News

Vocational Education and Training

JSA VNDA Report
16 December 202516 December 2025

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released the latest VET National Data Asset (VNDA) report. The results show VET graduates continue to receive immense benefit from their qualifications. Importantly, this includes First Nations people, women and people with disability. VNDA uses a range of data to track changes to students’ income, employment and reliance on income support, both before and after training. This financial year, graduates had a median income uplift of $14,100 and earned a…

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Vocational Education and Training

Growing the Next Generation of Ag Worker in QLD
16 December 202516 December 2025

Skills Insight welcomes the Queensland Government’s support for 15 schools joining the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools Program. The program connects students and teachers with farmers, agri-tech innovators and industry leaders, providing hands-on experience and clearer pathways to careers in the agricultural industries. Initiatives like this are vital for attracting and retaining the next generation of skilled workers.

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Environmental law reforms
16 December 202516 December 2025

The Federal Government introduced seven bills to progress its reform of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. A central part of the reforms is the creation of a National Environment Protection Agency. This independent regulator will focus on ensuring better compliance with and stronger enforcement of the new laws. National Environmental Standards will also be established to provide clear, strong guidelines for protecting the environment. Higher penalties will apply to the most serious breaches of…

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Vocational Education and Training

Government introduces ATEC to strengthen tertiary education
16 December 202516 December 2025

The Minister for Education, the Hon. Jason Clare MP introduced legislation to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). A key objective is to break down silos between VET and university education and expand access for disadvantaged students. ATECs establishment was a headline recommendation from the 2022-23 Australian Universities Accord; a 12-month review of Australia’s higher education system. The Commission is tasked with creating a better and fairer tertiary education system that delivers for students and on…

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Vocational Education and Training / AAPL

Changes to Apprenticeship Incentives
16 December 202519 February 2026

The Australian Government has announced changes to the employer incentives for priority apprenticeships. The changes will reshape how financial support is distributed across different occupations, with impacts on many of the industries we support. Industries within the identified Key Apprenticeship Program (KAP) will receive additional support, while those not within the identified KAPs may receive reduced levels of support. The government is extending its $5,000 financial incentive for employers who engage apprentices in the KAP sectors of…

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Rural Operations Project recommences
21 November 202510 December 2025

Work to review the Certificate II in Rural Operations has recommenced, following a pause while DEWR and Jobs and Skills Councils explored approaches to Qualification Reform. The project will now progress – updating the qualification so it better meets the need of learners, training providers and workplaces and in alignment with the new Training Package Organising Framework (TPOF)…

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Progress toward an Ag Trade Apprenticeship
21 November 20253 December 2025

Recent work to explore the concept of a trade qualification has revealed strong potential to move forward with developing a trade-level Certificate III qualification through a training package project. With the concept phase now finalised ahead of schedule, Skills Insight has submitted a proposal to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) to move to qualification…

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National Agriculture Day – Stand with the land!
21 November 20252 February 2026

Today we celebrate the people, passion, and possibilities that keep Australia growing. Agriculture is not only the heart of our food system – it also drives industries that clothe us, house us and support our daily lives, from fibre and furnishing to food production. It’s a hub of innovation, technology, and skilled careers shaping the…

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Participate in Job Quality Focus Groups
13 November 202513 November 2025

Researchers from the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and University of Sydney (US) are seeking businesses’ views on how to create ‘good’ quality jobs in Australia that improve worker wellbeing and organisational outcomes. The outcomes of the project will produce two specific toolkits. The first will support and enable employers to create and sustain job quality….

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Congratulations to the Australian Training Awards Finalists
13 November 202514 November 2025

The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training, has announced the finalists for the 2025 Australian Training Awards. Among them are individuals and organisations making significant contributions to industries we support. Finalists include Lewis Italiano from Western Australia, recognised for excellence in cabinet making; Hamish Genrich from Queensland, who is using his Certificate…

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National Agriculture Day – Grow you good thing!
13 November 202513 November 2025

On Friday 21 November we celebrate the people, passion, and possibilities that keep Australia growing. Agriculture is not only the heart of our food system—it also drives industries that clothe us, house us and support our daily lives, from fibre and furnishing to food production. It’s a hub of innovation, technology, and skilled careers shaping…

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Project Updates

Play your part in strengthening the VET workforce
13 November 202513 November 2025

The VET Workforce Project now commences work on two co-designed strategies to boost attraction and retention in rural, regional, and remote areas. You are invited to join roundtable and networking events both online and across the country from early 2026. These fully participatory sessions will gather vital input to develop a Workforce Development Framework tool…

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New Skills Insight projects
13 November 202513 November 2025

Skills Insight has recently initiated the following projects. To receive relevant project updates, check your subscription preferences. Mapping animal care and management licensing and regulatory considerations  This pilot will assist registered training organisations (RTOs) to navigate licensing, legislative, regulatory, and certification requirements when delivering animal care and management training. The project will produce a detailed…

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Vocational Education and Training / AAPL

Skills Insight responds to Revised Apprenticeship Priority List Methodology Discussion Paper
12 November 202512 January 2026

Skills Insight has responded to the discussion paper on a Revised Methodology for the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List. Our submission, informed by engagement and research, highlights concerns that the proposed methodology could systematically disadvantage essential industries and the communities they support. Notably, sixteen additional occupations within Skills Insight’s coverage risk exclusion from the Priority List if…

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