About VET

 

VET is referred to as 'education and training for work'.  It moves away from the traditional 'classroom and curriculum' approach to training, recognising that there are other ways for people to learn (for example competency can be achieved totally on-the-job, through self-study, through a structured course, by using a computer and the Internet, or even at home).

The Australian VET system is recognised as among the most sophisticated in the world because it is:

• Industry led - employers and industry representatives define what outcome is required from training
• National - the system is jointly managed by state, territory and Australian governments
• Client focused - it is flexible and relevant, and responsive to client needs.

The VET system is based on:  

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)	Defines and provides a single framework for all nationally recognised qualifications from the school sector through to the higher education (university) sector.
The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)	Provides a national set of standards which assure nationally consistent, high-quality training and assessment services for the clients of the VET system.
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)	Only RTOs can issue AQF qualifications and deliver accredited training and assessment.
State and Territory registering authorities	Responsible for registering and monitoring RTOs and ensuring they comply with AQTF standards.

 

Competency-based training

Competency-based training is probably the most critical feature which distinguishes the Australian VET system from many others.  It is concerned with what a person can do as a result of training, rather than the time they have spent in training.  It focuses on the skills and knowledge they have, rather than on how they got them.  It also allows a person to gain formal qualifications regardless of how or where the training was delivered.  The system is mainly concerned with ensuring that workers are equipped with the skills needed by industry.

Competency standards or 'units of competency' are industry-determined specifications of performance that set out the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to operate effectively in a specific industry or profession.  Units are an endorsed component of a Training Package.

For a person to be assessed competent they need to demonstrate the ability to perform tasks and duties to the standard expected in employment.  Competency-based training focuses on the development of the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to achieve those units of competency.

One of the primary features of competency-based training is that each learner's achievement is measured against the competency outcomes, rather than against the achievement of other learners.