What is a Training Package?
A Training Package is an integrated set of nationally endorsed competency standards, assessment guidelines and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications for a specific industry, industry sector or enterprise.
Each Training Package:
• provides a consistent and reliable set of components for training, recognising and assessing peoples skills, and may also have optional support materials
• enables nationally recognised qualifications to be awarded through direct assessment of workplace competencies
• encourages the development and delivery of flexible training which suits individual and industry requirements
• encourages learning and assessment in a work-related environment which leads to verifiable workplace outcomes.
How do Training Packages fit within the National Skills Framework?
The National Skills Framework applies nationally, is endorsed by the Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education, and comprises the Australian Quality Training Framework 2007 (AQTF 2007), and Training Packages endorsed by the National Quality Council (NQC).
How are Training Packages developed?
Training Packages are developed by Industry Skills Councils or enterprises to meet the identified training needs of specific industries or industry sectors. To gain national endorsement of Training Packages, developers must provide evidence of extensive research, consultation and support within the industry area or enterprise.
How do Training Packages encourage flexibility?
Training Packages describe the skills and knowledge needed to perform effectively in the workplace without prescribing how people should be trained.
Training Packages acknowledge that people can achieve vocational competency in many ways by emphasising what the learner can do, not how or where they learned to do it. For example, some experienced workers might be able to demonstrate competency against the units of competency, and even gain a qualification, without completing a formal training program.
With Training Packages, assessment and training may be conducted at the workplace, off-the-job, at a training organisation, during regular work, or through work experience, work placement, work simulation or any combination of these.
Who can deliver and assess using Training Packages?
Training and assessment using Training Packages must be conducted by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that has the qualifications or specific units of competency on its scope of registration, or that works in partnership with another RTO, as specified in the AQTF 2007.
Training Package Components
Training Packages are made up of mandatory components endorsed by the NQC, and optional support materials.
Training Package Endorsed Components
The nationally endorsed components include the Competency Standards, Assessment Guidelines and Qualifications Framework. These form the basis of training and assessment in the Training Package and, as such, they must be used.
Competency Standards
Each unit of competency identifies a discrete workplace requirement and includes the knowledge and skills that underpin competency as well as language, literacy and numeracy; and occupational health and safety requirements. The units of competency must be adhered to in training and assessment to ensure consistency of outcomes.
Assessment Guidelines
The Assessment Guidelines provide an industry framework to ensure all assessments meet industry needs and nationally agreed standards as expressed in the Training Package and the AQTF 2007. The Assessment Guidelines must be followed to ensure the integrity of assessment leading to nationally recognised qualifications.
Qualifications Framework
Each Training Package provides details of those units of competency that must be achieved to award AQF qualifications. The rules around which units of competency can be combined to make up a valid AQF qualification in the Training Package are referred to as the ‘packaging rules’. The packaging rules must be followed to ensure the integrity of nationally recognised qualifications issued.
Training Package Support Materials
The endorsed components of Training Packages are complemented and supported by optional support materials that provide for choice in the design of training and assessment to meet the needs of industry and learners.
Training Package support materials can relate to single or multiple units of competency, an industry sector, a qualification or the whole Training Package. They tend to fall into one or more of the categories illustrated below.
Training Package support materials are produced by a range of stakeholders such as RTOs, individual trainers and assessors, private and commercial developers and Government agencies.
Where such materials have been quality assured through a process of 'noting' by the NQC, they display the following official logo. Noted support materials are listed on the National Training Information Service (NTIS), together with a detailed description and information on the type of product and its availability www.ntis.gov.au
It is not compulsory to submit support materials for noting; any resources that meet the requirements of the Training Package can be used.
Training Package, Qualification and Unit of Competency Codes
There are agreed conventions for the national codes used for Training Packages and their components. Always use the correct codes, exactly as they appear in the Training Package, and with the code always before the title.
Training Package Codes
Each Training Package has a unique five-character national code assigned when the Training Package is endorsed, for example XYZ08. The first three characters are letters identifying the Training Package industry coverage and the last two characters are numbers identifying the year of endorsement.
Qualification Codes
Within each Training Package, each qualification has a unique eight-character code, for example XYZ10108. Qualification codes are developed as follows:
the first three letters identify the Training Package;
- the first number identifies the qualification level (noting that, in the qualification titles themselves, arabic numbers are not used);
- the next two numbers identify the position in the sequence of the qualification at that level; and
- the last two numbers identify the year in which the qualification was endorsed. (Where qualifications are added after the initial Training Package endorsement, the last two numbers may differ from other Training Package qualifications as they identify the year in which those particular qualifications were endorsed.)
Unit of Competency Codes
Within each Training Package, each unit of competency has a unique code. Unit of competency codes are assigned when the Training Package is endorsed, or when new units of competency are added to an existing endorsed Training Package. Unit codes are developed as follows:
- a typical code is made up of 12 characters, normally a mixture of uppercase letters and numbers, as in RIIOHS201;
- the first three characters signify the Training Package – RII Resources and Infrastructure Industry – in the above example and up to eight characters, relating to an industry sector, function or skill area, follow;
- the last character is always a letter and identifies the unit of competency version. An ‘A’ at the end of the code indicates that this is the original unit of competency. ‘B’, or another incremented version identifier means that minor changes have been made. Typically this would mean that wording has changed in the range statement or evidence guide, providing clearer intent; and
- where changes are made that alter the outcome, a new code is assigned and the title is changed.
Training Package, Qualification and Unit of Competency Titles
There are agreed conventions for titling Training Packages and their components. Always use the correct titles, exactly as they appear in the Training Package, and with the code always placed before the title.
Training Package Titles
The title of each endorsed Training Package is unique and relates the Training Packages broad industry coverage.
Qualification Titles
The title of each endorsed Training Package qualification is unique. Qualification titles use the following sequence:
- first, the qualification is identified as either Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Vocational Graduate Certificate, or Vocational Graduate Diploma;
- this is followed by the words ‘in’ for Certificates I to IV, and ‘of’ for Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Vocational Graduate Certificate and Vocational Graduate Diploma;
- then, the industry descriptor, for example Telecommunications; and
- then, if applicable, the occupational or functional stream in brackets, for example (Computer Systems).
For example:
RII10109 Certificate I in Resources and Infrastructure Operations
Unit of Competency Titles
Each unit of competency title is unique. Unit of competency titles describe the competency outcome concisely, and are written in sentence case.
For example:
RIIOHS201A Work safely and follow OHS policies and procedures