Season 5 · Episode 28
Funding Chaos: Navigating Australia's Complex VET Landscape with Lauren Hollows
Angela and Lauren Hollows tackle a confronting reality in Australia's VET sector—how arbitrary funding decisions are crippling high-performing private RTOs. Despite delivering 80% of Australia's training, private RTOs receive just 30% of government funding.
4 July 202546 min

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Show Notes
- Outstanding RTOs excluded from funding programs due to postcode politics
- "Mom and pop" RTOs pushed out by skyrocketing compliance costs
- One RTO slashed unit completion times from 400 to 84 days using their own data better
- The imbalance reshaping Australia's training landscape
- Why it's time to stop pitting TAFE vs. private RTOs and start building collaborative solutions
Key Takeaways
- Private RTOs deliver 80% of training but receive only 30% of funding
- Compliance pressure is forcing quality providers out of the sector
- Data-driven management can dramatically improve performance
- We need collaborative solutions, not TAFE vs. private competition
Resources Mentioned
- Save Private RTOs Petition
- VET Funding Analysis Report
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