In a lunchtime meeting to oppose the losses, members of the Wagga TAFE Teachers Association revealed that across the Riverina, 22 support staff positions would go.

They say this includes 11 job losses at Wagga.

NSW Teacher's Federation TAFE organiser Robert Long said that funding has been "run down", which saw thousands of staff cuts during the last eight years.

"I just found out that here one part-time teacher resigned saying 'I am not putting up with this workload anymore and I am not coming back'," he said. "That's where we are at."

Mr Long said they are asking the minister to promise funding that would create security and certainty.

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"The lack of funding is what is driving TAFE to make staff cuts," he said. "The minister can solve this tomorrow. Right now, under the voucher system, TAFE is unclear what money is coming to it."

Mr Long said in carpentry at Wagga there used to be four tool store trade people who would look after the equipment and materials, so it was always ready for students and teachers.

"We are now down to one of those people," Mr Long said. "We need apprentices supported so they can learn, and we need teachers supported so they can teach."

The Daily Advertiser contacted Geoff Lee, the Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, but was told by the office it was a TAFE operational issue.

A TAFE NSW spokeswoman said that in 2016 new operating model was introduced to combine 10 institutes and its digital delivery arm into a single organisation.

"We have been transparent with employees and unions that the new One TAFE model would involve changes to team structures," they said.

"The proposed changes to the Student Services Branch, and the Facilities Management and Logistics teams will ensure TAFE NSW provides students with a consistent level of service and equal access to information ... TAFE NSW is taking steps to ensure no student is disadvantaged by these changes."

The spokeswoman said that many employees had welcomed the proposed model in extensive consultation with affected teams and unions. She said it is expected that there will be a net reduction of fewer than 50 jobs across the state.

"No frontline jobs, teaching positions, or roles that support students in the classroom or with their studies will be affected," the spokeswoman said.

"For the financial year 2020/21, TAFE NSW's recurrent budget increased by 5.7 per cent year-on-year, it received a record infrastructure budget of $263.2 million to build and upgrade training facilities."

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