Vocational Education & Training (VET)

Vocational Education & Training (VET)

Vocational education and training, or VET, is education and training for work and is part of an educational network that includes Australian schools, universities and adult and community education. Work-based qualifications and academic qualifications are part of a single system. Vocational qualifications are industry-based, with specific units of competency required for industry qualifications.

Designed as an industry-led system where employers, unions and professional associations of an industry define the outcomes that are required from training, the Australian VET system is jointly-managed by state, territory and Australian governments, in partnership with industry and training providers.

Elements of the VET system

The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) is a set of nationally agreed standards that ensure high quality VET services throughout Australia. Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) can issue the nationally recognised Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications and deliver training and assessment services.

National recognition is the cornerstone of the AQTF. All states and territories must recognise RTOs registered by other states and territories and all RTOs must recognise AQF qualifications and statements of attainment issued by other RTOs.

VET qualifications range from Certificate I to Diploma level:

• Certificate I
• Certificate II
• Certificate III
• Certificate IV
• Diploma
• Advanced Diploma
• Vocational Graduate Certificate
• Vocational Graduate Diploma

Qualifications provide a career pathway to advancement in the industry.

A Training Package is a nationally endorsed and recognised set of integrated components for training and assessment for a specific industry, industry sector or enterprise that can be used for developing and recognising people’s competencies.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is learning that has occurred outside formal education and training. RPL allows a person to receive recognition and credit for the knowledge and skills they have, no matter how and where they were attained, including overseas.