From Rescue to Recreation—NSW’s Future Workforce Left Dangling

Outdoors NSW & ACT is calling for urgent government intervention following the decision by TAFE NSW to permanently remove roping skill units—such as climbing, abseiling, and canyoning—from its outdoor leadership training scope. The impact of this decision stretches well beyond the outdoor recreation and adventure tourism sectors, threatening the safety, employability, and career pipelines for a broad range of essential professions across New South Wales.

“This decision is more than a kick in the teeth for our sector—it’s a withdrawal from responsibility to our communities, our economy, and our industries,” said Lori Modde, CEO of Outdoors NSW & ACT.

“Roping skills are not niche. They are foundational for professionals in outdoor education, high-angle rescue services, paramedicine, emergency response, armed services, photography, and even law enforcement. TAFE NSW’s withdrawal effectively turns its back on a wide web of industries and communities who rely on this training for safety and service delivery.”

According to the 2024 Outdoors NSW & ACT Census, the industry already faces a shortfall of 2,751 trained guides with roping skills and has the capacity to recruit up to 11,900 additional staff if suitable candidates were available. The Blue Mountains region, in particular, is set to suffer—where these skills are fundamental to both the visitor economy and safety compliance across adventure tourism and education.

"TAFE NSW's decision ignores the safety standards we are expected to uphold and undermines their own stated commitment to support local workforce needs," Modde said. "We're asking the government to either reinstate these essential units at TAFE or fund private providers to fill the void before we see preventable accidents, job losses, and economic damage."

TAFE NSW’s Strategic Plan (2022–2025) clearly outlines its obligation to align training with skills demand and to collaborate with industry and local communities to deliver relevant, high-quality training. Specifically, it states:

• “Our training portfolio is aligned to skills demand and supports building a stronger NSW.”

• “We will collaborate with industry partners to incorporate new learning approaches into our curriculum and support the co-development and delivery of training.”

• “TAFE NSW will work closely with industry and local communities to develop and deliver industry leading training solutions.”

Yet the decision to remove roping qualifications stands in direct contradiction to these commitments—especially given widespread and ongoing industry consultation confirming these skills are both essential and urgently needed. The Blue Mountains outdoor industry meeting (April 2025) unanimously reinforced that short-form, fragmented training is inadequate for real-world risk management, mentorship, and technical capability.

With few private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) remaining to deliver this specialised training—and many of those already maxed out under funding allocations—there is an urgent need for an extension of funding to support industry delivery through alternate channels.

“Make no mistake,” Modde added, “as hard as it will be for the Blue Mountains visitor economy, this issue is not confined to the Blue Mountains or adventure tourism. It will impact our schools, our emergency services, our national parks, and our ability to protect and guide people safely in Australia’s rugged terrain.”

The industry is united in its plea for the NSW Government and Minister for Skills to either reverse the decision to remove roping skills from TAFE NSW training offerings, or redirect funding to private RTOs who are already delivering these critical skills but are constrained by capped resources.

Modde concluded, “It’s unacceptable to place lives, livelihoods, and entire local economies at risk because TAFE NSW made a decision that goes unjustified. This is not just about skills training—it’s about public safety, workforce viability, and respect for the real-world demands of our industry and others.”

The various jobs where roping skills are necessary