Vocational Education NUS

Hi! I’m Olivia, you’re new Vocational Education Officer for 2026!

I want to engage with students undertaking vocational education and learn what issues matter to them. That way, I can best represent them in the community and to the wider NUS community.

If you’re a vocational education student an you know of any issues in your community, please flick me an email and I’d love to chat.

Look forward to meeting you all!

Coverage from SBS on the historic student referendum on Palestine organised by the National Union of Students and Students for Palestine. Over 5,000 students participated and 4,000 in person - in one of the largest mass collective actions of students in years. We took an important stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and righted a historic wrong.

Actions like this point the way forward for student unionism in this country - taking strong positions on social justice and mobilising students where our power lies.

Important coverage of the historic mass student vote on Palestine this year. Over 4,000 students voted in person on campuses across the country to demand sanctions on Israel and for universities to cut all ties to weapons companies. This example of mass collective action shows the way forward for student unionism in this country.

Universities, Israel, and weapons companies: National student vote takes on hot-button issue Students have long led anti-war movements in Australia. The first national vote in 50 years has taken on the question of weapons company links.

The government recently announced $28 million into a “National Security TAFE Centre of Excellence” in Adelaide. Students must oppose this - our education must not be tied to interests of war and militarism.

That $28 million could be used to fund fully free TAFE, to give TAFE teachers a pay rise, to pay current apprentices liveable wages, to upgrade current facilities and classrooms. Instead the government is restructuring our education system to meet the needs of the military industrial complex and to be subordinate to the interests of Australian imperialism.

📣 TAFE STUDENTS - SKIP CLASS FOR GAZA THIS THURSDAY

Let’s keep building the movement for Palestine

Important stance from the NUS National Union of Students calling on the Labor government to immediately place sanctions on the Israeli state. The continued attacks on Palestinians in Gaza must end, and an endless flow of humanitarian aid must be let in.

We stand with the trade union movement in calling for the Australian government to immediately place sanctions on the state of Israel, and call for an immediate ceasefire to end the genocide.

At the National Day of Protest against Trump in Perth today! Over 150 people turned up to stand against the far-right and to demand Australia cut all ties to Trump's America.

We stood up for Palestine, for workers rights, for women's rights, LGBT+ rights and migrant rights.

🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈✊️

If you're a TAFE student who hates Donald Trump and are concerned about the rise of the far-right around the world, come along to the National Day of Protest happening to call on Australia to cut ties to Trump's America!

Rallies are happening all across the country - get involved in a city near you!

DM me if you're a TAFE student and want to get involved!

Hey everyone! I’m Ella, your Vocational Education Office Bearer for 2025✊️📣

I have been a left-wing activist for a number of years now fighting for refugee rights, against the far-right, for LGBTI+ and women’s rights and for free education. Here I am at the recent trans rights protest in Perth and speaking up for Palestinians in Gaza.

Capitalism is sending students lives backwards - the billionaire class is making record profits whilst ordinary students can’t afford rent or groceries, and our education, including TAFE, is geared toward the needs of big business. And not only that, the rise of the far-right means that we are seeing ramping up attacks on the oppressed.

TAFEs have been chronically underfunded for years by both Labor & Liberal governments. TAFE is increasingly geared toward churning as many students in and out of the system, whilst government funding is nowhere near what is required to deliver quality education. Many courses at TAFEs have been cut over the past years, and IT equipment and material to deliver TAFE courses have not been kept up to standard. As well, TAFEs are increasingly being geared toward the Australian government’s drive to war. TAFE should be about education - not profit or the interests of Australian imperialism.

TAFE teachers are also some of the most underpaid education staff in the country - and I will support them in their fights for better wages and conditions.

I am keen to spend this year speaking out for TAFE students and against all attacks on the oppressed. Both the Labor & Liberal parties have ruled for the business class whilst ordinary students are left out to dry - to change that we need a fighting student union movement.