FSK streamlined resources now available

Resources are now available for the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package. Units of competency for the following qualifications are available:

• FSK10113  Certificate I in Access to Vocational Pathways
• FSK10213  Certificate I in Skills for Vocational Pathways
• FSK20113  Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways

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Industry Skills Fund (ISF) Skills Adviser Network

The six organisations that will make up the new Industry Skills Fund Skills Adviser Network were announced on 22 June 2015.

Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, said the Industry Skills Fund (ISF) Skills Adviser Network will invest $43 million over the next three years to provide intensive support to businesses that are looking to grow and develop their workforce.

The Adviser network will help businesses access the $664 million Industry Skills Fund which aims to provide more than 250,000 training places over the next five years.

Read the media release

Additional funding to ASQA confirmed

The Australian government has assigned additional funding to ASQA allowing it to focus on serious breaches of standards without the need to increase RTO fees.

The additional funding means ASQA does not have to move to full cost recovery in 2015-16 and will not increase its current fees beyond the annual CPI increase.

This adds to the range of initiatives introduced to boost the quality of VET in Australia, including implementation of ASQA’s infringement notice scheme, special audit of VET FEE-HELP providers and establishment of the National Training Complaints Hotline.

Read the media release

MySkills website update

MySkills has been updated to make the site easier to use.

New features include:

• courses linked to skills in demand in each state and territory
• overall student satisfaction and employment outcomes for the 230 most popular courses
• a VET FEE-HELP loan calculator to assist eligible consumers understand their potential future debt
• identification of sanctioned training providers

New Apprenticeship Network open

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network came into effect on 1 July 2015. The network will help to recruit, train and retain more than 300,000 apprentices and trainees a year in more than 420 locations nationwide.

The network will provide:

• pre-commencement services to match apprentices with the right apprenticeship and employer
• in-training assistance and mentoring
• assistance for those who may be unsuited to an apprenticeship to identify an alternative pathway

Draft for Overseas Students Bills

The Australian Government has released exposure drafts of the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015, and the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015 (the Bills) for consultation.

Submissions are now being called for until 7 August 2015.

A submission template and details for submission are available at education.gov.au

Updated Queensland Training Subsidies List

The QLD Training Subsidies List has been updated. The new list came into effect from 1 July 2015.

Training resources are available to support several funded qualifications.

View available resources

APCET conference program available

The 2015 ACPET National Conference will be held in Melbourne on 27-28 August 2015.

The program is out now and includes session outlines.

View Program

Velg conference program available

The 2015 National VET Conference will be held in Adelaide on 17-18 September 2015.

Speaker and workshop overviews are now available.

View Program

VET FEE-HELP amendments to the VET Guidelines now in effect

Reforms to the VET FEE-HELP (VFH) scheme are now in effect. This is part of the first phase of amendments to the VET Guidelines, with the second phase of amendments to be actioned from 1 January 2016.

View details

Australian Training Awards event registrations open

Would you like to attend the Australian Training Awards night on Thursday 19 November 2015, in Hobart?

Registrations to attend the event are now open; see RSVP details on the Training Awards website.