(panel chair); Associate Director Engagement, Partnerships & Growth at TAFE NSW Marty Braley; and Acting Executive Director at Jobs and Skills Australia Cliff Bingham.
SOUTHERN Cross University (SCU) is streamlining its recognition of TAFE and vocational qualifications, improving clarity around existing pathways and enabling students to receive greater credit towards a wide range of undergraduate degrees.
The refined pathways framework draws together more than 300 formal credit arrangements already in place with TAFE and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).
The new arrangements help students reduce duplication of learning and transition more efficiently into high-demand careers.
These agreements span all major Southern Cross University faculties, including Health, Science and Engineering, Education, Business and Law, and The Hotel School, and cover qualifications ranging from Certificate IV through to Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels.
The announcement was shared at the Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) national Jobs and Skills Roadshow held at SCU’s Coffs Harbour campus on Tuesday 25 November.
Panel discussions examined local workforce needs, labour market trends, and the policy settings shaping future skills development.
JSA’s Jobs and Skills Report 2025 confirms that more than nine in 10 future jobs will require tertiary qualifications, highlighting ongoing gaps between the VET and higher education systems.
Clearer credit arrangements and smoother movement between VET and higher education are central recommendations of the report.
The SCU pathways agreements put this into practice by providing students with a more direct pathway from vocational study to a degree-level accommodation.
Professor Tyrone Carlin, Vice-Chancellor of SCU, said improving credit pathways was central to supporting the region’s future workforce.
“Our mission is, and has always been, to serve our regions,” he said.
“By improving the way vocational learning connects into university study, we’re giving students a clearer path to the careers that sustain our communities and shape their futures.
“This is practical, meaningful reform that will have a lasting impact.”
Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner Barney Glover AO said, “These efforts will create closer connections between education sectors to better match skill supply with skill demand for both existing and emerging careers.”
By Andrea FERRARI
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