Only one per cent of people studying plumbing at TAFE completed their free course, but the Victorian government says many undertook apprenticeships.
Only 18 of 1,514 students enrolled in the certificate IV in plumbing and services in 2019 and 2020 completed their course, according to data obtained by the state opposition under Freedom of Information laws.
Opposition spokesperson Bridget Vallence, shadow minister for Industry, Innovation, Manufacturing, Skills, Tertiary Education and TAFE, called the low completion rates “surprising”.
“Plumbing, construction, mental health and early childhood courses have incredibly low completion rates, with only one per cent of students completing their courses, exacerbating the worker shortage in these sectors,” he said.
“The Labor Party has no chance of delivering on its promise to build 80,000 new homes each year with so few students completing their TAFE courses in building and construction.”
Alarming figures have revealed that less than one per cent of people studying plumbing at TAFE in Victoria completed their free course (pictured, people walking in front of a TAFE building in Sydney)
However, a state government spokesperson said students embarking on construction industry courses regularly undertake work placements before completing their studies because that is the only way to gain a full qualification.
Those who took up the offer of industry experience were recorded as not completing despite getting a job in the field, while the overall TAFE completion rate was 53.7 per cent since the free courses were introduced, they added .
“Skilled workers are in high demand in Victoria, with ambitious housing targets, major transport and housing builds and the state’s move towards clean energy creating a need for skilled tradespeople across the state,” the spokesperson said.
The figures revealed that one in 10 students completed their certificate IV in engineering and one in three completed their diploma in building and construction, while 17 per cent completed their certificate IV in child, youth and family intervention.
The completion rate was around 40 per cent for those enrolled in a certificate IV supporting ageing, mental health, agriculture and the advanced diploma in building surveying, while 47 per cent completed their early childhood education diploma.
Free TAFE was rolled out in Victoria in 2018 and eligibility expanded in 2023 to anyone studying courses covering in-demand areas, regardless of their previous education levels.
Despite the grim figures, a Victorian government spokesperson said many students who took courses in the construction industry found apprenticeships before finishing their courses (file image)