The VET System
Australian, state and territory governments agreed in 1992 to have a national training system, replacing the separate state and territory systems. The Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) was established and a cooperative VET system with strategic input from industry was in place.
In 2005 the responsibilities and functions of ANTA were transferred to the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
The new 2005 – 08 Commonwealth-State Agreement for Skilling Australia’s Workforce, has now been signed by all States and Territories.
In signing the agreement, the Australian Government and all states and territories have also committed their support for the new ‘Framework for a new National Training System’, which was developed after consultations with business, industry, providers and governments earlier this year.
Under the agreement, the Australian Government will provide almost $5 billion to the states and territories to support their training systems over 2005-08.
The Australian vocational education and training (VET) system is recognised as among the most sophisticated in the world because it is:
- Industry led - employers and industry representatives define what outcome is required from training.
- National – the system is jointly managed by state, territory and Australian governments.
- Client focused – it is flexible and relevant and responsive to client needs.
The fundamental elements of the system are:
- The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
- The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) 2007
- Registered training organisations (RTOs)
- State and territory registering authorities.
The Australian Qualifications Framework
The AQF defines all nationally recognised qualifications. It provides a single framework for all qualifications from Senior Secondary Certification to PhD. Within the VET sector the following qualifications can be issued:
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
Under the AQF, the achievement of a group of competencies leads to the attainment of a VET qualification. Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) can issue AQF qualifications and deliver accredited training and assessment. All training organisations must recognise AQF qualifications issued by other RTOs. This enhances mobility in the labour market.
Training Packages
Training Packages provide the central ‘architecture’ of the VET system. Training Packages are sets of nationally endorsed standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing people’s skills. In industry areas where there are not yet Training Packages, accredited courses are used instead.
Who pays?
Governments provide around half the funds for the national training system – the other half comes from employers and learners themselves.