History of training packages

2017 Training product reform

 

In November 2017, one year after being formed, the Training Product Reform Joint Working Party reported back to Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Industry and Skills Council (CISC) on the case for changing training product and recommendations; and it was agreed to continue to explore enhancements to training products.

The Australian Government’s Department of Education and Training has released a discussion paper about the proposed training product reform. Submissions to the public consultation processes will be open until 9 March 2018.

• 2017 Training product reform case for change
• 2017 Training product reform issues for discussion

The following are additional reading about future work skills:

• 2017 NCVER Identifying work skills
• 2017 OECD Future of work and skills
• 2016 AISC Future skills and training
• 2016 OECD Enhancing employability

2016 Training product reform

Technological changes, changing growth industries and how workers engage with labour market are among a range of economic forces changing the future of work and the skills required by the Australian workforce. It is imperative that training products (training packages and accredited courses) remain adaptable to a range of factors that will affect workforce trends and to provide learners with the skills and capacity to enable them to achieve a broader range of employment opportunities or further study.

Skills ministers agreed in November 2016 that work be undertaken to examine and develop a case for change to enhance training products, in partnership with industry and in consultation with the VET sector. This is to ensure that training products continue to be relevant in the future, and support skills development as technology and industry changes.

A Training Product Reform Joint Working Party, comprising commonwealth, state and territory governments and industry representatives was established to undertake this work.

2015 New arrangements for training product development

In April 2015, the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham, announced the new model for training product development for Australian industry.

• 2015 New arrangement for training product development (factsheet)
• 2015 New arrangements for training product development (policy statement)
• 2015 New arrangements for training product development (diagram)

The new arrangements abolished Industry Skills Councils (ISCs); and replaced them with Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) supported by Skills Service Organisations (SSOs).

2014 Review of training packages

In September 2014, the Minister for Industry announced that, at the end of the current contract period with Industry Skills Councils, the Australian government would be moving to a more contestable model for the development and maintenance of training packages.

• 2014 VET reform industry engagement in training package development
• 2014 VET reform training packages and accredited courses review

2013

In 2013, the National Skills Standard Council (NSSC) was dissolved after the Liberal and National Coalition led by Tony Abbott took government. The newly formed Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Industry and Skills Council (CISC) stated that the 2012 Standards for training packages remained current and applicable to the VET sector.

• Annoucement about the 2012 Standards for training packages

2012

In 2012, the National Skills Standard Council (NSSC) publish standards for training packages and a training package development and endorsement process.

• 2012 Standards for training packages
• 2012 Training package development and endorsement process

2010 Training package standards

National Quality Council

• 2010 Streamlined training packages (annoucement)
• 2010 Streamlined training package (design model)
• 2010 Training package glossary

Training package development handbook

• 2010 Training package development handbook
• 2010 Training package development handbook (units of competency)
• 2010 Training package development handbook (qualifications framework)
• 2010 Training package development handbook (assessment guidelines)
• 2010 Training package development handbook (support materials)
• 2010 Training package development handbook (incorporating OHS)

2007 Industry Skills Council Forum

The Industry Skills Council Forum publish Training Packages: A story less told. It acknowledged that after a decade, training packages had been progressively developed with national qualifications and units of competency covering in excess of 85% of the Australian workforce.

1997 Introduction of training package

The first training package was endorsed in 1997.

 

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