The Australian TAFE market will be seeing a lot of silver linings in the second half of 2022 and 2023. That’s because the Covid-19 period, while challenging, has also helped to pave the way for things like digital transformation, innovation and new opportunities into the future.

Here’s just a few top opportunities that could come out of this period to benefit TAFE.

1. Online and blended learning

With many TAFEs forced to rapidly deploy online and blended learning as part of their Covid-19 survival strategy (alongside everyone else, from the rest of the VET market, to higher education), TAFEs have begun turning this into an opportunity. With the ability to teach and interact with students in new ways (including virtual reality), there will be ongoing potential for TAFEs to adapt learning into blended forms or augment their offerings and markets.

2. New courses and micro-credentials

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed increased emphasis on the value of shorter courses for upskilling and reskilling workers into new jobs in their industry or entirely new industries. TAFEs have an opportunity to capitalise on this period of time and these new areas of course growth to turn this trend to their advantage, by offering shorter form learning courses or micro-credentials into the future that support skilling communities faster in changing times.

3. Industry relevant training and partnerships

TAFEs have always been leaders in offering industry relevant training that meshes the needs of industry and employers with those of learners looking for opportunities and careers. Bendigo Kangan Institute is a shining light when it comes to forging ahead with new ideas for industry-relevant training. There is no doubt the future will provide more opportunities to forge mutually beneficial partnerships with industry to support the skilling of Australian industries.

4. Digital transformation

Digital transformation has been one of the areas that, on balance, is a positive outcome of the Covid-19 crisis, alongside innovation and online and blended learning growth. With TAFEs putting transformation up the priority list, areas like student experiences, digital service delivery and even more flexible working for staff and trainers are likely to result in a more vibrant, digitally enabled TAFE proposition for employers, students and communities.

5. Staff recruitment and training

High quality, dedicated teachers and staff have always been synonymous with the TAFE sector, and are likely to continue to be one of its great human advantages into the future. Seen as a strength when compared with other markets, often galvanised by a public service mission, TAFEs will no doubt see advantages in doubling down on their efforts to retain their good talent and recruit fresh talent from a range of education and industry sources.

Interested in learning more about how we help TAFE providers with next generation enterprise student management technology? Learn more here.