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Industry and Community Leaders Urged to Speak Up on School and TAFE NSW PrioritiesOver 300 community and industry representatives across the North Coast are being urged to attend one of five two hour early evening forums next week aimed at harnessing regional input to the future directions of public education and training in NSW. The forums, organised jointly by the Department of Education and Training’s (DET) North Coast Region and TAFE NSW- North Coast Institute, will be held at the Institute’s campuses at Kingscliff and Port Macquarie on 8 November and Wollongbar on 9 November and at the cross-sectoral campuses at Great Lakes on 9 November and Coffs Harbour on 11 November. The regional forums are part of the major DET Futures state-wide consultation process that will shape the Department’s planning and priorities for public schools and TAFE institutes for the next 5-10 years. “It’s critical that we get strong regional input for this process. Our schools and TAFE Institutes play a central role in the social, cultural and economic viability and vitality of our rural and regional communities,” said DET’s North Coast Regional Director Carol Carrigan. “We have made many improvements to set in place a solid foundation for quality, excellence and innovation in our public education and training system. This consultation is a great opportunity to critically reflect on where we want to be in the future.” The Director of TAFE NSW’s North Coast Institute Neil Black said that local government, employers and community groups in the region look to TAFE NSW to help develop the skills base they need for business success, regional economic development and community sustainability. “That’s why it’s so important for our community and business leaders and local government representatives to come to these forums to assist us in planning for a future in which we can not only keep doing this, but do it better,” said Mr Black. The forums will gather practical regionally-driven ideas to address five broad strategic priorities. These cover quality and continuous improvement in the public school system, school/community partnerships, equity and diversity in learner needs, TAFE/industry partnerships and the contribution of TAFE institutes and cross-sectoral links to skills development and regional economic development. Those attending will formulate their input in small groups focussing on one of these five areas and then share the group’s views with the forum. “Carol and I know from our travels around the region that our community and industry leaders, including employers, feel passionate about these questions. The forum will enable them to share their ideas with other community representatives and get them on the record to feed into this important state-wide process. We will also use this input in planning for improvements at the regional and institute level.” said Mr Black Invitations to the forums have been sent to local councils, chambers of commerce and business groups, economic development bodies and a cross section of regional businesses and community groups, and Mr Black urged those who have yet to respond to do so as soon as possible. Individual input on these and a wide range of other issues can also be provided in separate regional consultation activities for parent and student groups and school and TAFE staff, via the DET website at www.det.nsw.gov.au or by post to The DET Futures Team at GPO Box 33 Sydney . Other employers and community and industry representatives who are interested in the issues that the forums will explore can nominate to attend a forum and receive a consultation package by phoning the North Coast Institute’s Media and PR Support Officer, Toni Watson on 6588 2221. |
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