Changes to Enterprise and Career Education Foundation (ECEF)

• Questions and Answers
• ECEF Staff Site (password protected)
• Media Release - Supporting Young Australians from School to Work ECEF Moves into DEST

The Australian Government announced, with the 13th May 2003 Budget, that it had decided to bring the operations of ECEF closer to key Australian Government education and training programmes. The functions currently undertaken by ECEF will be transferred to the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). This move will more strongly align the Australian Government’s initiatives relating to education transitions with its priorities across portfolios and will produce efficiencies in terms of the administration of Australian Government programmes.

The Government recognises the critically important work undertaken by ECEF. This work, which includes the Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) initiative managed by more than 200 school/industry/community clusters around Australia, will be continued under the new arrangements. In most cases the management of existing ECEF contracts will be simply transferred to DEST.

The advisory capacity of ECEF, currently carried out by the ECEF Board, will be retained through a separate consultative body. Details of the new body will be announced by the Minister, the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP, in the coming months.

There will be a transition period between now and 30 September 2003 where ECEF will work closely with DEST to ensure a smooth and effective transfer of functions. It is expected that any disruption to programmes or activities during this period will be minimal. ECEF will cease operating on 30 September 2003.

During the transition period DEST will be writing to all organisations that have contracts with ECEF to provide additional information about the changes and what they mean for those organisations.