Union TAFE vice president Gillian Robertson visited GippsTAFE's Yallourn campus on Tuesday to warn students of the proposed fee hike for diploma and advanced diploma courses during the next two years.

Ms Robertson said the State Government's changes would turn TAFE into an ``elitist'' system.

She said under the new rules fees for full-time diploma students rose from $900 to $1500 on 1 July this year and would continue to rise to $2500 by 2012.

``About 40 per cent of all TAFE students in Victoria enrol under a concession and they pay $55 a year,'' Ms Robertson said.

``That concession fee is being abolished and those people will be paying $2500.''

Ms Robertson said students who already had a degree or diploma would be forced to pay the full cost of further training, which could be more than $10,000.

She said she feared the changes would be extended to apprenticeships, traineeships and Certificates III and IV.

``TAFE has always been a more affordable option and there are a number of people who would choose TAFE because they are debt averse,'' she said.

State Skills and Workforce Participation Minister Jacinta Allan said under the reform 865,000 students would pay lower fees and it would create an additional 172,000 training places.

``Securing Jobs for Your Future skills reform package is all about making vocational education and training easier and more affordable to those who need it most - the unskilled, disadvantaged and retrenched,'' Ms Allan said

``At the same time, the reforms will ensure business and industry have the skills they need to reap the opportunities when we emerge from the global economic downturn.

``I would hope that any campaign by the AEU does not mislead young people about the significant opportunities now available to them in Victoria's training system which could drive them away from choosing a vocational education course.''

The union is encouraging students to visit the website at tafe4all.org.au for more information about its campaign.