National Training System (Australia)

The National Training System is the Australian system for vocational education and training (VET) under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF), in which employers, the States of Australia, and the Commonwealth Government, formalise a curriculum available for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to teach and assess the competency of students.

The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) sets the standards for the operation of training organisations registered to deliver training services and to issue VET qualifications. Training products include national training packages and accredited courses which outline the qualifications, competencies and assessment criteria for specific areas of training. These two dimensions form the National Skills Framework. The National Quality Council is responsible for overseeing the effective operation of the Framework. Training received and certified under the framework is 'portable' across state boundaries and industries.

Training Organisations

Australia has a system of Technical and Further Education colleges, which offers courses in most larger towns and cities at technical schools and community colleges.

Additionally, individuals and companies can be accredited as a Registered Training Organisation and offer courses and modules of training.

Hierarchy

The courses available are listed by the National Training Information Service. The hierarchy of courses available for VET under the Australian Qualifications Framework is:

• Advanced Diploma
• Diploma
• Certificate (ranked 1-4, with 4 being the highest)

The training packages at the Cert II-IV levels offer options as well as the mandatory courses. A person founding out their training would be able to group these extra training courses and be assessed for additional or higher certificates.

Hence:

• Certificate 1 is a basic qualification, necessarily linked to other simple vocational competencies. Example^[1]: Cert I in Furnishing
• Certificate 2 is a trade-specific competency, that would be linked to other competencies to become a trade qualification. Example^[2]: Cert II in Furniture Finishing
• Certificate 3 is a trade qualification, wherein several competencies are brought together as a demonstrated trade. Example^[3]: Cert III in Furniture Making (Cabinet Making)
• Certificate 4 demonstrates the person's qualification in a field of vocational education and training. Example^[4]: Cert IV in Furnishing Technology (that brings together a group of skills and workplace leadership competencies.)

Recognition of Prior Learning

A person's experience can also be assessed without formal training under a system of "recognition of prior learning" (RPL). In such cases, the assessor (who would be qualified as a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment - TAE40110 from Training Package TAE10) can take evidence of the person's abilities, experience, and training the particular skill area, plus similar and other fields, and issue a certificate; or, require the person to undertake certain courses to round out the person's competencies before the issue of a certificate.

References

1. ^ LMF10102: Certificate I in Furnishing, National Training Information Service, accessed 2009-05-09
2. ^ LMF20202: Certificate II in Furniture Finishing, National Training Information Service, accessed 2009-05-09
3. ^ LMF30402: Certificate III in Furniture Making (Cabinet Making), National Training Information Service, accessed 2009-05-09
4. ^ LMF40202: Certificate IV in Furnishing Technology, National Training Information Service, accessed 2009-05-09

External links

• The National Training System - Department of Education, Science and Training (Australia)
• National Training Information Service - the official national register of information on Training Packages, Qualifications, Courses, Units of Competency and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
  • Training Packages (all)