The Australian Government contributes about one-third of government funding for vocational education and training, with the other two-thirds coming from state and territory governments. Australian Government funds are used to support national priorities.
National policies
The national system of vocational education and training is underpinned by a series of national policies and strategies that have guided and developed the vocational education and training sector to meet emerging skills needs.
The objectives of Shaping Our Future – Australia’s National Strategy for VET 2004-2010 are to enable industry, employers and individuals to better respond to the multiple and diverse needs of business. It encourages partnerships between governments, industry and communities to plan and provide opportunities for learning in vocational education and training.
Roles and responsibilities
The national training system brings together students, employers, governments and registered training organisations in the delivery of vocational education and training. Key roles include driving economic growth and addressing areas of skills needs. Through strong industry leadership, the national training system provides Australians with the skills needed to enter the workforce for the first time, to re-enter the workforce, to retrain for a new job, to upgrade skills for an existing job and to learn throughout their lives.
State and territory governments have constitutional responsibility for the management and administration of vocational education and training within their jurisdictions including state-level planning, regulation of training providers, allocation of funds to public and private training providers, setting student fees and charges and managing Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes.
The Australian Government has taken a national leadership role in vocational education and training, working collaboratively with states and territories and with industry, as part of the national Government’s responsibility for Australia's national economic development. States and territories operate within the framework of national policies for vocational education and training to address specific priorities and needs in their individual jurisdictions.
Government investment
Under the 2005-2008 funding agreement, the Australian Government has committed to providing almost $5 billion to states and territories to support their training systems.
In addition to the funding provided under the agreement, the Australian Government directly funds a number of programs to support the vocational education and training system. These include:
- Australian Apprenticeships, including support for employers and new apprentices
- Australian Technical Colleges
- Workplace English Language and Literacy Program which provides existing workers with English language, literacy and numeracy skills
- Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program which provides basic language, literacy and numeracy assistance to job seekers.
Industry investment
Employer contributions to training in Australia include:
- payments associated with training courses and training provision
- paid time off work
- payment of fees, training materials, travel and subsistence payments
- training levies.
Most employer-provided training takes the form of short courses or on-the-job training.