ACT, and Queensland) now confer their own degree-level awards and post graduate diplomas, though initially not beyond the level of bachelor's degree. However [[Melbourne Polytechnic]] was accredited in 2015 to offer two master's degree courses.<ref name="annualreport2014p22">Melbourne Polytechnic Annual Report p. 22</ref> Similarly, some universities (e.g., [[Charles Darwin University]], Squidward Community College, and [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]]) offer vocational education courses (traditionally the domain of TAFE); these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.<ref name="theage2002">"[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/24/1027332400427.html TAFE gears up to offer degrees]" by Rebecca Scott, ''[[The Age]]'', 24 July 2002. Accessed 3 August 2008.</ref><ref name="highered_in_tafe">Leesa Wheelahan, Gavin Moodie, [[Stephen Billett]] and Ann Kelly, ''[http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2167.html Higher education in TAFE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515174100/http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2167.html |date=15 May 2013 }}'', research report published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 3 September 2009. Accessed 24 September 2009.</ref>
 
Students who enrol in these undergraduate degree courses at TAFE are required to pay full fees and are not entitled to [[Tertiary education fees in Australia|Commonwealth Government supported student fee loans]], known as HECS loans, but may access a FEE-HELP loan scheme.<ref>See Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations, ''[http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/Main/FeesLoansAndScholarships/Undergraduate/FullFeesAndFEE-HELP/FullFeesAndFeeHELP.htm Full Fees and FEE-HELP]'' ({{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202084140/http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/Main/FeesLoansAndScholarships/Undergraduate/FullFeesAndFEE-HELP/FullFeesAndFeeHELP.htm |date=2 February 2010 }}), goingtouni.gov.au website. Accessed 19 September 2011.</ref> While Universities have the ability and power to design and offer their own degree courses, each TAFE degree course must be assessed and approved by the Higher Education Accreditation Committee (HEAC).<ref name="theage2002" />

TAFEs in some states can also teach senior high school qualifications, like the [[Victorian Certificate of Education]], [[Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning]], and the [[Higher School Certificate (New South Wales)|Higher School Certificate]]. Some universities, e.g. [[Charles Darwin University]] and [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]], offer TAFE courses; these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.

Some private institutions also offer courses from TAFEs, however they more commonly offer other [[vocational education and training]] courses. Before the 1990s, the TAFEs had a near monopoly in the sector. TAFE courses provide students an opportunity for certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma qualifications in a wide range of areas.

==TAFE colleges by state/territory==
{{No sources|section|date=May 2023}}
In most cases, TAFE campuses are grouped into TAFE institutions or ''institutes'' along geographic lines. Most TAFEs are given a locally recognised region of the country where they exclusively operate covering a wide range of subjects.

A few TAFEs specialise in a single area of study. These are usually found near the middle of the capital cities, and they service the whole state or territory. For example, the [[Trade and Technician Skills Institute]] in Brisbane, from 1 July 2006, has specialised in automotive, building and construction, manufacturing and engineering, and electrical/electronic studies for students throughout Queensland and the [[William Angliss Institute of TAFE]] in Melbourne has specialised in food, hospitality and tourism courses for Victoria.

===Australian Capital Territory===
In the [[Australian Capital Territory]], these include:
* [[Canberra Institute of Technology]]

===New South Wales===
There were ten [[TAFE NSW]] Institutes in [[New South Wales|NSW]], which have since been joined into a state-wide service.  [[OTEN]] or TAFE Digital<ref>{{Cite web | title=Browse Online Courses: Study with TAFE Digital {{!}} TAFE NSW | url=https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital | access-date=2025-08-18 | website=www.tafensw.edu.au}}</ref> is TAFE's online offering.

===Northern Territory===
In the [[Northern Territory]], these include:
* [[Charles Darwin University]]
* [[Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education]]

===Queensland===
In [[Queensland]], [[TAFE Queensland]] includes:

As of May 2014, the TAFE institutes have amalgamated into six regions of the central TAFE Queensland (parent body). The regions of TAFE Queensland are:<ref>{{cite web | url = http://tafeqld.edu.au/ | title = TAFE Queensland | access-date = 2014-04-26}}</ref>
* Brisbane (formerly Brisbane North Institute of TAFE, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE and Southbank Institute of Technology)
* Gold Coast (formerly Gold Coast Institute of TAFE)
* East Coast (formerly Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE and Wide Bay Institute of TAFE)
* South West (formerly Bremer Institute of TAFE and Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE)
* North (formerly Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE, Mount Isa Institute of TAFE and Tropical North Queensland TAFE)
* [[TAFE Queensland SkillsTech|SkillsTech]] (formerly SkillsTech Australia)

And as of the 1 July 2014, Central Queensland TAFE (branded as CQ TAFE) was merged into [[Central Queensland University]] (branded as CQUniversity) to create Queensland's first dual sector university.

===South Australia===
In [[South Australia]]:

* [[TAFE SA]]

===Tasmania===
In [[Tasmania]], there are two government TAFE organisations:

*[[TasTAFE]] includes:
** Institute of TAFE Tasmania (general)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tafe.tas.edu.au/institute/campuses.htm |title=Campus Locations |access-date=2005-11-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060105202941/http://www.tafe.tas.edu.au/institute/campuses.htm |archive-date=5 January 2006 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
** Drysdale Institute (for tourism and [[hospitality]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tafe.tas.edu.au/TAFEAPP.ASP?WCI=SigList&id=11 |title=Drysdale |access-date=2005-11-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051024154833/http://www.tafe.tas.edu.au/TAFEAPP.ASP?WCI=SigList&id=11 |archive-date=24 October 2005 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
*[[Australian Maritime College|Australian Maritime College TAFE]] (maritime studies)

===Victoria===

In [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] these include:
* [[Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE]] (Local: Bendigo-Echuca)
* [[Box Hill Institute of TAFE]] (Local: Eastern Melbourne, Specialist: Short courses)
* [[Chisholm Institute]] (Local: South East Melbourne)
* [[East Gippsland Institute of TAFE]] (Local: East Gippsland)
* [[Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE]] (Local: West and South Gippsland, Specialist: High-voltage electrical)
* [[Federation University Australia|Federation University]] (Local: Ballarat and Horsham - Central Highlands/Wimmera, Specialist: Agriculture & Horticulture, Building & Construction, Business & IT, Community Services, Food & Hospitality, Hair & Beauty, Manufacturing Engineering)
* [[Gordon Institute of TAFE]] (Local: Geelong)
* [[Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE]] (Local: North East Victoria)
* [[Holmesglen Institute of TAFE]] (Local: Eastern Melbourne)
* [[Kangan Batman TAFE|Kangan Institute]] (Local: North West Melbourne, Specialist: Automotive, Fashion)
* [[Melbourne Polytechnic]] (Local: Northern and inner East Melbourne, Specialist: Equine, Aquaculture, Agriculture, Viticulture, Music)
* [[RMIT University]] (Specialist: Various)
* [[South West Institute of TAFE]] (Local: Western District)
* [[Sunraysia Institute of TAFE]] (Local: North West Victoria)
* [[Swinburne University of Technology]] (Local: Eastern Melbourne)
* [[Victoria University of Technology|Victoria University]] (Local: Western Melbourne)
* [[William Angliss Institute of TAFE]] (Specialist: Hospitality)
* Wodonga Institute of TAFE (Local: Wodonga, Specialist: Driving)
* The [[University of Melbourne]] discontinued its TAFE arm (which specialised in agriculture and forestry) at the start of 2007.

===Western Australia===
[[Image:Central TAFE, Perth, Western Australia.jpg|thumb|right|250px|North Metropolitan TAFE Perth campus]]
In [[Western Australia]], this includes:

*[[North Metropolitan TAFE]] (Formerly [[Central Institute of Technology]] & [[West Coast Institute of Training]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northmetrotafe.wa.edu.au/|title=North Metropolitan TAFE -|access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
*[[South Metropolitan TAFE]] (Formerly [[Challenger Institute of Technology]] & [[Polytechnic West]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southmetrotafe.wa.edu.au/|title=South Metropolitan TAFE - More courses, more qualifications, more places to learn.|access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
*Central Regional TAFE (Formerly Durack Institute of Technology, Goldfields Institute of Technology & [[C. Y. O'Connor College of TAFE|C. Y. O'Connor Institute]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centralregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/|title=Central Regional TAFE -|access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref> 
*[[South Regional TAFE]] (Formerly [[South West Institute of Technology]] & [[Great Southern Institute of Technology]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/|title=South Regional TAFE -|access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
*North Regional TAFE (Formerly Kimberley TAFE & Pilbara Institute)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/|title=North Regional TAFE -|access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Education in Australia]]
*[[Further education]]
*[[Registered training organisation]]
*[[TAFE Outreach]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

===State and territory TAFE websites===
*[http://www.tafe.nsw.edu.au TAFE NSW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051107234620/http://www.tafe.nsw.edu.au/ |date=7 November 2005 }}
*[http://www.tafe.vic.gov.au TAFE Victoria]
**[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20060306062627/http://www.vtac.edu.au/pdf/guide/tafecourses.pdf Victorian TAFE courses ]
*[http://www.tafe.qld.gov.au TAFE QLD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819193316/http://www.tafe.qld.gov.au/ |date=19 August 2008 }}
**[http://ttsi.tafe.qld.gov.au/ Trade and Technician Skills Institute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819193316/http://ttsi.tafe.qld.gov.au/ |date=19 August 2008 }}
*[http://www.tafesa.edu.au TAFE SA]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060819084128/http://www.tafe.wa.edu.au/ TAFE WA]
**[http://wcit.wa.edu.au West Coast Institute of Training] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524084833/http://wcit.wa.edu.au/ |date=24 May 2019 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080317010352/http://www.tafe.tas.edu.au/ TAFE Tasmania]
*[http://www.cit.act.edu.au Canberra Institute of Technology]
*[http://www.globalcollege.edu.au/ International colleges in Australasia]

===Victorian Association of TAFE Libraries===
*[http://www.vatl.org.au/ VATL]

===Vocational education and training (VET)===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050224091736/http://www.dest.gov.au/ Department of Education, Science and Training] (DEST)
*[http://www.ncver.edu.au/ National Centre for Vocational Education Research] (NCVER)
*[http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/ Australian Flexible Learning Framework] (FLX)
*[http://www.austafe.edu.au/ National Association of TAFE Managers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051023055404/http://www.austafe.edu.au/ |date=23 October 2005 }} – (AUSTAFE Inc.)
*[https://training.gov.au/Home/Tga National Register of VET] (TGA formerly known as the NTIS – national database of VET providers and qualifications)

===TAFE union sites===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080804142941/http://www.aeuvic.asn.au/campaigns/tafe_stop/ AEU Victoria – TAFE Teachers]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080922100614/http://www.ourtafesmatter.com.au/ Our TAFEs Matter – NTEU]
'''TAFE course comparison sites'''

* [https://www.training.com.au/tafe-courses/ Training.com.au - Directory of TAFE courses]
* [https://www.tafecourses.com.au/ Tafecourses.com.au - TAFE courses & information from across Australia]
* [https://www.courses.com.au/ Courses.com.au - Compare TAFE and Private RTO Courses]
{{Education in Australia|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Training And Further Education}}
[[Category:Australian vocational education and training providers]]
[[Category:Vocational education]]
[[Category:Technical and further education| ]]