The Hidden Value of the TAFE Educator Workforce
Nearly two-thirds of TAFE staff have considered leaving their jobs in the past year, and most TAFEs still can't say what their educator workforce actually returns.
NCVER's VET Student Outcomes survey of 243,778 respondents found 89.5% satisfaction with training, evidence of the value educator capability generates, while AEU's 2026 State of Our TAFE found almost half of educators don't expect to still be in TAFE within five years. NMC's framework separates TAFE educator value into three capabilities, industry currency, teaching and curriculum leadership, and mentoring, each requiring a different kind of investment across casual, experienced and Head Teacher roles. Treating the educator salary line as an asset to be understood, rather than a cost to be contained, is what lets TAFEs direct investment where retention and quality both improve.
