Only one per cent of people studying plumbing at TAFE completed their free course, but the Victorian Government claims many have taken up apprenticeships instead.
Only 18 of the 1,514 students enrolled in the Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services in 2019 and 2020 completed their courses, according to data obtained by the state opposition under freedom of information laws.
Opposition spokeswoman Bridget Vallence – the shadow Secretary of State for Industry, Innovation, Manufacturing, Skills, Tertiary Education and TAFE – said the low completion rates were “astounding”.
“Courses in plumbing, construction, mental health and early childhood have incredibly low completion rates, with only one percent of students completing their courses, exacerbating the workforce shortage in these sectors,” she said.
“Labour has no chance of delivering on its promise to build 80,000 new homes every year while so few students complete their TAFE courses in building and construction.”
Alarming figures show less than one per cent of people studying plumbing at TAFE in Victoria have completed their free course (pictured, people walking past a TAFE building in Sydney)
However, a state government spokesperson said students embarking on construction courses regularly undertake an internship before completing their studies as that is the only way to become fully qualified.
Those who took up the offer of industry experience were recorded as not having completed despite being offered a job in the field, while the overall TAFE completion rate stood at 53.7 per cent since the introduction of free courses, she added to.
“Skilled workers are in high demand in Victoria, with ambitious housing targets, the Transport and Housing Big Builds and the state’s move to clean energy creating a need for skilled trades across the state,” the spokesperson said.
The figures show that one in ten students completed their Certificate IV in Engineering and one in three completed their Diploma in Building and Construction, while 17 percent completed their Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention.
The completion rate was approximately 40 percent for those enrolled in a Certificate IV in Aging Support, Mental Health, Agriculture and the Advanced Diploma in Construction Research, while 47 percent completed their Early Childhood Education Diploma.
Free TAFE was rolled out in Victoria in 2018 and in 2023, eligibility was extended to anyone studying courses covering in-demand areas, regardless of prior education level.
Despite the dismal figures, a Victorian government spokesperson said many students taking construction courses found internships before completing their courses (stock image)