Across many industries, Australian Government and state and territory government authorities require a person to possess certain vocational education and training (VET) credentials before that person can be permitted to operate in a particular occupation or vocation. Sometimes a certain VET credential is a prerequisite to gaining an industry operator’s licence. In other cases a certain VET credential itself is sufficient industry recognition. Industries may also require people to ‘refresh’ certain VET credentials over time to maintain their recognition as an approved operator.
Some Australian Government and state and territory government agencies may authorise a person as an approved industry operator only if that person achieved their VET credential with a training provider that the authority has endorsed through its own quality assurance recognition framework.
Regulatory requirements
Registered training organisations (RTOs) are required to comply at all times with legislative or regulatory requirements that are relevant to their operations. These obligations cover circumstances where an RTO delivers a course for which a government agency administers an operator approval system that relies upon a person having a VET credential that was issued by an endorsed provider.
RTOs must disseminate accurate and factual information to prospective learners about training products that are most appropriate to meeting learners’ needs. Where an RTO offers a training product for which another government agency regulates a system to approve industry operators, the RTO must clearly inform learners up front whether its course enables graduates to meet industry operator requirements. RTOs must not claim that a learner will be eligible for any licence or accreditation unless the issuer of that licence or accreditation has confirmed this to be the case.
Some qualifications, skill sets or units of competency have additional industry licence application requirements that are embedded within the training package or accredited course. These requirements might apply nationally, or in a particular state or territory.
Where licensing requirements differ from the requirements of the training package, RTOs must ensure that all aspects of the training package are met. Licensing requirements should be seen as additional to the training package requirements.
Application requirements
These additional regulatory requirements may be industry-specific and overseen by a nominated industry authority.
The nominated industry authority may have an arrangement in place with ASQA whereby an application from an RTO (or organisation seeking registration as an RTO) for specified qualifications or units of competency requires evidence of the industry authority’s endorsement or support for registration before it can be considered.
These applications will require evidence of pre-application approval from the nominated industry authority by way of supporting documentation. This evidence must be attached at the time of lodgement of application. If evidence is not attached, the application will be considered incomplete.
If the application includes the necessary evidence of support and is ultimately approved, a condition will be imposed on the RTO’s registration requiring the RTO to maintain that industry support over the length of its registration for the relevant training product.
Note that evidence of support from an industry authority does not, by itself, guarantee approval of a registration application.
Also, where a training product is later updated or superseded by a newer version, the RTO may be required to again provide evidence of support from the relevant authority.
Likewise, a future registration renewal application may also require evidence that the relevant authority continues to support the RTO’s registration for the product.
Should an organisation that is approved as an RTO to deliver a specified training product on the basis of having support from an industry authority change its ownership or legal identity, ASQA may require the entity to again provide evidence of support for it to maintain registration.
Nominated industry authority arrangements
The following industry sectors are listed as guidance only. Evidence of approval from the relevant government agency/industry body will be required with a registration application.
| Industry area | Training product | Application type | Industry authority | Application requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health | HLT54115 Diploma of Nursing | NVR Act*:
ESOS Act**:
|
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) | An application for registration for HLT54115 will only be considered complete if supported by evidence confirming that the applicant organisation has ANMAC accreditation. See the ANMAC website’s section on program accreditation.
If approved, the organisation must maintain ANMAC accreditation for its entire period of registration for HLT54115. |
| Transport security | AVI20118 Certificate II in Transport Security Protection | NVR Act:
|
Department of Home Affairs | An application for registration for AVI20118 will only be considered complete if supported by evidence confirming that the applicant organisation has Department of Home Affairs approval, contact screenerreform@homeaffairs.gov.au.
If approved, the organisation must maintain Department of Home Affairs approval for its entire period of registration for AVI20118. |
* National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
** Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
