The national system of qualifications in Australia provides the skills and knowledge needed for work and includes higher education, vocational education and training, and schools.
Australia has a system of qualifications called the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF). The AQF ensure national recognition and consistency and common understanding across Australia. There are 10 levels of qualifications ranging from Certificate I through to Doctoral Degree. See the Australian Qualification Framework for more information on the qualification system in Australia.
Qualifications available in the creative and leisure industries can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate Training Package below:
Training Packages are consist of sets of standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing people's skills. They set a national industry standard for skills, and are used as the basis for most of the programs delivered in the vocational education and training system, including New Apprenticeships , training courses, VET in schools programs, recognition of existing skills, and occupational licensing.
The nationally recognised status of Training Packages means that qualifications delivered and assessed in one state or territory are transferrable across Australia. They are developed with industry and are not owned by an individual training provider. Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are able to issue Training Package qualifications or statements of attainment. The national database of Training Packages, Qualifications, Units of Competency, Skill Sets and Accredited Courses can be found at: http://training.gov.au/
Training Packages currently delivered in the creative, leisure and service industries sit within the remit of the Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA Jobs and Skills Council. These include:
• The skills and qualifications are nationally recognised • Training packages focus on competence • They are developed with industry on the basis of industry demand • They are updated on an ongoing basis • They provide for a range of flexible training options
How Training Packages are Developed and Used
Training packages are the fabric of the Vocational and Education Training System.
They have been designed in partnership with National Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) to enable diverse and relevant vocational learning outcomes, and to regulate training outcomes through nationally recognised qualifications. They provide the nationally endorsed industry standards against which training can be developed and delivered to meet particular local, individual, industry and enterprise requirements.
Training packages are used by registered training organisations (RTOs) to issue training package qualifications or statements of attainment. Training packages are used;
as the basis for Australian Apprenticeships (apprenticeships and traineeships)
to identify the training needs of staff
as the basis for human resource materials
competency standards as the basis for industry standards
by individuals who wish to receive recognition of prior learning
Jobs and Skills Councils Training packages are part of an industry-driven system, which is designed to make sure that individuals trained under the system hold the skills and knowledge that employers need. They are reviewed on an ongoing basis, to ensure that they keep pace with the rapid changes that are occurring in the Australian workforce. From July 1 2023 Training package development and review falls under the remit of Jobs and Skills Councils.
A Commonwealth Qualification Design Reform project is currently underway, further information can be found here.