Australia’s Skills Ministers have identified the opportunity to reshape Australia’s qualifications system to better support the different users of vocational education and training (VET) and their diverse needs.
Australia’s VET qualification design will be transitioning to a new approach, as agreed to by Skills Ministers on 6 December 2024. The updated model is designed to improve quality, reduce complexity and provide opportunities for new and adaptable approaches to qualifications, representing a shift away from a one size fits all approach to qualification design.
A revised Training Package Organising Framework will be available to support the new model, which will be transitioned to through a phased approach, with new templates becoming available for use by developers from 1 July 2025.
The new model was developed by the tripartite Qualification Reform Design Group and informed by research and consultations undertaken by Jobs and Skills Councils. Skills Insight will continue to participate in qualification reform activities as we embed the new requirements into our future work.
In 2024, each JSC undertook a categorisation project to test the design group’s purpose-led approach to VET qualification design on a selection of existing qualifications within the industries they support. Some JSCs, including Skills Insight, undertook demonstration projects to show how qualification reform could be achieved, and collaborated to identify the commonalities between them.
Skills Insight’s final report about this work was submitted to the Qualification Reform Design Group at the end of September. Information from reports submitted by the JSCs was then used to inform final advice to the Skills Ministers, who agreed to the new approach to VET qualifications design.
Demonstration Project
Skills Insight’s demonstration project involved the development of a proposed concept for a Purpose 3 qualification. The proposed qualification reform concept was developed to consider the goals of the Qualification Reform Design Group and Skills Ministers. It aims to reduce duplication in the system, moving away from task-based units and qualifications with job roles attached to them (where appropriate), and to allow for better transferability of skills and capabilities, with the learner in mind. Our concept is based on research and collaboration with industry, training providers and other stakeholders in the VET system over the past eight years (through our work at Skills Impact and Skills Insight).
Key features of our proposed concept
Recognises Competency is a Journey
Our proposed concept acknowledges the unique roles that registered training organisations (RTOs), industry, and the workplace play in a learner’s journey to competency. Competency has multiple dimensions; while some aspects can be effectively trained and assessed by an RTO, it is essential to recognise that further competency development continues in the workplace, where real-world application and ongoing learning takes place.
Removing Duplication of Learning
Our proposed concept centres around Learning and Assessment Modules (LA-mods), which focus on transferable and foundational knowledge and skills, such as ‘Operate a vehicle’ as one example. These are complemented by Application Modules (App-mods), which apply those skills to specific contexts, like operating a tractor. This approach allows learners to build on their transferable foundational skills, streamlining the learning process by eliminating the need to duplicate similar learning across multiple units of competency.
Transferable Skills Across Sectors
Instead of tying qualifications to specific job roles, this concept emphasises transferable capability and training outcomes. This shift enables learners to transfer relevant parts of their training and skills across qualifications, workplaces and industries. Our proposed concept is built around Learning and Assessment Modules (LA-mods) that transcend industry or occupational boundaries, with the ability to select Application Modules (App-mods) for specific work contexts.
Testing the concept
The proposed concept was tested on the existing Certificate II in Rural Operations, which provides learners with transferable and foundational skills required for many roles across rural and regional industries. This work was supported by a Steering Committee of stakeholders with experience in VET delivery and/or the rural operations qualification. The existing Rural Operations Training Package Project has been paused throughout the demonstration project, so that the qualification can be reviewed efficiently.
Project outcomes
A final report about the demonstration project was submitted to the DEWR at the end of September. Feedback from the Steering Committee and other stakeholders helped inform this final report, which outlined the proposed concept, including examples of how it could work using the Certificate II in Rural Operations, and recommendations for implementation, such as how the concept could integrate with policy and the National Training Register. The project’s findings will be used alongside contributions from the other JSCs to inform the future direction of Qualification Reform.
An interim report was submitted to Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) in late June to provide a progress report on Skills Insight’s demonstration project activities. The proposed qualification reform concept and early draft templates were also tested with the qualification reform project’s Steering Committee in a workshop in Brisbane in late July.
Timeline
April – June
In-depth analysis of Design Group’s recommendations
Early concept template development
June 28
Interim report submitted to Design Group & DEWR
July – September
Steering Committee workshops
Refinement of concept template/s
Testing templates with Certificate II in Rural Operations
27 September
Findings submitted to Design Group & DEWR
Categorisation Project
Skills Insight reviewed available data to create a model for categorising each qualification into one of the three purposes. We then used this model to assign purposes to a test group of qualifications. A manual check of the categorisation outcome was performed to analyse the success of the model and inform further adjustments.
JSC reports to the Design Group sought to answer the following questions:
There was also space for JSCs to provide additional observations and insights.
Timeline
April – June
Data analysis
Qualification selection & initial categorisation
June 17
Preliminary report submitted to DEWR & the Design Group
July – September
In-depth review & categorisation of qualifications
Review & checking with key stakeholders
Identification of opportunities for future reform
27 September
Findings submitted to Design Group & DEWR
Project background
Recognising that a robust qualifications system is crucial to workforce development and a resilient economy, in 2024 the Skills Ministers established the Qualification Reform Design Group to undertake Qualification Reform.
With agreement from all Skills Ministers, the Qualification Reform Design Group asked Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) to ‘be a co-designer and co-owner of reform as well as the main driver of implementation’.
Proposed purpose-based approach
In its initial advice to Skills Ministers the Qualification Reform Design Group acknowledged that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work for qualification design, proposing a system in which qualifications are recognised as having three distinct purposes. In their Final Report they outline a refined approach that recognises a ‘continuum of purposes informed by three archetypes’:
Purpose 1 – Occupation
Qualifications leading to a specific occupation (for example a licensed trade).
Purpose 2 – Industry
Qualifications to prepare learners for multiple occupations within an industry.
Purpose 3 – Vocational Learning and Cross-sectoral
Qualifications that develop cross-sectoral or foundation skills and knowledge which may be applied across industries or lead to tertiary education and training pathways.
‘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 that they 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.’
Michael Hartman, CEO of Skills Insight
Timeline
March
Publication of Qualification Reform Design Group’s advice to Skills Ministers
April
JSC Network, DEWR and Design Group workshop
June – September
All JSCs undertake Categorisation projects and select JSCs undertake Demonstration projects
September 27
JSC submit project findings to DEWR
End of 2024 / Early 2025
Design Group refines new model and timeline based on JSC findings
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