Funding Fairness: Public vs Private RTOs

🎙 In this episode of the RTO Superhero Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards, with Lauren Hollows, dives into one of the biggest funding battles in Australia’s VET sector—the growing inequality between TAFE NSW and private RTOs.

Private RTOs are under increasing pressure as TAFE NSW now receives 80% of all Smart and Skilled funding—despite data showing private providers deliver better outcomes at lower costs.

🚨 Here’s what’s at stake:

• 📊 Private RTOs boast higher completion rates (54%) vs. TAFE’s 43%
• 💰 For every $1 spent on a private RTO, $3.34 is spent on TAFE
• ✅ Student and employer satisfaction consistently favours private providers

Angela explores the real impact of this funding imbalance, from regional RTO closures to TAFE’s capacity crisis—outdated facilities, digital access issues, and staff shortages.

She also uncovers the hidden flaw in “fee-free” training: ❗️low student commitment and poor completion rates, leading to wasted resources and skills shortages.

✅ What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why the “dodgy RTO” myth doesn’t hold up to the data
• How current funding decisions risk collapsing the support ecosystem for quality training
• The unintended consequences of centralising training delivery
• What we must do now to protect student choice, innovation, and training diversity in Australia

🎧 Tune in to join the fight for fair, equitable funding—and learn how you can take action.

✍️ Sign the petition: change.org/save_private_rtos

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 Join host Angela Connell-Richards as she opens each episode with a burst of insight and inspiration. Discover why compliance is your launchpad to success, not a limitation. 

Connect with fellow RTO professionals in our free Facebook groups: the RTO Community and RTO Job Board. Visit rtosuperhero.au/groups to join today. 

Wrap up with gratitude and guidance. Subscribe, leave a review, and join our community as we continue supporting your compliance journey in vocational education. 

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