On 21st December the Prime Minister announced the opening of a new department of Education and Training.
The ‘Skills responsibilities’ which encompasses VET (Vocational Education and Training) will be transferred from the Department of Industry and Science to the newly formed Department of Education and Training. Additionally child care policies and programmes will be transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Social Services.
The new department will be responsible for national policies and programmes that help Australians access quality early childhood education, school education, higher education, VET and international education and research.
New ministers sworn in on the 23rd December 2014 and responsible for VET will be Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Education and Training and Hon Simon Birmingham, Assistant Minister for Education and Training.
Department websites:
http://industry.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.education.gov.au/
http://vetreform.industry.gov.au/news/new-ministerial-arrangements-education-and-training
Ministers’ websites:
http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/
http://www.pyneonline.com.au