VET policies and guidelines
This section contains policies and guidelines useful to VET practitioners.
It includes information on:
- national and WA standards and legislation;
- AQF levels and qualifications;
- VET Student Loans (VSL);
- reporting requirements;
- the Unique Student Identifier; and
- Travel and accommodation allowance (TAA).
National policy and standards
The National VET Regulator Act 2011
This Act establishes and sets out the role of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator, called the Australian Skills Quality Authority.
The Vocational Education and Training Quality Framework
This framework covers regulation and quality of training and assessment by RTOs. It aims to achieve greater national consistency in the way RTOs are registered and monitored. RTOs must be able to meet all the requirements of the framework through registration and audit conducted by the VET regulator. It comprises:
- Standards for National VET Regulator registered training organisations;
- fit and proper person requirements;
- financial viability risk assessment requirements;
- data provision requirements; and
- Australian Qualifications Framework.
Standards for RTOs 2015
These standards set out the requirements that an organisation must meet in order to be an RTO and maintain registration. They aim to ensure that that the training delivered by RTOs meet employer needs and provide mechanisms to protect the interests of the student.
Standards for training packages
These standards ensure that training packages are of high quality and meet the workforce development needs of industry, enterprises and individuals. The Standards apply to the design and development of training packages which are then endorsed nationally.
Training packages
Training packages are a set of nationally endorsed standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing skills in a specific industry, industry sector or enterprise. They are developed by Industry Reference Committees, supported by Skills Service Organisations. Training packages are downloadable from the training.gov.au website – the national register for training packages.
Australian Qualifications Framework
The AQF describes qualification levels and their learning outcomes for all regulated and nationally recognised qualifications in Australia. The AQF covers qualifications provided by schools, RTOs and higher education providers including universities, and assures qualification outcomes are consistent.
Standards for VET regulators 2015
These standards set out the requirements for VET regulators regulating RTOs and accrediting VET courses to ensure the integrity of nationally recognised training. The aim is to ensure VET regulators are consistent in implementing and interpreting the Standards for RTOs and the Standards for VET Accredited Courses and are accountable and transparent in undertaking regulatory functions.
View the Standards for VET regulators 2015
State (WA) legislation
The following legislation applies to VET in Western Australia.
The Vocational Education and Training Act 1996
This Act governs the State training system for the effective and efficient provision of VET to meet the immediate and future needs of industry and the community.
Vocational Education and Training (General) Regulations 2009
Vocational Education and Training (Colleges) Regulations 2006
These VET Regulations dictate how the provisions of the VET Act are applied.
View the Vocational education and training (General) Regulations 2009 online
View the Vocational education and training (Colleges) Regulations 2006 online
AQF levels and qualifications
The following table outlines the AQF levels and qualifications as they apply across the schools, VET and higher education sectors.
| AQF level | Senior secondary school | VET | Higher education |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Doctoral Degree | ||
| 9 | Masters Degree | ||
| 8 | Graduate Diploma Graduate Certificate |
Graduate Diploma Graduate Certificate Bachelor Honours Degree |
|
| 7 | Bachelor Degree | ||
| 6 | Advanced Diploma | Associate Degree Advanced Diploma |
|
| 5 | Diploma | Diploma | |
| 4 | Certificate IV | ||
| 3 | Certificate III | ||
| 2 | Certificate II | ||
| 1 | Certificate I | ||
| Senior Secondary Certificate of Education | |||
Reporting requirements for RTOs
Collecting and reporting data on all nationally recognised training is now mandatory. Data must be collected and reported into the national VET provider collection, either:
- in accordance with existing reporting arrangements with the Department; or
- directly to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research; or
- a combination of both.
Although a limited number of exemptions for some short courses and eligible RTOs are in place, if you are delivering training under a funding agreement with the Department of Training and Workforce Development you must continue to report all of your contracted delivery to the Department.
Additional requirements for private providers
Private registered training providers need to report the non-contracted remainder of your activity (including fee-for-service) directly to NCVER. This is in accordance with the national Australian VET Management Information Statistical Standard.
These changes are part of a set of reforms that were introduced to improve the comprehensiveness and quality of data available about nationally recognised training including the implementation of a unique student identifier. All payments to providers in relation to publicly subsidised training are now conditional upon the provision of a valid national student identifier.
What do I need to know about the Unique Student Identifier?
All new and continuing students undertaking nationally recognised vocational education and training courses are required to have a Unique Student Identifier. A USI is an account (or reference number) made up of numbers and letters that allows students online access to their training records and results through a transcript service.
As outlined in the Standards for RTOs, there are a number of requirements in relation to the USI. In particular, RTOs must ensure that they have a valid USI for an individual, prior to issuing them with a qualification or statement of attainment. Importantly, in Western Australia all payments to providers in relation to publicly subsidised training are conditional upon the provision of a valid national student identifier.
How is the USI linked to reporting and payments?
The USI is a mandatory data field for reporting nationally recognised training. All payments to providers in relation to publicly subsidised training will be conditional upon the provision of a valid national student identifier.
For further information on reporting requirements, visit the Commonwealth Government website pages on VET activity reporting.
Travel and accommodation allowance
The Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) assists apprentices and trainees with travel and accommodation costs related to the completion of their off the job training component.
From 1 July 2023, a new online claims portal replacing the paper form process will be available for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), apprentices, and employers. Apprentices are eligible for Travel and Accommodation Allowance (TAA) if they are a Western Australian resident, attending a training provider (i.e. TAFE) for off the job training and have to travel more than 70 kms (round trip) from their residential address to attend the closest training provider.
Travel and accommodation allowance payment rates will also increase from 1 July 2023 for eligible apprentices and trainees who travel more than 70kms (round trip) to a training provider. The per-kilometre rate for travel allowance claims will double from 20 cents to 40 cents to address the rising costs of living and barriers to training. The Accommodation Allowance will also increase from $70 to $100 per night where the training venue is below the 26th parallel and from $110 to $150 per night where the training venue is above the 26th parallel.
To submit your TAA claim online, you must be registered on the Western Australian Apprentice Management System (WAAMS) and have your off the job training verified by the relevant RTO. To register, you will need to visit the WAAMS portal webpage and request an account online and follow the login instructions.
All claims must be submitted within 60 days of the completion of the apprentice’s training or attendance period for the claim to be eligible.
Resources are available to support you in submitting your claim:
- Travel and Accommodation Allowance Procedures;
- User guide for apprentices and employers;
- User guide for RTOs;
- ‘How to claim TAA’ and ‘TAA online portal’ Flyers; and
- TAA private accommodation receipt template.
For enquiries relating to the TAA, or for support submitting your application, please contact taa@dtwd.wa.gov.au
VET student loans
The VET Student Loans (VSL) program commenced on 1 January 2017, replacing the VET FEE‑HELP scheme, which ceased on 31 December 2016.
VSL assists eligible students enrolled in approved higher level VET courses to pay their tuition fees for approved higher-level (diploma and above) VET courses that address workplace and industry needs, when studying at VSL-approved course providers, creating better opportunities for employment.
Training providers may apply to become a VSL provider. You can find out about eligibility, application information and requirements and how to become a provider at the Commonwealth Government website.
