“We need a fine balance to make sure we don’t lower standards for an economic outcome,” TAFE NSW managing director Jon Black said.

Mr Black’s visit came as he attempts to meet all TAFE employees across the state to guage their feedback on the One TAFE reforms and oversee 2017 Open Week.

The reforms, announced last year, are set to merge 10 institutes into a single provider in an attempt to reverse a recent decline in enrolments.

“I think we have a miscue, and people have been ill informed through the HELP loan debacle,” he said.

“It gave the impression vocational training was underperforming across the board.”

Mr Black is hoping to promote TAFE as a “first choice option” for school leavers.

“We have a massive skills shortage in Australia at the moment,” he said.

One of Mr Black’s favourite sayings is that “you can get a lawyer in five minutes but it can take forever to get a tradie”.

“I think it’s the tendency for a lot of high school students to attend university because mums and dads see it as the best option and it is promoted as such,” he said.

Mr Black feels TAFE offers a pathway to higher education and a pathway from university to TAFE is necessary.

“TAFE students are needed to fill gaps in the infrastructure and hospitality sectors,” he said.

“There is currently a shortage of 19,000 chefs in New South Wales.”

Part of his visit to Bega is part of his mission to better understand local economies.

“We have an economic and a social responsibility to communities,” he said.

During the visit he met with TAFE employees who he said were supportive of the government’s reforms.

“They have an opportunity for career progression and the students and the employers will allow them to train and deliver employees,” he said.

Mr Black said while it is too early to tell for 2017, last year’s enrolments at the campus “saw a lift” in some trade areas.