The Annual Training Product Development Plan provides a targeted overview of the training products to be developed as part of the activities described below. These activities address skills and capabilities priorities described in the Workforce Plan and are supported by key stakeholders.
This Annual Training Product Development Plan is updated on an annual basis and only identifies activities that require changes to training package products, such as updating and reviewing existing training products, creating new training products to reflect industry skills needs, and or deleting training products that are no longer required.
To view all types of projects underway, visit our projects webpage.
This page last updated September 2024
ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package
This Training Product Development activity is a comprehensive review of veterinary nursing qualifications ensuring that qualifications remain industry-relevant.
The veterinary nursing sector in Australia grapples with challenges such as workforce shortages, high turnover rates, and inconsistent alignment of veterinary nurses’ skills and roles. The shortage of veterinarians in Australia and the escalating demand for higher quality and more complex veterinary services have intensified the pressure on veterinary nurses. An industry-led review of qualifications may also support businesses in recognising higher-level skills and suitable levels of responsibility, which could have a positive impact on strategies to address retention rates, wage growth and skills shortages for this workforce.
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ACM Veterinary Nursing Skills and Qualification Review
Start date
31 January 2025
Expected Completion Date
30 June 2026
The veterinary services industry supports a thorough review of the Certificate IV and Diploma of Veterinary Nursing to ensure occupational and skills alignment, including compliance with regulatory requirements. Skills such as performing dental prophylaxis, taking radiographs, and conducting nurse consultations, deemed essential for diploma-level graduates, are currently situated at Certificate-IV level, creating a misalignment between job roles and AQF level. Addressing this misalignment may support determination of the skills standards that would be stipulated under the potential mandatory registration of veterinary nurses and technicians, as advocated by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, and supported by the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia.
ACM Veterinary Nursing Skills and Qualification Review Project website page coming soon!
Scope
For review:
- 2 qualifications
- 60 units of competency
See Appendix A for list of products being reviewed.
Prioritisation
Routine— 18 months
To allow suitable time for targeted face-to-face consultation in rural and remote areas to better target stakeholders impacted by and/or interested in the outcomes of the project.
MSF Furnishing Training Package
This Training Package Development activity aims to ensure that vocational training and education programs in the windows furnishing sector are fit-for-purpose, accessible for students and provide industry-relevant competencies.
Continuous industry feedback has highlighted areas for improvement in the Certificate III program, particularly in terms of flexibility, relevance to modern workplaces, and alignment with potential occupational licensing requirements for security screen installers. Importantly, the industry stresses the critical need for proper installation skills for security screens, which significantly influence the functionality and security of the installed products.
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Blinds and Screens
Start date
23 September 2024
Expected Completion Date
30 October 2025
The industry proposes the establishment of a specialised occupational licensing system for security screen installers, which is focused on skill, not just probity. This could involve aligning to a designated skill set, potentially named the Skill Set for Door or Window Security Screen Installer, (which could be developed as part of this project) and containing critical units.
Blinds and Screens Project website page coming soon!
Scope
One qualification – Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens and Grilles
14 units of competency
See Appendix B for list of products being reviewed.
Prioritisation
Routine— 12 months
Appendix
AMP Australian Meat Training Package
This project is the continuation of the full review of the AMP Australian Meat Training Package which commenced in 2021, to be completed in stages to minimise disruption to current apprenticeships and ongoing training and workforce development. The first stage focused on some Certificate III and all Certificate IV qualifications and has been completed in December 2022.
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Essential Meat Processing Skills Project
Start date
30 November 2023
Expected Completion Date
30 June 2025
Stage 2 of the full review of the AMP Training Package will focus on Certificate II qualifications and accompanying units of competency, in particular reviewing the core units, addressing duplication issues, reviewing and adjusting units to better reflect the level of the task described and updating the qualifications to address non-compliance and structural issues.
Scope
For review:
- 3 qualifications
- 6 skill sets
- 163 units of competency.
Prioritisation
Complex— 18 months To allow sufficient time to address significant concerns identified in the training package products, which are exacerbated by the large volume of components being reviewed.
AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management Training Package
The following three projects are the final cluster of a ‘unit sector approach’ undertaken over the past three years by Skills Impact to complete a full review of the AHC Training Package and bring the AHC Training Package up to date with current work methods and skill needs. All three projects will run simultaneously to minimise overall disruption to the AHC training package and its users.
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Rural Operations Project
Start date
30 November 2023
Expected Completion Date
30 November 2024
This project will undertake an in-depth analysis of how the AHC21216 Certificate II in Rural Operations is utilised, particularly in the northern region of Australia, followed by an update to the qualification so that its outcomes meet the unique needs of learners and workplaces in rural and remote areas.
Scope
One qualification – AHC21216 Certificate II in Rural Operations
In addition to changes to the qualification there is a provision for the development of up to 5 units of competency to assist with ensuring the qualification addresses specific skills needs for those in rural areas.
Prioritisation
Routine – 12 months
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Livestock Operations Project
Start date
30 November 2023
Expected Completion Date
30 November 2024
This project covers the livestock farming and feedlot sectors of the AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package. Consultation will address units proposed for deletion, prerequisite chains, job roles and vocational specialisations. There will be an
Scope
For review:
78 units of competency (10 of which are being considered for deletion).
One qualification
Prioritisation
Routine – 12 months
To allow suitable time for targeted face-to-face consultation in rural and remote areas to better target stakeholders impacted by and/or interested in the outcomes of the project.
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Shearing and Wool Classing Project
Start date
30 November 2023
Expected Completion Date
30 November 2024
This project covers the shearing and wool sectors of the AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.
Initiatives of particular importance in this project are: addressing issues with duplication and the inclusion of units that are no longer required by industry; reviewing and adjusting units to better reflect the level of the task described; undertaking targeted consultation to further investigate whether there are improvements that may be made to the training products covering shearing and wool classing skills to work towards addressing labour shortages in these occupations; ensuring workplace health and safety requirements are firmly embedded in the training products.Shearing and Wool Project website page coming soon!
Scope
For review:
- 6 qualifications
- 34 units of competency.
In finding solutions to some of the identified challenges, training products may be removed, merged and/or deleted, and new units of competency may be developed to support any new technologies or processes for relevant workplaces.
Prioritisation
Routine – 12 months
To allow suitable time for targeted face-to-face consultation in rural and remote areas to better target stakeholders impacted by and/or interested in the outcomes of the project.
AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management Training Package
Over the past few years, the AHC training package has been undergoing significant revision using a ‘Unit Sector’ approach, to bring it up to date with current work methods and skills needs. As a result, several qualifications and skill sets need to be updated to incorporate units of competency that have been developed or revised in recent projects. In particular, several work health and safety and environmental care-related units have been updated which are core units in numerous qualifications.More information is available on the Skills Insight website.
Scope
Updates to training package products in the AHC Training Package include:
- 40 qualifications
- 28 skill sets
- 4 units for deletion
- 3 units with minor amendments
In addition:
- a new unit developed during the recent Responding and Assisting in Bushfires Project is recommended for inclusion in the Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Arboriculture
- imported units of competency in qualifications and skill sets will be updated to reflect recent revisions.
Prioritisation
Fast-track
To ensure the components are up to date so that the latest available units can be utilised for training, and they reflect real (and current) job outcomes.
FWP Forest and Wood Products Training Package
Using a chainsaw to fell trees is a crucial skill in forestry operations, agriculture and arboriculture, as well as in emergency events like storms, cyclones and bushfires. Manual tree felling skills are essential for removing trees in locations or positions that make the use of large machinery unviable.
These skills are described in three units of competency which specifically outline the number of trees required to be felled in order to demonstrate competence at a basic, intermediate and advanced level.
Some training providers have indicated that the number of trees required at each unit level has an impact on their ability to deliver training, as practice trees can be difficult to source outside of a forestry environment. It is crucial that these units are accessible to train, so that everyone who performs tree felling work can access formal training. This must be balanced with the need for learners to demonstrate felling techniques many times, so they have the skills and confidence to perform the task safely in the field.More information is available on the Skills Insight website.
Scope
The project will review the Performance Evidence requirements of three recently updated units after issues that have been raised (post the endorsement process) that these units are not fit for purpose and create safety issues. The three units are:
- FWPCOT2274 Fell trees manually (basic)
- FWPCOT3347 Fell trees manually (intermediate)
- FWPCOT3348 Fell trees manually (advanced)
In addition, there are three qualifications that may be impacted by changes to these units and may need to be updated.
A supporting Companion Volume User Guide is also proposed for development to assist RTOs with safely implementing these units. This work will require involvement and consultation with the Public Safety and Government JSC. Representatives of industry will need to be involved in the consultation given the safety issues involved and the widespread use of the units by a number of emergency services.
Prioritisation
Fast-track
To discuss and find solutions that will make sure the units can be safely delivered and assessed before the teach-out period expires.
In devising solutions, consideration will be given to safety standards, accessibility of resources, competency development and training resources.