The government is considering a recommendation to cut TAFE funding, resulting in possible course and facility closures and staff redundancies.

Wodonga TAFE’s board chairman Tony Brandt said although it had been suggested the cuts would mean the closure of 20 per cent of regional TAFEs within four years, the Wodonga campus was safe because they had predicted the cuts would happen.

“We were aware this was going to be a problem,” Mr Brandt said.

“Four years ago we started planning and it’s paid off, we’ve broken even so it will be a little bit easier for us.”

But there has not been the same assurance for other North East TAFEs.

Victorian TAFE Association executive director David Williams said smaller facilities, such as Goulburn Ovens Benalla campus, could be under threat.

“All options would have to be on the table about the viability of facilities,” he said.

“Bigger campuses obviously in Shepparton and Wangaratta would survive, the smaller ones would be questionable without added funding support from the government.”

Mr Brandt said even if the government took up the recommendation, the Wodonga facility would have to “look very carefully at what we can provide”.

He said the first thing to go would be unprofitable courses, even if they remained relevant and necessary for students.

Mr Brandt said if the government went ahead with the cuts, it would be pushing people away from the country and into the city.

“I hope it’s not their intention because the effect of that, particularly for regional Victoria is devastating,” Mr Brandt said.

“If you lose 10 or so of your youth to the city, they don’t come back, or very few do, and your town shrinks more.

“Any cut in funding is difficult because we run a tight ship ... and for a government to cut back on funding when they’re trying to insist on people being more qualified is to me plain stupid.”