VET Information 

Last Update: June 2022

Federal Education Ministers

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations: Tony Burke 

Minister for Skills and Training: Brendan O’Connor

Minister for Education: Jason Clare

Minister for Early Childhood Education: Minister for Youth: Dr Anne Aly

Assistant Minister for Education; Assistant Minister for Regional Development: Anthony Chisholm

National Skills Commission 

The National Skills Commission (NSC) has been introduced as part of the reform action for Australia's VET sector.  Headed by a National Skills Commissioner, the NSC will work to provide labour market data, information about changes in the workforce, skills needs for now and into the future and clear advice on pricing of vocational education and training.

The NSC will advise the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business and work with VET policy makers, influencers, educators and students.

Training Package Updates

Training Packages are submitted to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) for approval. 

Once approved, they are submitted for endorsement by the Skills Ministers. 

Once endorsed, they are listed on the national register of VET, training.gov.au (TGA). 

Updates to Training Packages have implications for an RTO's scope of registration and any required arrangements for transition.

Under VET Reform initiatives, the AISC will soon be replaced with new arrangements for industry-led training package development and approval processes. In the November 2021 Communique it was noted the AISC will play a key role until 31 December 2022 to ensure "...continuity and stability of the VET system during transition to the new arrangements." 

https://www.aisc.net.au/hub/aisc-communique-12-november-2021-meeting

Skills Service Organisations (SSO) 

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE), SSOs support Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) in the development and review of training package products.  There are currently six SSOs.  

Under proposed VET Reform, SSOs are to be replaced by Skills Organisations (SOs), of which there are three pilot SOs in place: Human Services Care, Digital Technology, Mining.

SSO projects seek stakeholder input on the development of training package products and projected skills needs for industries

Click the SSO logo below to link direct to their most recent news for each or keep reading for the project lists for all

Artibus Innovation
AIS - Australian Industry Standards
IBSA - Innovation and Business Skills Australia

National VET Regulator (ASQA) 

ASQA works to regulate training providers. They also accredit VET courses.  ASQA does not set the Standards for RTOs 2015 or develop training packages.

ASQA operates under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (also known as NVETR Act)

The National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Act 2020 came into effect 1 July 2020.  See ASQA's legislative changes webpage which outlines changes triggered by the Amendment Act

ASQA is undergoing reform.  Stay up to date with the activities being undertaken here.

More comprehensive information on issues impacting the VET sector is now found in the Skills Education Education Matters Learning and Resources Hub.
This product is available as an annual subscription.