Both Mr Grant and Mr Piccoli said the government's Smart and Skilled reforms were ensuring TAFE's viability into the future and would actually increase the number of positions available for students.

"The Smart and Skilled reforms are aimed at making sure vocational education courses are aligned to jobs and we have invested an additional $57 million as an end-of-year roll-on which will guarantee at least another 16,000 training positions," Mr Grant said.

"What has to be remembered is that courses where fees have changed have been on the advice of the independent NSW Skills panel and the changes have happened because they aren't leading to jobs.

"There are still subsidies available for those courses but the focus should be on courses that result in jobs. If the Labor candidate wants to fully subsidise every course then he needs to outline how he intends to fund that."

Mr Piccoli said suggestions that 2015 fees were unaffordable for people were inaccurate.

"ALP head office obviously didn't tell their candidate in Dubbo that fees increased by 200 per cent across all qualifications when Labor was in government. In fact, the average fee increase for Certificate IV courses under Labor was in excess of 500 per cent," the Education Minister said.

"Fees are not going through the roof. In fact, the total cost of an apprenticeship if you start in 2015 is capped at $2000. Not a bad investment for a qualification that can set you up for life.

"In fact, fees for all NSW government-subsidised courses are set - which means providers are competing on quality, not price, which is better for students and the economy."

Mr Grant also rejected suggestions from Labor and the Teachers Federation that large numbers of jobs would disappear and enrolments would drop as a result of the changes.

"I take any claims from a union with a grain of salt and the only reason teachers would be concerned for their jobs is because the union has put the fear of God in them," he said.

"They have been irresponsible with their claims. I am tired of it and I think the community is tired of it."

The Deputy Premier said he was a big supporter of TAFE, having not only gone through its education system but having worked closely with them on courses.

"I'm a massive fan of TAFE, I have done courses through them, four I believe, and together with the TAFE I built the IPROWD and Western Region Future Leaders courses," he said.

"I have a long and successful relationship with TAFE and I find it a little bit offensive that the Labor candidate would make these claims."