As part of their commitment to improving vocational education and training (VET), Skills Ministers recognise the importance of reforming Australia’s VET qualification system, appointing a tripartite Qualification Reform Design Group which has just published its initial advice to Skills Ministers.
The Qualification Reform Design Group have proposed a system where qualifications are recognised as having three distinct purposes:
- Purpose 1 – qualifications leading to a specific occupation (for example a licensed trade).
- Purpose 2 – qualifications to prepare learners for multiple occupations within an industry.
- Purpose 3 – qualifications that develop cross-sectoral or foundation skills and knowledge which may be applied across industries or lead to tertiary education and training pathways.
The Qualification Reform Design Group, with agreement from all Skills Ministers, has asked Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) to “be a co-designer and co-owner of reform as well as the main driver of implementation”.
JSCs will be asked to review existing training products against the three purposes as a way of validating the proposed approach, and where suitable, develop new qualification models as exemplars.
CEO Michael Hartman said Skills Insight welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the qualifications reform process.
“It is important that qualifications are responsive, agile and flexible to address the evolving needs of the workforce, and are also attractive to deliver. Our industry needs the support of a wide range of training organisations to skill people and provide the knowledge needed for success in their chosen occupations and beyond.
We are in the process of identifying potential qualification reform demonstration projects for the Department’s consideration, that will focus on testing and designing qualification models for our industry in the proposed VET qualification system.”