Training and education is one of Northern Territory's strategies to achieve social, economic and environmental sustainability. Vocational education and training (VET) provides skills and knowledge for work, enhances employability and assists learning throughout life.
In Australia, the VET foundation was laid in the mid to late nineteenth century, when mechanical institutes, schools of technical and mines and working men's colleges were established to develop the skills of Australia's working population. For almost 100 years, training was largely for males working full time in traditional trade-related industries.
Today, VET is offered not only in the public system, but is also available through private and community training providers and in secondary schools. It is taken up equally by both males and females. It can link to university study options, and provides up to eight levels of nationally recognised qualifications in most industries, including high growth and new economy industries.
Australian, state and territory governments agreed in 1992 to have a national training system, replacing the separate state and territory systems. A cooperative VET system with strategic input from industry was put in place.
A new National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development was signed by the Australian Government and all states and territories in late 2008. This agreement identifies the long-term objectives of the Commonwealth and state/territory governments in the areas of skills and workforce development.
The objectives are:
All working aged Australians have the opportunity to develop the skills and qualifications needed, including through a responsive training system, to enable them to be effective participants in and contributors to the modern labour market.
Individuals are assisted to overcome barriers to education, training and employment, and are motivated to acquire and utilise new skills.
Australian industry and businesses develop, harness and utilise the skills and abilities of the workforce.
The expected outcomes are that:
- Gaps in foundation skill levels for the working age population are reduced to enable effective education, labour market and social participation.
- The working age population has the depth and breadth of skills and capabilities required for the 21st century labour market.
- The supply of skills provided by the national training system responds to meet changing labour market demand.
- Skills are used effectively to increase labour market efficiency, productivity, innovation, and ensure increased utilisation of human capital.
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, relevant and responsive to client needs
The fundamental elements of the VET system are:
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:
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 competency 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.
VET stakeholders
Registered Training Organisations
Registering authorities in each state and territory are responsible for registering and monitoring training organisations and ensuring they comply with Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) standards. They also accredit VET courses and approve training organisations' delivery of VET to overseas students.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
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DEEWR
State and Territory Training Authorities (STAs)
Each state and territory government has a training authority that administers vocational education and training (VET), allocates funds, registers training organisations and accredits courses. STAs are accountable to their minister who is a member of the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE). It is the responsibility of each State and Territory Training Authority (STA) to:
plan and report on VET strategies
purchase training on behalf of their government
administer apprenticeships/traineeships and VET in schools
administer funding and financial incentives for VET within the state/territory
support training organisations, employers and the community on VET issues
accredit courses and register training providers within the AQTF.
training.gov.au (TGA)
The training.gov.au (TGA) website is a database on vocational education and training in Australia. It contains detailed information on courses, qualifications, training packages, competency standards and training organisations.
Industry Skills Councils