Module 1

Understanding the Vocational

Education and Training (VET)
Context
Scope
• Topic 1: Introduction to EDN597
• Topic 2: Introduction to the Australian VET System, Competency-
Based Training and Standards for Registered Training
Organisations (2015)
• Topic 3: Teaching VET in Schools: VETDSS and the Western
Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• Topic 4: Understanding an occupation’s Industry demographics
(introduction to the WA State Priority Occupation List (SPOL))
Topic 1
Introduction to EDN597
Introduction to EDN597
• VET completely different philosophy of teaching
• We’ll make it relevant and useful to all your forms of teaching
practice
• We’ll model the competency-based training approach
⎯ Each learning activity builds on the last and culminates in each of the
assessments
• We’ll develop your academic abilities through promotion of
researched based decision making
• Tuesday Teams is your chance for informal engagement with the
content
Topic 2
Introduction to the Australian VET
System, Competency-Based Training
and Standards for Registered Training
Organisations (2015)
Development of the Australian VET
System
• 1870’s All Australian colonies established technical education
institutions
• 1901 30 technical colleges and Australia’s only 3 high schools
in NSW alone
• 1976 Implementation of Australian Committee on Technical
and Further Education’s (ACOTAFE) (1974) Kangan
Report
• 1980s Much development in VET by federal, state and territory
governments
• 1990 Deveson report (CBT and market-based provision intro)
Competency-Based Training
• Training
- Task-skills based
(includes knowledge)
- Competency achievement
rather than time-based
- Can occur on and/or off the
job
- Is offered in a number of
delivery modes
• Assessment
- Evidence based
- Criterion referenced
- Nationally endorsed industry
standards
- Focuses on performance in
real life contexts
- Students can have additional
opportunities for assessment
to achieve competency
- Recognition of Prior Learning
(RPL)
Development of the Australian VET
System cont.
• 1991 Finn review
• 1992 Australian National Training Authority Act 1992
• 1998 Australian Recognition Framework
• 2001 Australian Quality Training Framework 2001
• 2015 Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015
• 2019 Skills Reform project commences
• 2022 Jobs and Skills Australia Act 2022
The Australian VET System
Federal governance arrangements
National Cabinet

Australian Government: Skills And Workforce Ministerial State and Territory governments:
Minister of Skills and Training Council Ministers for Education and/or Skills

Industry engagement
Australian, State and Territory
government departments
Industry Clusters responsible for skills

Nationally recognised training VET Regulators

Australian Qualifications Framework Victorian Registration
Australian Skills Training Accreditation
and Qualifications
Quality Authority Council (WA)
Training packages Accredited courses Authority (Victoria)

Registration of nationally National Centre for Vocational

• Government VET providers recognized providers
• Community education providers
Education Research
• Other registered providers Registered Training Organisations • Scope of Registration
• Private training businesses Collection of data and
other research
• Industry and community bodies with RTO arm Training delivery
• Employers with RTO status to train own staff
• Group Training Organisations or Apprenticeship
Network Providers that also deliver VET services
Students
Productivity Commission, 2023, Fig 5.1 VET roles and responsibilities
https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2023/child-care-education-and-training/vocational-education-and-training
VET Quality Framework
• Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015
• Fit and Proper Person Requirements 2011
• Financial Viability Risk Assessment Requirements 2021
• Data Provision Requirements 2020
• Australian Qualifications Framework
The aim of the vocational education and training (VET) Quality Framework is to
achieve greater national consistency in registering and monitoring RTOs [and]
the enforcement of standards in the VET sector.
https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/asqa-overview/key-legislation/vet-quality-framework
Let’s take a tour of the

Standards for Registered Training

Organisations (RTOs) 2015
(https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019C00503)
(https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/users-guide-standards-rtos-2015)
Changes to Standards for VET Teachers
• Skills Ministers agreed 25 August 2023 to implement change
immediately
• Registered secondary school teacher in any state or territory
• Deliver training in any VET context under supervision
• Train and assess in any VET context without supervision
⎯ Assessor Skill Set, or
⎯ VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set

https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/quality-reforms/early-changes-current-standards-rtos
Topic 3
Teaching VET in Schools: VETDSS
and the Western Australian
Certificate of Education (WACE)
Joint Ministerial Statement on Vocational Education and Training in Schools

VET in Schools in Western Australia

• 1997 Introduction of VET in WA Schools

• 2006-2008 Change of school-leaving age
• 2012 Report of the Senior School Curriculum and
Certification Committee
• 2014 Joint Ministerial Statement on Vocational Education
and Training in Schools
• 2015 The Western Australian Certificate of Education 2015
General Requirements for Students
Completing the WACE
Students must:
• demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and a minimum standard of
numeracy
• complete a minimum of 20 units, or equivalents as described below
• complete:
⎯ at least four Year 12 ATAR courses,* or
⎯ at least five Year 12 General courses† (or a combination of General and up to three
Year 12 ATAR courses) or equivalent,‡ or
⎯ a Certificate II§ (or higherǁ) VET qualification# in combination with ATAR, General or
Foundation courses.
WACE Manual 2024, 1.3
How VET Contributes Towards WACE

https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/how-vet-contributes-towards-wace
VET Credit Transfer and Unit
Equivalence
Completed qualification
Year 11 Credit allocation Year 12 Credit allocation
Total equivalents
(Unit equivalents) (Unit equivalents)

Certificate I* 2 units 2 0

Certificate II† 4 units 2 2

Certificate III or higher -

4 units 2 2
Partial
Certificate III or higher -
6 units 2 4
Full

*Equivalence is only awarded for completed Certificate I qualifications where

the total achievement in units of competency is equal to, or greater than,
110 nominal hours (the equivalent of two course units)

†Equivalence is only awarded for completed Certificate II qualifications

where the total achievement in units of competency is equal to, or greater
than, 220 nominal hours (the equivalent of four course units).
Table 8. VET credit transfer and unit equivalence
VET Industry Specific Courses
• Full, nationally recognised AQF qualification
• Mandatory industry related workplace learning
VET industry specific qualification Year 11 Course unit credit Year 12 Course unit credit

Certificate I Units 1 and 2 None

Certificate II Units 1 and 2 Units 3 and 4

Certificate III Units 1 and 2 Units 3 and 4

Table 9. VET Industry Specific course unit credit

VET Industry Specific Courses cont.
• Automotive • Information and
• Engineering Communications Technology
• Business and Financial • Construction Industries
Services • Primary Industries
• Hospitality and Tourism • Creative Industries
• Community Services and • Sport and Recreation
Health

WACE Manual 2023, p. 74

VET Programs for Secondary
Students
• Pre-apprenticeships and pre-traineeships in schools
⎯ Nominated by industry training councils as valid pathways from school to
related apprenticeships
• School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
⎯ Paid employment based training programs for full time school students
who are generally 15 years of age and over
• Aboriginal school-based training program
⎯ SBAT or employment based training
⎯ Commence Year 10
https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/training-providers-and-schools/vet-schools
Delivery Arrangements of VET to
Secondary Students
• Auspice*
⎯ A school purchases quality assurance aspects from an RTO and the
school delivers the training to their students
• Fee for service
⎯ A school purchases delivery and assessment from an RTO
• Profile
⎯ Schools access profile hours through the TAFEs
• RTO School
⎯ A school becomes an RTO to deliver and assess training within a defined
scope of delivery
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/all-about-vet
RTO schools in WA
• Clontarf Aboriginal College
• Gilmore College
• John Curtin College of the Arts
• John Forrest Secondary College Good Practice Models
• La Salle College
• Mater Dei College
• St Stephen's School
• Woodvale Secondary College
• Busselton Senior High School GPM
https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/training-providers-and-schools/vet-schools
Third-party Agreements for VET in
Schools
• RTO is the principal provider
• The school is the third party receiving the services
• Written third-party agreement
⎯ Outline roles and responsibilities of principal provider and third party
• School provides facilities, resources and support staff for services
covered in the agreement
• RTO provides enrolment, training and assessment, AQF
certification
https://www.asqa.gov.au/guidance-resources/third-party-agreements/vet-schools
Recording, Monitoring and Reporting
Third-party Arrangements
• Clause 2.3. The RTO ensures that where services are provided on its behalf
by a third party the provision of those services is the subject of a written
agreement.
• Clause 2.4. The RTO has sufficient strategies and resources to systematically
monitor any services delivered on its behalf, and uses these to ensure that the
services delivered comply with these Standards at all times.
• Clause 8.3. The RTO notifies the Regulator:
⎯ a) of any written agreement entered into under Clause 2.3 for the delivery of
services on its behalf within 30 calendar days of that agreement being entered into
or prior to the obligations under the agreement taking effect, whichever occurs first;
and
⎯ b) within 30 calendar days of the agreement coming to an end.
https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/users-guide-standards-rtos-2015/chapter-6-regulatory-
compliance-and-governance-practice/clauses-23-24-and-83-recording-monitoring-and-
reporting-third-party-arrangements
Topic 4
Understanding an occupation’s Industry
demographics (introduction to the WA
State Priority Occupation List (SPOL))
Let’s take a tour of the

WA State Priority Occupation List (SPOL)

(https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/workforce-development#whats-on-the-spol)
End Module 1
Understanding the Vocational
Education and Training (VET)
Context
Review
• Topic 1: Introduction to EDN597
• Topic 2: Introduction to the Australian VET System, Competency-
Based Training and Standards for Registered Training
Organisations (2015)
• Topic 3: Teaching VET in Schools: VETDSS and the Western
Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• Topic 4: Understanding an occupation’s Industry demographics
(introduction to the WA State Priority occupation List (SPOL))
Next Module
• Unpacking VET Curriculum Training Packages
⎯ Topic 1 Training Packages Development and
Endorsement Process
⎯ Topic 2 Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and
the Anatomy of Training Packages and
Companion Volumes
⎯ Topic 3 Selecting a VETDSS Appropriate Qualification
(AQF Level, Industry Supported and nominal
hours)
⎯ Topic 4 Identifying a UoC’s Dimensions of Competency
and Domains of Development (Bloom’s Revised
Taxonomy)
Learning Activity 1

Reading task available on LMS

Questions