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    Media Release

    TAFE NSW Wyong | 13 April 2026

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    ​​TAFE NSW marks Auslan Day as demand for Auslan skills to soar​

    'Not all Deaf people can learn to speak, but all hearing people can learn to sign.'

    Tom Doe, TAFE NSW Auslan teacher

    TAFE NSW is marking Auslan Day today by highlighting the growing demand for Australian Sign Language (Auslan), as people seek to build inclusive, accessible, and connected workplaces and communities. National Centre for Vocational Education Research data shows enrolments in the Diploma of Auslan increased by 176% between 2019 and 2024, reflecting increasing interest from both Deaf and hearing learners. Despite this growth, Australia continues to face a shortage of interpreters, with fewer than 800 certified Auslan interpreters supporting more than 16,000 people who use Auslan at home.

    TAFE NSW Auslan teacher Tom Doe, based at Wyong campus, said the increasing demand for learning and understanding Auslan reinforced the importance of Deaf-led education. “I was born Deaf and chose to become an Auslan teacher because it’s my first language. I am passionate about sharing it with others and inviting them into the Deaf community, which I see as an umbrella term that includes all people who use Auslan.”

    Tom Doe, with short light brown hair and a facial beard, stands smiling in a classroom setting. He wears a black TAFE NSW lanyard, with tables and chairs behind him.

    TAFE NSW delivers Auslan courses across the state, from TAFE Statement in Auslan Fundaments to Diploma of Auslan. Many are taught by Deaf teachers, allowing students to learn language and culture directly from

    lived experience. “One of the most powerful moments for students is realising that Auslan is not English on the hands; it’s a completely different language, with its own structure and way of thinking. I love being able to teach both Deaf culture and language, and to be myself in the classroom while creating a fun learning environment.”

    Certificate II in Auslan student, Kimberley McEwan, said learning Auslan had already made a huge difference in her work as a Youth Support Worker. “I got into support work and realised that signing was a great way to communicate with kids on the autism spectrum who were non-verbal. Those key word signs are incredibly beneficial as they give them another way to express themselves,” Ms McEwan said. “Learning directly from a teacher who is Deaf has added so much meaning and authenticity to the course. It’s their culture – they are living and breathing it every day – and it helps build a real bridge between students and the Deaf community.”

    Mr Doe said Auslan Day was about recognising both the history of the language and its broader impact. “Auslan Day is a time to acknowledge the many Deaf people who have fought to protect our language and to listen to the needs of the Deaf community. Auslan supports people with different disabilities, helps reduce language deprivation, and is key to access, inclusion and genuine connection,” he said.

    “Not all Deaf people can learn to speak, but all hearing people can learn to sign.”

    Media contact: Sarah James, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 02 7920 5000.

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