Resources, tools and FAQs

Training packages specify the skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the workplace. Despite the name, a training package does not prescribe how an individual should be trained, rather it sets the standard of performance and requirements for assessment. This allows trainers and supervisors the flexibility to determine how an individual should be trained to support an individual learners' needs, abilities and circumstances.

Training packages are made up of three nationally endorsed components*:

• units of competency: define the skills and knowledge to operate effectively and how they need to be applied to perform effectively in a workplace context;
• qualifications framework: groups of units of competency ranging from Certificate I to Graduate Diploma level; and
• assessment requirements: the approach to assessment, including the qualifications required by assessors, the design of assessment processes and how assessments should be conducted.

Training packages can be accessed through the training.gov.au website. They are delivered by registered training organisations.

The training.gov.au website is the national register of information for training packages, qualifications, accredited courses, units of competency and registered training organisations in Australia.

* Source: ASQA website

Industry Reference Committees drive the process of training package development and comprise of individuals with experience, skills and knowledge of their particular industry sector. IRCs are responsible for ensuring that training packages meet the needs of industry.

IRCs are supported by Commonwealth Government funded Skills Service Organisations to develop and review training packages and identify training package development priorities. Extensive consultation by SSOs occurs with relevant industry stakeholders and state training authorities.

No, training packages do not expire, but are subject to review to maintain currency and meet industry needs. When an existing training package has been replaced by a new one, the old training package is then referred to as superseded.

Training packages are updated and amended regularly. Development is driven by the existing and emerging needs of industry. The National Schedule sets out the training package review and development work underway. The schedule can be accessed through the AISC website.

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide input into the review of packages at key stages. Feedback is required during the development and review phases. Contact the relevant Skills Service Organisation to register your feedback. SSO websites also provide opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback during development stages.

Industry stakeholders are also encouraged to make contact with their Industry Training Councils.

RTOs must:

• transition to the new or revised training package as soon as practicable;
• manage the transition from a superseded training package within 12 months of the new/revised training package release date on training.gov.au; and
• manage the transition from superseded/expired accredited courses so that they deliver only currently-endorsed training packages or currently accredited courses.

Visit your RTO's regulatory body, the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council or the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority for information on teach out and transition arrangements.

Changes to training package products (qualifications and/or units of competency) are defined as either ‘equivalent’ or ‘not equivalent’.

The VET regulators automatically update equivalent changes to training package products on the RTO’s scope of registration, shortly after the equivalent product is listed on the training.gov.au website. Non-equivalent changes to training package products require the RTO to apply to their VET regulator to change their scope of registration, and fees may apply. Once the training package product is on scope the RTO can begin to offer or deliver the training.

Further information on the change to scope process can be viewed on the different VET regulator websites.

• Western Australian Training Accreditation Council
• Australian Skills Quality Authority
• Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority

Arrangements for the public funding of training packages, the establishment/variation of apprenticeships and traineeships, and the allocation of nominal hours, are determined by each state and territory training authority and timeframes vary.

WA nominal hours guides are for public funding purposes and are also used to assist RTOs, teachers, trainers and assessors to implement training packages in WA. They provide information on:

• qualifications included in the training package;
• the nominal hours allocated to qualifications and units of competency included in the training package;
• mapping of qualifications and units of competency from the superseded training package to the latest version; and
• apprenticeships and traineeships.

View the WA nominal hours guides.

Most qualifications in training packages are designed so that they are relevant to a number of stakeholders and can be contextualised to address various needs.

Yes, new packages can be developed when industry identifies the need for nationally recognised training that is not currently covered by a training package.

The title of an endorsed qualification from a training package or accredited course cannot be changed. If there is a specialisation offered within a qualification or accredited course, then the information can be put in brackets after the endorsed title.

For further information, refer to the Australian Qualifications Framework website.

Imported units of competency are those which are derived from the source training package and added to a qualification or skill set in another training package.

Importing units of competency reduces duplication within and across training packages. This is particularly important in generic and cross industry areas such as work health and safety. Importing units of competency leads to portability of skills for individuals across a range of work and industries. It also supports effective use of national training resources and efficient training delivery.

Training package developers will sometimes use one or more imported units of competency from an endorsed training package as a part of core units in a qualification (or skill set), or suggested elective units in a qualification in the training package they are developing. Imported units will always retain the endorsed training package unit code and title.

Most training packages give providers the option to select a set number of elective units from any other training package to meet the requirements of a qualification. It is important to follow the packaging rules of the qualification being delivered when selecting units of competency from any other training package as electives.

If an imported unit of competency has a pre-requisite requirement, the pre-requisite must remain with the unit. Imported units can be contextualised to accommodate specific industry requirements.

Imported units of competency must be assessed in accordance with the assessment guidelines or mandated assessment requirements found within that unit.

A unit imported into another training package remains current for the life of that training package if it is listed as a core or elective unit. Therefore no, an RTO does not transition to the new version of the imported unit. However, if it is not listed as an elective unit, the RTO must import the most current unit of competency.

Please note, not all training package qualification packaging rules allow for the importation of electives.

Foundation skills encompass both the core skills (of reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy and learning) described by the Australian Core Skills Framework, and employability skills. Foundation skills include language, literacy and numeracy. Foundation skills exist on a continuum from very basic skills to highly-developed and specialist skills.

Skill sets are defined as those single units of competency or combination of units of competency which link to a licence or regulatory requirement, or a defined industry need. Skill sets have a unique code, separate to the code for units of competency.

Skill sets are identified and developed through consultation with industry practitioners and licensing and regulatory authorities where appropriate during the development, redevelopment or continuous improvement of nationally endorsed training packages. In other words they will be developed in the same way as any other component of a training package.

No absolute maximum number has been set. However, in the case of large skill sets, developers will need to consider whether what is being proposed by industry or a regulatory body is in fact a full qualification, rather than a skill set.

If a skill set is made up of three identified units for example, and each of those units has one pre-requisite unit, then the skill set really requires six units and, in that case, it would be better to identify those six units explicitly in the skill set.

The application of the AQF Qualifications Issuance policy within the VET sector outlines the suggested form of Statements of attainment with different examples of what statement for skill sets should look like.

Recognition of prior learning involves the assessment of previously unrecognised skills and knowledge an individual has achieved outside formal education and training. RPL is an assessment process that assesses the individual's non formal and informal learning to determine the extent to which that individual has achieved the required learning outcomes or competency.

Recognition of current competency applies if an individual has previously successfully completed the requirements for a unit of competency or module and is now required to be reassessed to ensure that the competence is being maintained. In this case no extra skill or competencies are nationally recognised.

Credit transfer applies when an individual has completed formal training in units/modules and wishes to have this recognised as being equivalent to other units/modules. If there is a demonstrated equivalence, the credit transfer process will provide the recognition. Credit transfer involves a paper-based comparison of units/subjects – the outcomes of the original training need to be available so that it can be determined how this training relates to the unit/subject for which the individual wants to receive credit.

Further information on RPL is available on the AQF website.

Yes. The assessment process must be as rigorous (but no more or no less rigorous) as any other assessment. The type(s) of evidence you require of a candidate may vary from that required of a student in class, but basically RPL is an assessment like any other assessment.

Formal learning refers to learning that takes place through a structured program that has been formally approved and recognised. It results in the attainment of formal qualifications or credit for units/subjects.

Non-formal learning refers to learning that has been acquired through courses, workshops or other training programs that did not lead to a formal qualification or partial qualification. For example; courses or workshops undertaken in the workplace or by a professional body.

Informal learning refers to any skills or knowledge developed without receiving any actual training, such as through work experience, hobbies, or other social and leisure activities.

Training packages cover most training needs and are regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure they reflect changes in industry. Accredited courses are developed to meet training needs that are not addressed by existing training packages.

A course will not be accredited if it duplicates existing endorsed training package qualifications, or if the outcome can be achieved through the contextualisation of a training package qualification. Accreditation means a course is nationally recognised and that an RTO can issue a nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment following its full or partial completion. Once a course has been accredited it is listed on the training.gov.au website.

Accredited courses are based where possible on nationally endorsed units of competency. An accredited course may consist of:

• a combination of units of competency from more than one training package;
• some training package units of competency (from one or more training packages) and some newly developed units;
• completely new material, comprising only custom-developed units of competency; or
• a combination of units of competency and modules.

The development process must include consideration of the AQF requirements, articulation and credit transfer information, access and pathway issues and relevant contextualisation rules. Accredited courses are nationally recognised.

Any new units of competency are developed and documented according to the same guidelines that govern the development of training package units of competency (the Standards for training packages). However, it is generally not expected that the consultation process will be at a national level as the course may have been developed to meet a state-based need.

There are two types of accredited courses:

• those that result in an AQF qualification are referred to as 'Certificate II in', or 'Diploma of'; and
• those that result in an AQF Statement of attainment and are not complete qualifications are referred to as a 'Course in'.

Accredited courses are listed on the training.gov.au website.

Accreditation can be granted for a period of five years, unless special circumstances warrant a lesser duration. If it is expected that the training needs of an industry sector will be covered in the near future by a training package, or revisions to an existing package, accreditation will be approved for a shorter period of time.

Only State or Territory registering/course accrediting bodies have the authority to accredit or re-accredit a course. In WA this is the Training Accreditation Council or the Australian Skills Quality Authority.

For information on how courses are developed in WA, visit the WA Training Accreditation Council website or the Australian Skills Quality Authority website.

Re-accreditation is the process of renewing accreditation of a course in light of any changes that may have taken place within the industry sector or in available training packages. For this reason, an application for re-accreditation requires the same rigour as an application for accreditation.

An organisation or individual (course owner or copyright holder) responsible for the development of a course may apply to have it accredited or re-accredited.

The course copyright owner owns the accredited course. In the case of courses developed through a TAFE college the material may be publicly available. If the course is developed privately it is up to the course copyright owner (copyright holder) to define whether or not they wish to license the product and what the terms of licensing will be.

An accredited course can be delivered only by registered training organisations with scope to deliver that particular course. The process of registering to deliver an accredited course is the same as the process for registering to deliver qualifications from a training package.

RTOs wishing to deliver an existing accredited course must also contact the course developer/course copyright owner (copyright holder) and find out about copyright and licensing opportunities. These contact details are available through the training.gov.au website.