Save Creative Writing in TAFE

I would like this petition to spark a new look at what it takes to be a writer, potential income after study and most importantly a rethink on the cost of the courses for those who already have a higher degree. I think that the most undervalued aspect of the course is the range of students and what they bring to workshopping - most particularly anyone who has been in an aspect of the industry for a while and who has already done some study.

It is not just about hours and electives, it is about keeping the quality of students who flow through the course and allowing them to proceed at their own pace.

I did the course over five years, part time, and cannot imagine getting the same lasting benefit from it in a single year, or even two. And I am not alone. Many students are full-time workers trying to make the shift into a new career.

I would also like some recognition of the fact that building a creative career post-study is frequently a long and impoverishing experience. I'd like to see a new writer paying back the full fees from their future income. It's not like moving into plumbing or building where there are established rates and unions to help enforce them. We risk excluding too many people who don't have a high enough income to support the writing habit. Let's at least allow people to get the skills they need in the time it takes to learn them - and in a manner that will not bankrupt them.

Save Creative Writing in TAFE, because too many of our educational institutions are cutting arts programs right accross the board. How is the current and next generation suppose to know how to express themselves if we take their tools for expression away?!?

Too many people believe that culture is for the "arty farty" set, but culture is the arts, sport, politics. It is the way we as individuals identify ourselves as those individuals, within our community, that community as part of the greater society. The arts are as important in our educational institutions as is our freedom of speech, which we are also slowly giving away. What will be next?

I've been teaching (and learning) in this area for twenty years and am deeply worried about the threat to creative arts, especially writing.

There is more to study than building a direct link to a job. Studying directly for a job is thought-limiting and narrow when it comes to building a skill base and growing knowledge. Education can not be solely about producing measurable work skills.

Creative writers are articulate, thoughtful people. Learning to identify a story line and develop a narrative may be one of the more useful skills a student may acquire. Certainly, TAFE and University strategic policies could be improved by some of our graduates understanding of what they are trying to say.
I'm saddened by what I see coming down from above. Fortunately, I'm heartened by what I see from the students, my immediate management and this petition.  

Thanks for your petition, Gary. Good luck in working to help turn this trend around.