Hospitality student numbers in freefall as government fails to invest in tourism workforce

Tasmanian Labor
  • Less than half the number of students enrolled at Drysdale complete their course
  • Minister needs to urgently address shocking decline in Tasmanians being trained
  • Drop in enrolments will have knock-on effect for Tasmanian tourism
  • Shocking new figures have revealed less than half the students who enrolled in hospitality at TasTAFE last year actually completed their course.

    Labor leader and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Rebecca White said the ongoing decline of Drysdale is the result of the Hodgman Liberal Government failing to plan and invest in training a Tasmanian workforce to help the tourism and hospitality industry and the state’s economy grow.

    Right To Information data released to Labor by TasTAFE shows:

    • 434 students were enrolled in hospitality in 2018 – 177 in the south, 201 in the north and 56 in the north west
    • Of those 2018 enrolments, only 202 successfully completed the course – 66 in the south, 119 in the north, 17 in the north west
    • Pre-kitchen operation course completions are also in rapid decline, with 101 students enrolled in 2018 – 36 in the south, 52 in the north, 13 in the north west and just 30 of these students successfully completed the course

    Ms White said Education and Training Minister Jeremy Rockliff needed to explain the dramatic decline in students successfully completing courses at the same time the government had set its own target to increase training capacity to reach 50,000 tourism and hospitality jobs by 2020.

    “The proof is in the official figures and Mr Rockliff needs to explain why he is denying Tasmanians a pathway to meaningful jobs,” Ms White said.

    “The tourism and hospitality industry relies on a strong flow of skilled local workers and the Drysdale training facility should be full to over-flowing with Tasmanian students being skilled for careers in hospitality.

    “Under the Hodgman Government TasTAFE courses have been axed and fees increased, putting study beyond the reach of many Tasmanians.

    “Under the Liberals 2000 apprenticeships have gone in Tasmania and students are leaving courses without the skills that employers require.

    “Tasmanian businesses need more to be done to match skills shortages with appropriate education and training.

    “Labor is actively talking to industry and business and our Industry Advisory Councils – including the Tourism, Hospitality, Festivals, Heritage and the Arts IAC – are focused on the long-term challenges and opportunities facing Tasmania’s economy and our people, including education and training.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.