Appearing during budget estimates on Thursday, TasTAFE chief executive Grant Dreher and chief operating officer Scott Adams said despite recruiting a number of positions, some of them were still operating as teachers under registration.

The admission came in response to a question from Legislative Council Member for Elwick Josh Willie, also Labor education spokesman, who asked a series of questions regarding teacher recruitment and retention.

A number of areas including construction trades (builders, plumbers, electricians) along with the caring industries (aged care, personal care and child care) are a particular challenge to recruit for the organisation, Mr Dreher said.

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About 16 new teachers had been employed by TasTAFE under a policy goal employ 100 new teachers at the education provider, but Mr Dreher said they were finding it a challenge to recruit for particular industries.

"However if you look at the booming industries at the moment that's where you will find the shortages, construction trades, health, nursing are the main ones," Mr Dreher said.

Mr Willie also asked a question regarding TasTAFE's transition to a government business enterprise, reform announced as part of the PESRAC report.

The reforms passed both houses of Parliament last year.

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It was revealed during the session that employees at TasTAFE will be under two different enterprise agreements during the transition - those transitioning as existing employees and those who join the RTO after July 1, when the changes are in effect.

My Willie asked if that meant that teachers would be paid at different rates for doing the same job, and that he understood pay grades would be broadened, making advancement and promotion a lot harder to obtain.

That claim was vehemently rejected by Education, Skills Minister Roger Jaensch.

"I do not accept that assertion that you're making," he said.

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Chief operating officer Scott Adams and Mr Dreher said consultation had been broad among staff members on the changes and they confirmed yes, there would be a period where two enterprise agreements would be in place. However, it was their intention to move everyone onto the same agreement as soon as practicable.

About seven full-time equivalent positions of a total of nine FTE roles that were placed under the Department of Education and as such under the State Service Act had also transitioned from the State Service to TasTAFE.

Legislative Council MLC Rob Valentine asked if those employees had been given a "true choice" to leave the DoE and join TasTAFE and Mr Adams confirmed they had been offered a choice of the same conditions and redeployment at the DoE or join TasTAFE.

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