The announcement today that TAFE South Australia (TAFE SA) has formed a partnership with the National Centre for Dairy Education - Australia (NCDEA) has been hailed by industry leaders as a key step toward a nationally integrated dairy education system.

Dairy Australia and Goulburn Ovens TAFE formed the NCDEA in late 2005. Its goal was to create a nationwide structure to manage vocational education and training to ensure it was relevant to the dairy industry and of consistently high quality.

The partnership, which takes effect tomorrow, will see TAFE SA’s farming department offer an industry-sanctioned qualification recognised across Australia.

Dairy Australia managing director Mike Ginnivan said the NCDEA offered a unique set of benefits to the industry at a time when access to information was ‘crucial’.

“This partnership is another example of the dairy industry working with the education sector for mutual benefit. The industry’s greatest asset is the knowledge and expertise of its people. This partnership will help protect and grow that asset well into the future,” Dr Ginnivan said.
 
TAFE SA’s program manager of primary industries Bob Reid said the partnership signals a new direction in the delivery of dairy education in South Australia.

“As South Australia’s largest provider of vocational training and education, TAFE SA is in a good position to both contribute to and benefit from the NCDEA’s wide range of resources,” Mr Reid said.

He said the partnership provided the flexibility to offer a regionally relevant curriculum that was underpinned by the expertise and capacity of the NCDEA.

“Like other major dairying regions, South Australia’s has its own unique needs. It’s therefore vital that the training we offer meets these needs and is of the highest quality. This partnership will continue to ensure that,” he said.

South Australian Dairy Education and Extension Advisory Committee chairman Michael Connor said the announcement shows the industry was on the front foot and serious about improving opportunities for education and training. He said the services offered would be driven by the local dairy industry and would be delivered to a national standard.

NCDEA Steering Committee chairman David Karpin said the work to create a national framework for dairy education was continuing at an excellent pace.

“The partnership with TAFE SA marks the first formal agreement with an education provider outside of Victoria. We expect there will be others to follow,” Professor Karpin said.

Existing dairy farming students at TAFE SA will not see any immediate changes to their timetables, and classes will continue as usual in the same venue for the remainder of 2007.

For further information contact Sid Pickering on 03 9694 3894 or 0418 175 611 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it