- More than 300 career pathways to university have been streamlined to give students clearer credits towards Southern Cross University degrees.
- Meets the recommendations of the 2025 Jobs and Skills Report by facilitating the transition from VET to higher education.
- Coinciding with Jobs and Skills Australia’s first regional tour in Coffs Harbour, highlighting the region’s workforce needs and future skills demand.
GOLD COAST, Australia, November 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Southern Cross University is strengthening and streamlining its recognition of TAFE and professional qualifications, improving the clarity of existing pathways and enabling students to receive more credits towards a wide range of undergraduate degrees.
The refined pathways framework brings together more than 300 formal credit agreements already in place with TAFE and other Registered Training Organizations (RTOs). Most schemes award four or more units of credit – delivered as block or elective credits – helping students reduce duplication of learning and transition more effectively into in-demand careers.
These agreements cover all major faculties at Southern Cross University, including Health, Science and Engineering, Education, Business and Law, and the Hospitality School, and cover qualifications from Certificate IV to Diploma and Advanced Diploma.
This announcement coincides with Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) hosting its National Jobs and Skills Roadshow in a regional setting for the first time tomorrow (25 November 2025). The event to be held in Coffs Harbour, at Southern Cross University, will examine local workforce needs, labor market trends and policy settings that shape future skills development.
JSA Jobs and Skills Report 2025 confirms that more than nine in ten future jobs will require higher qualifications, highlighting persistent gaps between VET and higher education systems.
Clearer credit arrangements and a smoother transition from VET to higher education are the report’s key recommendations. Southern Cross University’s pathway agreements put this into practice by providing students with a more direct route from professional study to university-level accommodation.
Professor Tyrone Carlin, vice-chancellor of Southern Cross University, said improving credit pipelines was key to supporting the region’s future workforce.
“Our mission is and always has been to serve our regions,” he said.
“By improving the way professional learning connects to academic study, we are giving students a clearer path to careers that support our communities and shape their futures.” This is a practical and meaningful reform that will have a lasting impact.
Quotes attributable to Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner Barney Glover AO:
“This year we are coming to Coffs Harbour, a major regional centre, to connect with the incredibly strong professional expertise here.
“We know the needs of our future workforce are evolving and it’s fantastic to see Southern Cross University empowering its students by streamlining pathways between TAFE and university.
“These efforts will create closer connections across education sectors to better match skills supply with skills demand for existing and emerging careers.”
For more information on the TAFE and VET pathways to Southern Cross University, visit TAFE to Uni Pathways with credit at Southern Cross Uni – Southern Cross University
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SOURCE Southern Cross University
