GOTAFE and other TAFE teachers across the state are celebrating the achievement of pay parity with their secondary counterparts, after the Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch achieved a new in-principle agreement with the government.
An approved agreement will deliver a minimum salary increase of 21 per cent over four years, including a 14 per cent increase in the first 14 months of the deal.
The first increase, backdated to November 2024, will bring Victorian TAFE teachers into line with similarly qualified and experienced Victorian public school teachers.
The top rate for a classroom based TAFE teacher will grow to $134,775 by the end of the agreement.
A current Level 3.3 teacher’s salary increases from $107,995 to $130,672 by the end of the agreement, with an increase of $9769 at the commencement of the agreement.
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A current Level 1.2 teacher’s salary increases from $83,429 to $100,912 by the end of the agreement, with an increase of $7515 at the commencement of the agreement,
Conditions will also improve under the deal.
AEU vice president TAFE and adult provision, Elaine Gillespie, told this masthead that for every hour of teaching TAFE, teachers will have 45 minutes of planning time, up from the current 30 minutes.
She said in-class assessments will now also be counted as teaching, both changes which are a major win for teachers.
The measures will allow TAFE teachers more time to deliver quality teaching and learning and to support their students.
Ms Gillespie said TAFE teachers deserve the improvements with wages and conditions as they are dual qualified professionals as they need to be qualified in the vocation as well as a qualified teacher.
"They need to adapt to meet a very diverse student cohort and the diversity has expanded due to the introduction of free TAFE, which is a good thing," she said.
"Teachers need to ensure that each of those students get a quality education, leveraged in a way that is accessible for everyone."
Ms Gillespie said the majority of jobs required in the future will come from a vocational background.
The wage increases will go a long way in maintaining the existing workforce but also attract new employees in a sector that has faced massive staff shortages.
"We have a really hard job in maintaining the staff that we have, never mind attracting new staff," she said.
"That's because they can get higher pay in the vocation industry, and they back to this as it is a lot less stressful and the hours are better."
She said with the attraction of new teachers it makes for a better experience for students as it brings new ideas into industry.
A spokesperson said the Labor Government’s $4.6 billion investment in TAFE supports Victorians to get the skills they need for free, working closely with TAFEs across the state to make sure course offerings match the in-demand skills, creating a pipeline of workers for the jobs of the future in housing, renewable technology and the care economy.
The in-principle agreement is now subject to a vote by TAFE teachers and then approval by a Fair Work Commission process.
Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney said they're proud to give TAFE teachers better pay and conditions as it’s absolutely what they deserve.
“Our TAFE teachers are world-class and they’re training our state’s future workforce to build the homes we need, support our clean energy transition, and provide care for those who need it,” Ms Tierney said.
