ReadyTech wins Victorian TAFE student system rollout

ReadyTech has been selected to deliver a common student management system across Victoria's TAFE network, supporting more than 170,000 students across 11 institutions.

The rollout forms part of a broader digital overhaul in Victoria's vocational education sector as enrolments rise and training providers face pressure to manage larger, more varied student cohorts. It comes alongside a state budget commitment of AUD $459.4 million for skills, Free TAFE and workforce capability.

The platform will be used across the Victorian TAFE Network to bring together enrolments, curriculum delivery and student administration. It is intended to support the full student journey through a single platform shared by the state's TAFE institutes.

Officials and providers across the sector have been under pressure to update ageing systems as vocational education takes on a larger role in retraining and lifelong learning. Existing arrangements in Victoria were seen as ill-suited to a shift toward more flexible, larger-scale delivery, prompting the search for a unified system.

The project is one of the larger technology changes under way in Australian vocational education, both because of the size of the student base and because it spans the full Victorian TAFE network. It also reflects the growing role of shared digital systems in helping education institutions coordinate administration and student services across multiple campuses and organisations.

ReadyTech's selection follows a multi-year partnership with Bendigo Kangan Institute, Chisholm Institute and Melbourne Polytechnic. The platform was shaped with input from educators and administrators at those institutions before being adopted more widely across the network.

That earlier work helped create a system intended to respond more quickly to policy changes, labour market shifts and changing student expectations. ReadyTech has framed the wider rollout as an extension of that collaborative model across the state system.

Victoria's TAFE sector is also set to draw on substantial federal backing under the National Skills Agreement. Under that framework, the Commonwealth is set to provide up to AUD $3.15 billion to expand the state's vocational education and training sector, alongside a further AUD $105 million for additional Free TAFE places.

Sector pressure

The investment comes as governments place greater emphasis on skills training to address workforce shortages and support mid-career retraining. TAFEs are increasingly expected to serve students who return to study several times during their working lives, raising demand for more consistent systems and simpler administrative processes.

For providers, that means balancing policy requirements, course delivery, reporting obligations and student support while maintaining a consistent experience across institutions. A common student management platform can help standardise those processes, although a statewide rollout at this scale will also test implementation and coordination across multiple organisations.

Marc Washbourne, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of ReadyTech, said the project built on several years of development with TAFE partners. "What began as a co-designed partnership with Bendigo Kangan Institute has evolved into a system-wide solution now trusted to power the future of the Victorian TAFE network. We are proud to be trusted as a long-term technology partner leading digital transformation in the next era of vocational training in Victoria."

He also pointed to the role of public policy in shaping the shift. "I commend the Victoria Government for its vision and leadership in advancing digital transformation for the Victorian TAFE Network. Vocational education is critical to Victoria's economy and workforce capability, and delivering transformation at this scale requires strong coordination and a shared vision."

Co-designed system

Trevor Fairweather, Executive General Manager of Education at ReadyTech, said the platform had been developed through close work with institutions already using the system. "Over the past few years at ReadyTech, I've had the privilege of working closely with our TAFE partners, including Bendigo Kangan Institute, Chisholm Institute and Melbourne Polytechnic. That collaboration has been instrumental in shaping the platform so that it's genuinely fit-for-purpose for the Australian TAFE sector."

He said Victoria's move could become a reference point for other jurisdictions reviewing their own systems. "It's encouraging to see Victoria leading the way in digitally transforming vocational education as workforce needs continue to evolve. As other states continue their own journeys to modernise, I think many will look to Victoria as an example of what's possible."

Fairweather said large education systems still require stable shared platforms even as institutions adopt newer tools. "ReadyTech's selection to deliver the common student management platform for the Victorian TAFE Network highlights the important role this kind of technology plays in modernising Australia's institutions. While we embrace emerging technologies, large education networks still need reliable, scalable platforms that make it easier to deliver a consistent experience across multiple institutions."

He added: "Investing in a common platform gives TAFEs the long-term capability to adapt to changing workforce and policy needs. As people need to reskill more frequently, they expect more people to come through their campuses multiple times in their careers, and they need to ensure the experience for staff and students is straightforward, trustworthy and reliable across every institution."