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This audit assessed whether the activities of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) maximise apprenticeship and traineeship completions. Apprenticeships and traineeships combine formal training with employment, allowing individuals to acquire qualifications while supplying Victoria’s industries with a skilled workforce. Expenditure on apprenticeships and traineeships has increased by 37 per cent in real terms since 2004.

The audit found that while more people are undertaking multiple qualifications, leading to an increase in the total qualifications being completed, the number of individuals completing apprenticeships and traineeships has remained stagnant. Now, as in 2004, a third of people who start an apprenticeship or traineeship will not finish it. DEECD has a partial and insufficient understanding of how many individuals are completing apprenticeships and traineeships. Without this knowledge, it cannot take effective action to improve completion outcomes. The VRQA assumed responsibility for regulating apprenticeships and traineeships in 2012. Since then, it has acted to enhance and improve regulation of apprenticeships and traineeships. However, the audit identified a number of areas where further action is required. VRQA has committed to addressing these issues over the next 18 months.

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This report covers the results of the 2013 financial audits of 27 entities, comprising 14 technical and further education (TAFE) institutes and the 13 entities they control. The report informs Parliament about significant issues arising from the financial audits in addition to the assurance provided through audit opinions on financial reports and performance reports included in the respective entities' annual reports. The report comments on the quality of financial reporting and the financial sustainability of TAFEs. It also comments on the effectiveness of controls over procurement, financial policies and financial delegations across the TAFE sector.

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This audit assessed the effectiveness of the [Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s] DEECD’s activities to ensure that Victorians in rural areas have access to a high-quality education and that outcomes for these students are maximised. The audit focused on the provision of government school education and vocational education and training (VET). The audit reports that DEECD has not provided access to high-quality education for all students. The gap in performance between rural and metropolitan students in Victoria has persisted and shows no sign of narrowing. While DEECD undertakes many activities that assist rural educators and students, these have not resulted in a significant improvement in performance. The report makes recommendations for redressing this situation.

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