Tafe fees raise staffing fears

Representatives of not-for-profit Aged and Community Services of WA (ACSWA) and Welshpool-based Baptistcare, which operates residential facilities, spoke after the Canning Times report on State Government training reforms.

Future Skills WA, part of national reforms, will increase fees significantly in some courses, including the Certificate III in aged care, which will increase 372 per cent from $621 to $2934 by 2017.

ACSWA acting chief executive Teresa Santoro said members already struggled with funding and staffing, and the changes would harm the sector.

Baptistcare chief executive Lucy Morris said she was worried people would not take up study.

‘I’m not sure how the State Government expects people to afford these increases or for employers to support staff’