Record series
General Correspondence Files, Annual Single Number System
VPRS 11381
1986 - 1994
Closed
North Melbourne
Agencies
This record series was created by:
State Training Board ( VA3002 ): 1987 - 1992
Department of Education ( VA3098 ): 1992 - 1994
Agencies responsible for this record series: Department of Education ( VA 3098 ): 1992 - present
Date Range
Series date range: 1986 - 1994
Series in custody:
1986 - 1994
Contents in custody:
1986 - 1994
Function / Content
This series comprises general subject correspondence files created and maintained by the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Board (VA 1176) (1986-1987), the State Training Board (STB) (VA 3002) (December 1987-December 1992), and the Department of Education Office of Training and Further Education (OTFE) (VA 3098) (December 1992-May 1994).The files contain inwards correspondence and copies of outward correspondence relating to all functions undertaken by the TAFE Board, and its successors the STB and OTFE. The files also contain briefing notes, reports, internal memoranda, minutes of meetings, staff information, performance and financial plans. Files may also contain photocopies of Ministerials with a MIN prefix registered number e.g. MIN18208 written on the photocopy. The TAFE Board was originally established as a board of the Victorian Post-Secondary Education Commission in 1980. The TAFE Board was established as a statutory body independent of the Victorian Post-Secondary Education Commission (VA 721) by the Post Secondary Education (Amendment) Act 1983. The Board was established to control the development and co-ordination of technical and further education in Victoria. The Board was responsible for:-
Meeting the special needs of all sections of the community for Technical and Further Education (TAFE),
The enhancement of access to TAFE,
Consultation with relevant government authorities and community organisations re TAFE,
Administration of the TAFE system,
Provision of advice, reports and recommendations on the planning, co-ordination and development of TAFE,
Recommendations on funding of TAFE,
Recommendations on new TAFE institutions,
Research, investigations and surveys,
Approval and accreditation of TAFE courses.
The series was inherited by the State Training Board (STB) when it was established in 1987. From December 1987 the series contents reflects the expanded functions of the newly created STB. It continues to record the functions inherited from the TAFE Board plus functions inherited from the Training Division of the Department of Labour and the Industrial Training Commission, i.e. policy development and administration of vocational training - apprenticeships, traineeships, group training and employment programs. The STB advised Government on the strategic directions for technical and vocational training whilst the Office of the STB co-ordinated and administered the Governments training policies for technical and vocational training services provided by the State and its public authorities.
From July 1990 the STB was given responsibility for the regulation of the State Training System (STS). The STS comprised the STB, TAFE Colleges and College Councils, providers of training, Industry Training Boards, the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board and Industry Training and Accreditation Boards.
The series was inherited by the Office of Training and Further Education (OTFE) when it was established within the Department of Education in December 1992. The State Training Board continued to function as a statutory authority, its administrative support changed its name to Office of Training and Further Education. OTFE also provided administrative support to the Adult, Community and Further Eduction Board which had responsibility for the development of community-based adult education within Victoria.
How to use the records
The files in this series are arranged in annual single number order.Consult the Records Description List to identify the unit (box) which contains the item you require. Files are listed by file number followed by the file title.
Recordkeeping system
Files were created by the registry of the TAFE Board, later STB and then OTFE. Files are arranged in an annual single number sequence. The original register which allocated file numbers at the time of creation is not extant. However, the Office of Training and Further Education maintained an index to the files on an Excel spreadsheet which may be searched by file title. The spreadsheet comprising file numbers, file titles and unit numbers has been migrated into Archives1.In August 1995 file numbers and titles were downloaded on to the Department of Educations centralised record keeping system RECFIND with limited success as many files are missing.
The inwards correspondence was registered in a manual system in a single number sequence from c. January 1988 by the registry of the STB. The correspondence registration system was not strictly maintained. By 1992 not all of the inwards correspondence was being registered and by 1993 the practice appears to have been abandoned completely. The correspondence register from this manual system is not extant. A yellow top sheet was often attached to the top of registered correspondence by registry staff informing the recipient the correspondence was registered and gave instructions re filing and / or returning file to registry.
Ministerials were registered on the FACCTS (File and Correspondence Creation Tracking System) by the Executive Correspondence Unit in the Ministry of Education.
Although the STB inherited the series from the TAFE Board in December 1987 the registry of the newly established STB continued to use file covers printed Office of the TAFE Board for many months until all of this old stationery was used. The registry then began to use covers printed State Training Board.
