Staff in metal fabrication, welding, equine, agriculture, business and creative industries will be hired on a needs basis, with the full scale losses expected to be known by November. 

Last month the Mercury reported Hunter youth unemployment had jumped from 5.8 per cent to 16.8 per cent within 18 months.

“What kind of government cuts funding to Hunter TAFE in the middle of a youth unemployment crisis?” state Opposition Leader John Robertson said. 

“Training areas like metal fabrication, welding and agriculture are vital to the economy of the Hunter, but these job losses will leave TAFE faculties unrecognisable and people who are desperate to learn new skills unable to access courses.

“A viable TAFE system is utterly critical to the success of the Hunter.”

A TAFE spokesperson said the number of apprentices in training had dropped by 30 per cent and the number of employers signing up new apprentices, was down by 40 per cent.

“This has had a significant impact on enrolments especially in metals engineering across Hunter TAFE’s footprint,” the spokesperson said.

“The rationalisation of delivery sites for this and several other industry areas is required. 

“We will continue to deliver programs if there is demand and funding. For example, pre-­vocational programs or TAFE delivered VET in school programs and other regional initiatives.”

The spokesperson said Hunter TAFE would continue to offer ­students the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation at seven ­campuses and Engineering Trades at Cessnock. But this was subject to the TAFE being awarded a contract under Smart and Skilled for 2015, as is the case for all campuses.

Greens MP John Kaye said  TAFE colleges would have to compete with other authorised educational organisations for $600 million of government funding.

The Greens have drafted legislation to stop the implementation of these Smart and Skilled reforms and reverse the budget cuts and fee rises that he said were destroying TAFE.