Developing a Comprehensive VET System The Australian Experience 开发一个全面的职教培训体系 澳大利亚的体验 By Paul Byrne, VET Reform Advisor to the Australia China (Chongqing) VET Project (ACCVETP) and former CEO Australian National Training Authority 中国-澳大利亚（重庆）职业教育与培训项目职教改革专家、 澳大利亚国家培训总署前任首席执行官保罗.拜恩先生 Australia embarked on a major VET reform journey in the late 80’s of last century as a result of a recession brought about by a large decline in the value of the traditional natural resources and primary production export base and the subsequent need to restructure Australian industry towards higher value added manufacturing and service industries. The VET system had previously been focused on a few traditional trades and industries, was isolated from enterprises and was fragmented across Australia as each of the eight states operated a completely independent VET system, mainly through state owned TAFE colleges. National industry organisations and the Australian Council of Trade unions urged national action to reform the VET system and restructure industrial Awards and Agreements to reward workers for gaining and using new skills. The development of world-class skills for Australia’s existing and emerging workforce was, for the first time, centre stage. By 1990 the national government had decided to act definitively and began a reform that continues today. The national government challenged the state’s constitutional authority over education by proposing that they cooperate in a national VET system with industry playing a leading role. After much argument, and the promise of substantial additional national government funding for VET delivery, the states agreed and the Australian National Training Authority was created and became operational in 1993. Over the ANTA period from 1993 to 2005 VET was transformed into a strong national system with two hallmarks: national operation and industry leadership. Post ANTA these two principles continue to be fundamental.   Over a five-year period a national training framework was developed and refined. Now called a national skills framework to reflect its outcomes orientation, the national framework puts into practice the principles of an industry led and national system through the three pillars of an Australian Qualifications Framework, a quality framework and packages of industry defined competency standards  The Australian Qualifications Framework links all the post –compulsory sectors of education and provides broad descriptors of the level of each qualification  Competency standards, developed by each industry sector and packaged into qualifications within the Australian Qualification Framework, form the second pillar of the Australian skills framework. These industry products are called ‘Training Packages’ and must be endorsed by the national quality body before use. 澳大利亚技能框架的第二个支柱由能力标准构成。这些能力标准由各行业领域开发并打包进入澳大利亚该框架下的资格。这些行业产品被称为“培训包”。培训包必须经过国家质量管理部门的批准才能使用。   The third pillar of the system is the quality framework. Known as the Australian Quality Training Framework, this framework is overseen by the National Quality Council and regulates VET provider quality and industry competency standards quality. The Council also ensures that VET qualifications remain within the guidelines of the Australian Qualification Framework and sets guidelines for course accreditation where there is identified demand outside the current scope of the industry developed Training Packages. The National Quality Council itself administers the quality framework requirements for the industry developed Training Packages, while the quality assurance standards for VET delivery organizations are administered by the eight state governments, with regular reporting to the Council.  A key function of the AQTF is to set quality standards for VET delivery and assessment organizations. Any organization wishing to deliver Australian VET qualifications must be assessed against the AQTF standards and be Registered by one of the state authorities acting on behalf of the AQTF and the National Quality Council.  By this means all registered VET providers become Registered Training Organisations or RTOs. There are no exceptions and registration for VET delivery applies to private organizations or schools, public TAFE colleges, secondary schools, universities and enterprises. Registered Training organisations often work in partnership with enterprises that assist the RTO with VET delivery, particularly assessment. Registered Training Organisations are free to design approaches to teaching and assessment, provided that they assess as outcomes the achievement of the competencies as specified in the industry Training Package they are working with. An RTO may have a scope of Registration limited to a few qualifications in a single Training Package or covering many qualifications in a number of Training Packages across a range of industries. RTOs must work with the national industry developed Training Packages and their standards and qualifications unless there is a demand for a course where no Training Package is currently available. In this case a nationally accredited course will be used. Training Package qualifications cover over 80% of workplace roles below the professional level in Australia. Post ANTA VET Arrangements in Australia Following the Australian Government decision to take the functions of the Australian National Training Authority into the federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) the VET system has been reorganised while retaining a Skills Framework and the three pillars of: industry defined standards and qualifications (Training Packages) as the benchmark for RTO delivery 行业确定标准和资格（培训包），作为注册培训机构提供职教培训的基准。 a quality framework for all recognised VET, and 质量框架，适用于所有职教培训。 the Australian Qualifications Framework 澳大利亚资格框架 The following diagrams show the structure of the new arrangements and the roles of the elements. The arrangements are shown firstly at the strategy and policy setting level and then at the level of the national VET framework.      The arrangements at the VET Framework level and the roles of the elements are shown below:      The Australian experience of attempting to build an effective VET system that can serve economic and social development now and into the future is still a work in progress. There has been significant achievement over the first 15 years of reform, with probably the most notable being the integral role of industry at the policy and framework levels and also, increasingly, at the delivery level through partnerships with VET providers, the RTOs. Perhaps five key features of the system can be identified as lying behind the success to date: A discrete national VET system which links to other education sectors 具有一个独立而又同其他教育类别相互联系的职教培训体系。 A national qualification system and a national VET quality framework for ensuring the quality of teaching and learning. Leading and specified roles for industry in defining VET outcomes and participating in the development and implementation of the national VET quality framework Leading and specified roles for registered VET providers in teaching, assessment and issuance of qualifications within the national qualification system and VET quality framework Governments which set policy, administer the national system at all levels and ensure that all parties, including the state owned VET providers, operate within the VET quality framework End