Vocational education and training (VET) regulators
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
ASQA is the national VET regulator, established under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVETR Act). ASQA is responsible for the registration of registered training organisations(RTOs) under the NVETR Act and monitoring their compliance with national VET standards.
ASQA also has related responsibilities including the regulation of VET accredited courses and functions as a designated authority under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000. Further information about ASQA is available on the ASQA website.
State regulators
Separate regulators in Victoria and Western Australia continue to register and regulate RTOs which deliver training to domestic students only in those states. These regulators are:
- the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)
- the Training Accreditation Council in Western Australia.
Standards for regulators
The Standards for VET Regulators 2015 enhance consistency in the VET regulators' implementation and interpretation of the national VET standards, and promote the accountability and transparency of the operations of the VET regulators.
National VET standards
National standards for VET are agreed by the Australian Government and state and territory governments through the Ministerial Council. Many of these standards are implemented as legislative instruments under the NVETR Act.
Standards for Registered Training Organisations
The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 strengthen the requirements for RTOs and ensure nationally consistent, high quality training and assessment across Australia's VET sector.
RTOs must also comply with a number of other requirements such as the Fit and Proper Person Requirements and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Data Provision Requirements) Instrument 2020. Further information on RTO obligations can be found on ASQA's website.
Standards for VET courses
Most VET courses consist of units of competency developed through a process of national consultation with industry and set out in training packages. The Standards for Training Packages ensure training packages are of high quality and meet the workforce development needs of industry, enterprises and individuals. Further information on training packages can be found on the department's training packages page.
VET is also delivered through accredited courses, which complement training package qualifications by ensuring new training courses can be developed quickly and by supporting niche skills needs. These courses are accredited by ASQA against the Standards for VET Accredited Courses 2021. The state regulators in Victoria and Western Australia accredit courses against the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) 2021 Standards for Accredited Courses.
VET qualifications are developed in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF is the framework for regulated qualifications in the Australian education and training system and includes the schools, VET and higher education sectors.