Albury and Corowa TAFEs are still open for learning

TAFE NSW Riverina Institute is set to be one of 10 organisations shut down across the state and have its 18 campuses transferred to the new streamlined TAFE NSW.

Skills Minister John Barilaro described the changes as “once-in-a-generation reforms”.

“There will be only one TAFE NSW, no more institutes, no more detachment, no more working in silos,” he said.

A NSW government “Cabinet in confidence” document, seen by Fairfax Media, included Corowa in a list of campuses earmarked for sale.

But TAFE NSW relieving institute director Paul Ingwersen said the institute was always planning to leave its current Corowa campus in favour of a new, state-of-the-art site in the town.

He said negotiations were continuing with Federation Council over the best location.

Albury campus was also listed for “partial sale” in the Cabinet document but the Poole Street and Thurgoona locations were guaranteed by the director.

“They’re both really integral in terms of delivering our education,” Mr Ingwersen said.

The transition from the Riverina Institute to TAFE NSW will take place gradually over the next two years, to be completed by June 30, 2018.

Mr Ingwersen said most changes would occur in upper management and could not say if there would be any job losses at Albury or Corowa.

“It’s a bit early to tell – there will certainly be an impact in the management roles, there will be new positions and others will cease to exist,” he said.

“It sets a clear direction for TAFE into the future.

“One TAFE allows us to improve our delivery.”

The message to prospective students was TAFE NSW would be replacing old facilities to provide better technology.

Mr Barilaro said the current institute model of TAFEs, introduced in 1992, became weighed down with excessive overheads, management duplication and internal competition.

“My commitment to you, and that of this government is, where there are savings made by eliminating duplication in administration and back-office functions, that money will remain in the skills budget to grow opportunities in training more young people,” he said.