To the Editor,
I would like to raise an issue that I believe deserves far greater attention within our community — the lack of in-person trade and vocational courses available through Glen Innes TAFE.
My husband and I moved to Glen Innes nearly five years ago and are raising three teenagers here. Our two older sons completed their apprenticeships and trade qualifications on the Central Coast of NSW, and through that experience we saw firsthand how important accessible vocational education is for young people.
While we understand that rural communities cannot always offer the same level of services as larger cities, it is deeply concerning that regional students are being left with fewer and fewer face-to-face training opportunities. At a time when Australia is facing major shortages of qualified tradespeople, it makes little sense that a modern TAFE campus in Glen Innes appears significantly underused.
Families in our region are often expected to send young people to Armidale, Inverell, or Tamworth to study. For many households, this is not practical due to transport limitations, cost, and work commitments. Online learning is often suggested as the solution, but it is simply not suitable for every student — particularly for practical trade training where hands-on experience and direct support are essential.
This issue goes beyond education alone. Limited training opportunities affect employment pathways, local workforce shortages, youth disengagement, and ultimately the long-term future of rural communities like ours.
I was also interested to learn that a formal NSW Parliament question submitted in October 2022 requested completion rate comparisons between Online TAFE and face-to-face TAFE delivery. The response did not provide comparative statistics and redirected the question elsewhere, suggesting the information may not be publicly available.
Reference:
Regional young people deserve equitable access to education and career opportunities without having to leave their communities simply to gain a qualification.
I hope this issue sparks wider community discussion and encourages greater investment in local vocational education and training opportunities for Glen Innes and the wider New England region.
Yours sincerely,
Annemarie Sansom, Mount Mitchell
