About the Department of Education and Training

The NSW Department of Education and Training delivers high quality, internationally competitive public education and training from early childhood (pre-school), through to the compulsory years of schooling (Kindergarten to Year 10), and senior secondary education leading to the award of the NSW Higher School Certificate (in Years 11 and 12). It also provides TAFE NSW courses, adult and community education courses, migrant English programs, post-secondary art courses and advice to the NSW Government on higher education.

The Department is particularly focused on addressing the training needs of industry and meeting the challenge of skills shortages in certain trades. It strongly promotes lifelong learning, and aims to provide students with a smooth transition from school to work or further study, and from post-compulsory education and training to work or further study. The Department is the largest single organisation, public or private, in Australia. With a recurrent budget of $11.2 billion, the Department is responsible for around one quarter of the States total budget. Around 741,000 students are taught by over 50,000 full time - teachers in more than 2,200 NSW Government schools - including pre-schools, primary schools, central schools, high schools, colleges and specialist schools. NSW leads the way in Australia in requiring new teachers to be accredited in terms of professional teaching standards through its Institute of Teachers. It also requires teachers to undertake continuous professional development.With over 500,000 enrolments, and 10,000 permanent teachers, TAFE NSW is not only Australias largest training provider, it is also among the largest in the world. TAFE NSW has 10 Institutes delivering a wide range of nationally recognised courses at more than 130 metropolitan and regional campuses.

What are Industry Training Advisory Bodies (ITAB's)?

NSW ITABs are funded by the NSW State Government to support their key roles of providing independent, representative advice to Government on the training priorities of industry and promoting vocational education and training initiatives and strategies to their industry sectors. These activities assist DET plan and formulate policy, design industry specific training strategies, initiatives and programs, purchase training, and allocate resources to enhance the States vocational education and training system. In NSW, 20 industry advisory bodies service this information need of Government. The NSW Property and Financial Services ITAB is one of the 20 funded bodies under the industry initiatives program of DET - Department of Education and Training. For more information on the role of ITABs, see the publication Excellence in Governance - a Guide for NSW Industry Training Advisory Bodies. This provides a practical guide for chairs, directors and executive officers on the Boards of NSW Industry Training Advisory Bodies (ITABs) to achieve excellence in governance and meet requirements of Performance and Funding Arrangements with the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET).

Contact Industry Initiativeson (02) 9244 5420 or by email adelina.quartullo@det.nsw.edu.au.

For general information on NSW ITABS visit www.nswitabs.com.au