Guidance for TAFE and training operations

For information about the Victorian Government’s roadmap to reopening Victoria visit: Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap reopening

The timing of steps in the roadmap is subject to public health advice.

Settings for Victoria

Settings for metropolitan Melbourne and for regional Victoria are now aligned.

Staff attending training providers’ premises

Under the Last Step, restrictions in Victoria (from 11.59pm 22 November), tertiary education providers are permitted to deliver face-to-face teaching.

Requirements of clinical health placements

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published updated coronavirus (COVID-19) advice relating to student clinical placements on 13 November 2020.  

• Students on work placement no longer need a Permitted Worker Permit to attend a healthcare facility or to move between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
• Public Sector Residential Aged Care (PSRAC) services that have been approved by DHHS can recommence student clinical placements, subject to additional guidance from DHHS. Placements in aged care settings should be prioritised to enable graduation from a course or to avoid critical aged care workforce shortages. Non-PSRAC services are subject to further consideration.
• Movement between sites during a clinical placement at a health service should be kept to a minimum, wherever possible.
• Students are required to participate in daily staff attestations and temperature checks in place within health services.
• Students should not be involved in the provision of direct care to patients or residents with coronavirus (COVID-19), or probable and suspected coronavirus (COVID-19).

Useful websites

Guidance for onsite attendance

Where training is being delivered face-to-face, staff and students should practice physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres apart, where possible.

This advice acknowledges that physical distancing is not always possible for hands-on, on-campus training. For example, situations where physical distancing might not be practical could be where two people are required to lift a mannequin to apply bandaging, or to complete a hands-on automotive task.

In cases where physical distancing is not practical or appropriate, other strategies recommended to reduce the risk of transmission are wearing a face mask, good hand hygiene, regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces, and ensuring staff and students stay home if they are unwell.

To limit the number of people who may gather in a facility at the same time, businesses must only allow entry to one person for every four-square metres of available floor space in their venue.

Teachers are not required to wear face masks while teaching but those who wish to do so, can. Teachers should wear face masks in other areas of the TAFE or training organisation when not teaching (for example, in the staffroom).

Resources for training organisations

We have published new resources on the Skills Victoria Training System (SVTS). Login to access the following resources:

• CN 2020-05 Government Response to Novel Coronavirus – information about the arrangements under the VET Funding Contract to support continued training activity during coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Fact Sheet COVID19 - Disrupted Training and Reapportioning – helps training providers understand and comply with their reporting obligations during this period
• Skills First and Covid-19 – Questions and Answers – answers to commonly asked questions.

Learn Local pre-accredited training

The ACFE Board has issued two fact sheets on the funding and delivery arrangements for pre-accredited training for the remainder of Term 2, 2020.  

• Learn Locals – Guidelines for Pre-Accredited Funding and Delivery (pdf - 167.41kb)
• Learn Locals – Pre-Accredited Training Delivery Q&A (pdf - 134.2kb)

Advice for international students

We encourage international students to get the most up-to-date information by:

• regularly checking in with your education provider. Visit Study in Australia to see a list of coronavirus (COVID-19) information pages for universities, TAFEs and schools.
• read Study Melbourne's COVID-19 advice
• visit Study in Australia for additional information and advice about health, education, travel and visas.

DHHS provides information about coronavirus (COVID-19) in many languages.

We are working closely with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, and universities, TAFEs and training providers to understand and respond to the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) on international students.

VET delivered to school students at Registered Training Organisations

Visit the current advice on: Vocational education and training support.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance note - Victorian Public Sector

All TAFEs are referred to the guidance note Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) guidance note - Victorian Public Sector

This guidance note applies to the Victorian TAFE Sector and provides useful information about safe working practices, managing leave requests and employees undertaking overseas travel.

Childcare services

There are several providers that also deliver childcare services.

These providers can subscribe to our early childhood education and care coronavirus (COVID-19) updates.