Chapter 4 continued
The organisation of ace provision in the states and territories
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
There is no legislation dealing specifically with ACE in Western Australia.
VET is provided for under the Vocational Education and Training Act
1996. In 1995 the WA Department of Training, responsible for the strategic
management of the vocational education and training sector in Western
Australia, established an ACE Advisory Committee to progress national
and state policy issues in ACE. Executive support is provided by the Department.
Most ACE courses are delivered through TAFE colleges or by community
neighbourhood houses and learning centres. There are 100 TAFE centres
around the state. Participation in TAFE increased by 32 per cent
from 19941995 and totalled more than a million student contact hours.
The Department requires TAFE colleges to provide ACE courses and provides
some up-front funding for these to be delivered through the TAFE centres.
Stream 1000 courses are provided on a fee for service basis.
There are 80 community neighbourhood houses and learning centres. The
state government provides some funding support for `private and community
providers although approximately 50 per cent of private providers are
self funded and use volunteer tutors'. [1]
The Department provides a grant of $85,000 per annum to Learning Link
Centre. No ACE providers are yet in receipt of ANTA funds for accredited
providers.
Data on ACE providers is included as part of the AVETMISS statistics
collection. [2] The 1997 Western Australian
State Profile give notice that a comprehensive study of ACE providers
is to be undertaken.
Footnotes
[1] Transcript of evidence, Perth, 8
August 1996, p 135 (Dr Crowley)
[2] Western Australian State Training Profile
1997, p 42