TAFE institutes are independent and autonomous entities established under statute. Each TAFE institute is governed by its own TAFE constitution and its own governing board. The constitution for each TAFE is substantially the same.
The functions of the TAFE institute boards include:
oversee and efficiently manage the institute
develop and implement strategic plans and other operational plans that are required
develop policies and issue directions that relate to the employment of staff, and administration and management of the institute
exercise direction and control and monitor CEO and staff to ensure work is conducted in an appropriate manner
advise and report on the activities of the institute to the Minister and notify the Minister of board vacancies
decide the process for electing a chair and elect one of its members as chair; and electing the staff director
have regular meetings, with minutes and records of decisions
appoint a board secretary
Call for Expressions of Interest – Board Members
The Minister for Training and Skills and Minister for Higher Education, the Hon. Gayle Tierney MP, is pleased to invite applications for part time positions on TAFE Institute Boards.
With a strong connection to industry and jobs, TAFE provides quality vocational education to Victorians. Accordingly, TAFE institute Boards play a critical leadership and governance role in implementing and extending the greatest skills legacy of our state.
How to Apply
For more information about the roles, instructions about the application process and to apply, please go to the website of Odgers Berndtson, our search partner who is facilitating this process.
Applications are welcome from people of all ages, genders and sexual orientations, people with a disability, Aboriginal Victorians and Victorians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Board membership
Victorian TAFE institutes are governed by boards of between 10 and 12 directors, comprising of:
ministerial appointed directors (at least half the board)
the CEO
one director elected by the staff of the institute
co-opted directors (the remainder of the board)
Boards are also responsible for electing their own chairs from the existing board members.
Full board compositions are published on the
Public Board Appointments Victoria.
Director skill requirements
The Act requires suitably qualified and highly committed individuals to provide their time and commitment on boards, to oversee the governance of Victoria’s 12 publicly funded TAFE institutes.
These individuals must demonstrate an overriding commitment to excellence in public education outcomes and to high quality governance of Victoria's public education bodies.
They must also be able to demonstrate the necessary skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the governance of such complex entities.
Board directors must be appropriately skilled with knowledge or experience in:
management
finance
commerce or business
law
corporate governance
vocational education and training
adult, community and further education
any industry in which training is provided at the institute
higher education
Obligations and duties of TAFE board directors can be found in the:
Public Administration Act 2004
Education and Training Reform Act 2006
TAFE Institute Constitution
Directors’ Code of Conduct
A summary of obligations can be found in this information sheet:
Information Sheet: TAFE Institute Boards – Directors’ Duties (pdf - 176.78kb)
Elected staff directors are not subject to any pre-requisite skills requirement in order to be elected to TAFE institute boards, but must act in accordance with the same obligations and duties as other directors.
Public administration act
TAFE institute boards are considered to be public entities under part 5 of the Public Administration Act 2004 and are subject to the same requirements.
A summary of relevant sections of the Act that are relevant to board directors are found in this information sheet:
Constitutions
Each TAFE institute constitution includes provisions regarding governance arrangements and the objectives, functions and powers of an institute.
TAFE institute constitutions are prepared under section 3.1.11 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 on the recommendation of the Minister.
Constitutions are updated periodically to:
ensure alignment with the requirements of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006
reflect changes to state government policies
include specific amendments requested during consultation with individual TAFE institutes
reflect significant events such as a merger or name change
Amended TAFE institute Constitutions are gazetted in the Victorian Government Gazette.
TAFE institute constitutions