CHALLENGE: After working with TAFE Western Sydney for four years, TAFE NSW, Australia’s largest vocational educator, hired Sefiani to help its new MD present his vision to modernise TAFE to an extensive stakeholder base. This followed a series of job losses, campus closures, fee increases, IT failures and a collapse in enrolment numbers.
STRATEGY: Sefiani positioned TAFE NSW as the VET innovator and leader, training students in job areas of highest demand while creating a personalised approach suited to each student’s skill set needs. We started proactive and open contact with media to encourage balanced reporting. We than provided regular updates on the change initiatives and outcomes, and celebrated students’ achievements through events, media and online. We also ensured TAFE was crisis ready.
IMPACT: TAFE NSW transformed from being a dull, last-resort educator to a forward-thinking institution with a strong and energetic leader ready to modernise and reshape the VET sector. Media responded well to the improved openness and coverage not only significantly increased but it was balanced and reported clearly on planned transformation steps and the benefit to students.