Vocational Education and Training

VET Reform
Roadmap

A shared roadmap for vocational education and training system reform

across the Commonwealth and states and territories.
Introduction
A new role for the VET Reform Roadmap
The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Reform Roadmap was initially developed in late 2019 as an action plan to implement the vision of the former
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) for a national training system that guarantees the quality, relevance and accessibility of VET to students, employers
and industry. The COVID-19 pandemic, and its ongoing impacts on the economy and labour market, has highlighted the need to take action quickly to
improve the VET system to support Australia’s economic recovery.

A draft Roadmap was presented to stakeholders in February 2020. Overall, stakeholders supported the direction of the Roadmap and agreed the seven ‘reform
destinations’ were key to implementing the agreed vision for a responsive, dynamic and trusted VET system. In particular, stakeholders considered that reforms
to the quality and relevance of training would be central to the success of other areas of the Roadmap, and were supportive of improved national skills
forecasting underpinned by higher-quality data.

Skills ministers appreciate the significant contribution of stakeholders to the development of the Roadmap, both directly through stakeholder forums, and
indirectly through contributions to other VET sector reviews and inquiries at the Commonwealth, state and territory level over recent years. This work will now
be used by skills ministers to guide discussions and the approach to development of a new national skills funding agreement and associated reforms.

The Roadmap serves as a broad framework for considering VET system reform into the future to realise the COAG vision, including through the negotiation of
new skills funding arrangements under the auspices of National Cabinet.

As agreed in the Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform, signed by National Cabinet in July and August 2020, jurisdictions will:

 build on progress made in the development of the Roadmap to work on immediate reforms relating to the quality and relevance of training, and

 develop a new national skills funding agreement, with specified directions for reform, including in the areas of micro-credentials and tertiary
integration, apprenticeships, foundation skills, pathways for secondary school students, funding, roles and responsibilities and careers information.

The negotiation of the new national agreement may also give rise to reform priorities not currently represented in the Roadmap, as discussions between
governments progress.

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April 2021
Immediate responses to COVID-19
The initial draft Roadmap was developed prior to the most significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the real and potential impacts of COVID-19 on
the economy became apparent, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments acted quickly to change focus to support and secure the national training
system and its capacity to meet the critical skills needs of frontline workplaces. This included:

1. Establishing a new rapid and agile process to support essential skilling requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic period, which developed
new infection control skill sets to ensure front line workers in non-health sectors can work safely and support public confidence as social distancing
requirements are eased. These are being delivered nationally through the Infection Control Training Fund.

2. Introducing measures to keep apprentices and trainees connected to employment, including by establishing registers of apprentices and trainees
stood down or suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Putting in place formal course assurance arrangements to support government-subsidised VET students. This ensures students are supported to
transition to an alternative public or private provider, or receive tuition fee refunds, should their provider close.

4. Supporting provider viability of TAFEs and other public and system-critical private registered training organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic
so that a core of training system capacity remained operational as an essential service across all jurisdictions.

5. Providing information through VET regulators on reasonable adjustments to the delivery of training and assessment to maintain quality of delivery
and outcomes while supporting the continuity of training.

6. Establishing the Infection Control Training Fund, to jointly invest $80 million to provide around 80,000 workers with fee-free (or low-cost) courses,
with training previously only widely available in the health sector.

A new national agreement and reform agenda

As Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic moves from emergency to recovery mode, governments are acting to position the VET system to drive
economic recovery through support for workers, school leavers, job seekers and employers, who need access to high quality training that responds to rapidly
changing needs and labour market contexts.

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April 2021
COVID-19 has required governments to bring forward aspects of the draft Roadmap for immediate policy development as part of a new agenda for reform led
by the National Cabinet. Drawing on the Roadmap, under the Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform, governments have agreed as a priority to move forward
on reforms that:

1. Simplify, rationalise and streamline national VET qualifications across industry occupation clusters and the Australian Qualifications Framework
(AQF), and introduce improved industry engagement arrangements. Reforms will consider a new industry engagement model that will underpin the
shared responsibility that industry and government have for growing a skilled economy, and enhance industry leadership with clear roles,
responsibilities and accountabilities in order to accelerate and streamline existing training package arrangements.

2. Strengthen quality standards, building Registered Training Organisations’ (RTO) capacity and capability for continuous improvement and
developing a VET workforce quality strategy. Reforms will ensure that training outcomes are trusted by learners and industry through strengthened
quality standards that support excellence and continuous improvement of training delivery.

Under the Heads of Agreement, governments are also establishing a national approach to supporting displaced workers, with a particular focus on tailored
supports for disadvantaged cohorts and those at risk of long-term unemployment through the JobTrainer Fund. Through the Fund, the Commonwealth,
states and territories will together invest up to $1 billion to provide up to 340,000 Australian school leavers and job seekers with access to free, or low cost,
training places in areas of identified skills needs from September 2020. The Fund will enable job seekers and school leavers to access both short and long
courses to develop new skills in growth sectors and pursue pathways to further qualifications.

Under the new National Skills Agreement, governments will also discuss reform directions described in the Heads of Agreement and drawn from the Roadmap,
including:

1. Developing and funding nationally accredited micro-credentials and individual skill sets, in addition to full qualifications, and supporting lifelong
learning through an integrated tertiary education system.

2. Providing stronger support for foundation skills and ensuring access for all Australians with low levels of language, literacy, numeracy and digital
literacy.

3. Promoting apprenticeships and other employment-based training, including pre-apprenticeships, and undertaking reforms to boost geographic
mobility and labour supply.

4. Strengthening VET pathways for secondary school students and improving the quality and vocational relevance of VET in schools.

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April 2021
 5. Working with the National Careers Institute (NCI), to reduce the proliferation of careers information available, and supporting the NCI to provide
access to career information that best enables people to make decisions about their learning, training and employment pathways.

6. Enhancing transparency and accountability, through clear roles and responsibilities for governments and industry, and increasing data collection
and analysis that is shared publicly to support regular assessment of governments’ policies and performance.

7. Adopting a new funding model that improves national consistency for students, integrates subsidies and loans and is linked with efficient pricing
and the skills needed by employers.

In addition to reform directions drawn from the Roadmap, governments will also discuss:

8. Supporting a viable and robust system of public, private and not for profit providers, with contestability in VET markets, to ensure high quality
training and student choice.

9. Increasing real investment in VET, while undertaking agreed reforms needed to ensure this investment will improve outcomes for Australians and
the economy.

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April 2021
The VET Reform Roadmap
The Roadmap provides a point-in-time view of a reform approach to support a modern and well-functioning VET market that delivers for learners and
industry. The aim of the Roadmap was to ensure:

Learners

1. have access to high quality and relevant nationally-recognised education and training, and their VET qualifications and credentials are valued, provide
the knowledge and skills required by employers, and build labour market resilience and further education pathways.
2. are able to make informed decisions about their study and career options, and benefit from expanded options for gaining the skills needed by
employers and the community.

Industry

1. finds the VET system simple to navigate and can trust that qualifications and credentials include the knowledge and skills required in the workplace.
2. has access to an adaptable workforce with relevant and transferrable skills to meet its needs and support productivity.
3. uses and invests in employment-based training and has confidence in the model to deliver skills for current and future industry needs. Industry is
actively engaged in national governance.

The system:

1. provides a high degree of leadership, quality, stability, transparency and accountability to meet Australia’s skills needs and reflect the shared
responsibility of governments.
2. is simplified and drives excellence in the delivery of training and practice of regulators, and supports all learners to make decisions about their full
range of study and career options.
3. is data-driven, using evidence to improve outcomes.
4. has agreed principles for shared investment in VET by governments, industry and learners, including through consistent loan arrangements.
5. is flexible, responsive and relevant to local training needs.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 6 of 13

April 2021
 WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE
LIKE (END STATES)

Learners can expect VET

qualifications and credentials to
be valued, provide the
knowledge and skills required by
Improve the use of national employers, and provide
data analytics for skills employment and education
Streamline existing training pathways.
demand forecasting and to
package arrangements.
monitor impact.
Industry finds the VET system
Implement new approach to
Develop a new model for VET simple to navigate and can trust
TRUSTED AND RELEVANT Develop future arrangements qualification design across
qualifications, across industry that qualifications include the
QUALIFICATIONS AND for industry engagement, the full range of the AQF, with
occupation clusters and the knowledge and skills required in
CREDENTIALS including consideration of rationalisation of
AQF. the workplace.
Skills Organisation pilots. qualifications by at least half.

Develop a framework for The system is significantly

Implement new standards for
micro-credentials. simplified and qualifications are
VET qualifications and
more responsive to the changing
credentials.
needs of industry and learners,
ensuring the relevance of
education and training to
workforce needs.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 7 of 13

April 2021
 WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE
LIKE (END STATES)

Learners can expect every

Implement changes to provider to offer high quality
ASQA’s governance, Develop new RTO standards education, training and
regulatory approach and and quality framework, assessment that supports their
practice. focused on excellence. transitions to further study and
employment.
Build RTO capability and Commission leading TAFEs
HIGH QUALITY Industry can readily identify the
capacity for continuous and other RTOs to develop Rollout of new quality
EDUCATION, TRAINING, improvement. and disseminate leading framework/standards and
best providers and have
AND ASSESSMENT confidence in graduate skills and
practice teaching resources. assessment arrangements.
knowledge.
Consider a new industry Trial alternative assessment
endorsed system for models.
The system drives excellence in
independent, moderated
practice of providers, educators
and/or graded assessment. Implement VET workforce
and regulators and encourages
Develop a VET workforce strategy.
options for reformed approaches
quality strategy.
to assessment.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 8 of 13

April 2021
 WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE
LIKE (END STATES)

Promote apprenticeships and Learners benefit from expanded

traineeships. options for gaining skills needed
Implement new model(s) for by employers and the
Explore alternative models for employment-based training, community.
APPRENTICESHIPS AND employment-based training. Trial and evaluate new alongside existing
EMPLOYMENT-BASED Industry uses and invests in
models for employment arrangements to respond to
employment-based training and
TRAINING THAT IS Refine data collection on based training. industry needs.
has confidence in the model to
ATTRACTIVE TO apprenticeships, traineeships, Improve employer navigation
deliver skills for current and
and pre and higher through the Australian Improve the design of
EMPLOYERS AND future industry needs.
apprenticeships and Apprenticeship system. government and industry
INDIVIDUALS traineeships. support for apprentices and
The system has a broader range
trainees to better target skills
of models for employment-
Review existing government needs.
based training to meet emerging
and industry support for
workforce needs.
apprenticeships and trainees.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 9 of 13

April 2021
 WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE
LIKE (END STATES)

Improve national
coordination of consumer
Learners make informed
information, to support decisions about their study and
Implement a national
decisions on VET, pathways career options, throughout their
approach to ensure equity Full implementation of
and career opportunities. lives.
and consistency of outcomes strategies to improve quality
for all learners. and delivery of VET delivered
Deliver a national campaign Industry has a sufficient supply of
to school students, including
to change attitudes around workers with the right skills and
Increase and improve opportunities for school
ALL LEARNERS ACCESS AND VET and higher education to aptitudes to meet its needs and
opportunities for school students to engage in work-
THRIVE IN TRAINING THAT support peoples’ lifelong support productivity.
students to engage in work- based learning, so there are
IS RIGHT FOR THEM learning.
based learning. meaningful pathways and
The system supports all learners
Improve quality and delivery career outcomes.
Establish a national approach to make decisions about their full
of school-based VET.
to ensure equity and range of study and career
Evaluation, monitoring and
consistency in outcomes for options, and access VET at any
Enable learners to track reporting on implementation
all learners. stage of their lives. The system is
qualifications and credentials and outcomes.
data-driven, using evidence to
over a lifetime of learning.
Develop strategies to improve improve outcomes.
the quality and delivery of
VET in schools.

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April 2021
 PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS
LIKE (END STATES)

Learners have equal confidence

Pilot new courses that
Commence work on a revised in both the VET and higher
integrate both higher Modernise qualification
AQF. education sectors.
education and VET. frameworks to support parity
between VET and higher
STRONGER ALIGNMENT Identify/consider models of Industry has access to an
Create flexible entry and exit education.
AND INTEGRATION integrated VET and higher adaptable workforce with
points between VET and
BETWEEN VET AND HIGHER education courses and relevant skills from VET and
higher education. Undertake applied research in
EDUCATION delivery. higher education.
collaboration with industry,
Implement reforms to higher education providers
Review VET Student Loans The system has more consistent
income-contingent VET and/or NCVER.
(VSL). loan arrangements between VET
student loans (VSL).
and higher education.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 11 of 13

April 2021
 PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS
LIKE (END STATES)

Implement strengthened skills Learners can access nationally

Understand the cost of
and occupational demand recognised education and
training that is responsive, training when and where they
forecasting.
high quality and accessible.
need it.
GOVERNMENT VET
INVESTMENT SUPPORTS Review and update models
Consider the Productivity Industry is confident that
on cost and price analysis.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL Commission review of the Evaluation, monitoring and investment in VET aligns with its
PRIORITIES AND National Agreement for Skills reporting on implementation skills and occupational demand
Agree on a framework for
COMPLEMENTS THE and Workforce Development. and outcomes. needs.
public and private investment
INVESTMENT OF INDUSTRY in national VET.
Consider principles, roles and The system has agreed principles
AND LEARNERS
responsibilities for VET for shared investment in VET by
Agree Commonwealth/state
investment by governments, governments, industry and
and territory funding
industry and learners. learners.
arrangements.

VET Reform Roadmap p. 12 of 13

April 2021
 PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
DESTINATIONS
LIKE (END STATES)

Learners have access to, and a

voice in, high quality and
National Skills Commission
relevant education and training.
(NSC) commences on 1 July Agree on reforms to national
2020. governance and architecture
Industry has access to high
to ensure VET is high quality,
NATIONAL ARCHITECTURE quality and relevant education
Revise national architecture relevant and accessible.
and training and is actively
AND GOVERNANCE GIVES and governance
Evaluate new national engaged in national governance.
THE VET SYSTEM arrangements for the system. Implement improved public
governance and architecture.
CREDIBILITY, IMPACT AND monitoring and reporting.
The system provides a high
STABILITY Develop a monitoring and
degree of leadership, quality,
reporting framework to Improve availability of data
stability, transparency and
improve transparency and and information on VET
accountability to meet Australia’s
accountability. system performance.
skills needs and reflect the
shared responsibility of
governments.

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April 2021