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Vic shutdowns may prevent 100,000 students from graduating this year and affect economic recovery

A concerning situation is quickly developing for more than 100,000 independent tertiary education students in Victoria due to the state’s COVID-19 shutdown.

The fear is that many of these students will be unable to complete their studies this year and threaten the state’s “skill-based economic recovery”, the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) says.

ITECA is the peak body for independent providers in the higher education, vocational education, training and skills sectors in Australia.

“Across the state, classrooms and lecture theatres stand empty. This is likely to be the case for another month and quite possibly beyond, meaning tens of thousands of students due to complete their studies will be unable to do so,” ITECA’s chief executive Troy Williams said.

While the sector quickly transitioned to online learning at the beginning of the pandemic, the practical nature of the sector is proving an impediment to students being able to complete their studies.

“Many courses have a practical component which means time in a laboratory, on the tools or interacting with people. It’s not always possible to simulate this environment online. Unable to complete this aspect of their course, many students won’t graduate this year,” Williams said.

Another challenging problem is organising compulsory work placements for tens of thousands of students who require it to graduate.

“Work placements give students the real-world experience in a range of areas such as nursing, aged care and engineering that is vital to equipping students for work.

"With the COVID-19 restrictions, they are unable to meet this work placement requirement as employers are closed or, due to measures to contain the virus, are unwilling to accept students in the workplace,” Williams said.

“Just when Victoria will need skilled workers to support the economic recovery, there is likely to be a shortage. Many students, due to complete their tertiary studies in 2020, will still be studying next year as a result of the Victorian Government’s ill-considered plan. An alarming prospect is that many students will disengage from their studies, never to return,” he added.

In response to these concerns, ITECA is urging the Victorian government to “adopt a more considered approach” to its COVID-19 “Roadmap to Recovery” measures, which have received criticism from the business community but praise from medical experts. ITECA also believes reengaging students with their studies needs to happen quickly.

“A more nuanced approach than the Victorian Government’s current plan is required. If permitted, independent tertiary education providers could restructure training that would see students immediately return, perhaps in limited numbers, in a COVID-safe environment,” Williams proposed.

“We are all cognisant of the importance of containing the virus, but we also need to consider the long-term welfare of the students.”

After releasing this year’s Education at a Glance report, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also issued a statement highlighting areas of global opportunity and concern. The importance of a robust, skilled vocational education and training sector (VET) during and after the pandemic was included.

“The crisis has hit the vocational and education training (VET) sector particularly hard. This is a major concern, according to the report, as many of the professions that formed the backbone of economic and social life during the lockdown hinge on vocational qualifications,” the OECD said.


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