Victoria’s TAFE sector will deliver a pay boost for more than 4,400 staff after all 11 TAFE Institutes signed the first ever state‑wide enterprise agreement for professional (non-teaching) staff.
The Victorian TAFE PACCT Staff Agreement 2025 was approved late yesterday by the Fair Work Commission, marking significant improvements to pay, state-wide consistency across all TAFEs and improved entitlements. TAFE teachers already received a pay boost last year under a similar state-wide agreement.
The Victorian TAFE Association (VTA) estimates that all professional staff will see an average uplift at each pay point, between $10,000 and $21,000 over the life of the Agreement.
In real terms, this means an entry-level professional staff member at a typical TAFE will see a salary increase of up to $4000 in the first year. Over the life of the new Agreement, they receive up to $11,000 additional pay, plus additional annual increment increases, raising the overall salary gain to over $16,500.
These pay improvements recognise the essential role professional staff play in ensuring TAFE delivers for government, industry and the Victorian community. In addition to helping retain talented staff, the new agreement will help with continuing to attract the best talent into Victoria’s TAFEs.
These pay rises are complemented by improved working conditions including:
- An additional two weeks paid primary carer leave (on top of the existing 14 weeks for a total of 16 weeks)
- Up to 52 weeks superannuation paid at the end of Parental Leave for up to the first 52 weeks of primary care giver parental leave
- 4 weeks of secondary caregiver leave, and an additional 12 weeks paid additional secondary care giver leave when they assume primary responsibility for child within 78 weeks of birth or placement
- Paid lactation breaks
- Ongoing eligibility for parental leave on premature birth, or where baby is stillborn, or dies within first 24 months of life
- Short term foster and kinship care leave, up to 10 days paid
- Up to 52 weeks unpaid Grandparent leave, for an employee who becomes primary care giver of grandchild
- Up to 20 days paid family violence leave for ongoing employees, and 10 days paid for casuals
- Gender Affirmation leave of up to 6 weeks paid and 46 weeks unpaid
- Cultural and Ceremonial paid leave for Aboriginal or Torres Islander employees
- Introduction of Person of Significance compassionate leave
- Introduction of On-call allowance
- Emergency Response Leave
- Right to Disconnect
TAFEs rely on the expertise and commitment of their professional, administrative and technical staff who work behind the scenes, keep campuses and classes running, and support students.
At a time when many people are struggling with increasing costs, the boost from this agreement will make a real difference, especially in regional and rural Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Alex White, CEO of the Victorian TAFE Association:
“Our professional staff are the quiet achievers of Victoria’s TAFE Network. They’re highly skilled, deeply committed, and essential to the success of every student who walks through our doors. This Agreement sends a clear message: their contribution is valued, recognised and essential to the future of public vocational education in Victoria.”
“This statewide agreement strengthens consistency, lifts pay, and delivers a more efficient, future‑ready system that is supercharged to deliver for all Victorians. By unifying our approach, we are building a TAFE network that can deliver with greater impact and confidence for the years ahead.”