Vocational education and training
From Poultry Hub
To allow greater flexibility, work-based qualifications and academic qualifications are now part of a single system. Vocational qualifications are now industry-based, with specified combination of units of competency required by each industry for each qualification.
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VET qualifications
The qualifications covered by the VET sector are:
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
- Vocational Graduate Certificate
- Vocational Graduate Diploma
Full descriptions of these qualifications can be found in the AQF Implementation Handbook
The training system
Designed as an industry-led system where employers, unions and professional associations of an industry define the outcomes that are required from training, the Australian VET system is jointly-managed by state, territory and Australian governments, in partnership with industry and training providers.
The fundamental elements of the VET system are:
- A quality framework - The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) is a set of nationally agreed standards that ensure high quality VET services throughout Australia. Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) can issue the nationally recognised AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) qualifications and deliver training and assessment services.
- National recognition is the cornerstone of the AQTF. All states and territories must recognise RTOs registered by other states and territories and all RTOs must recognise AQF qualifications and statements of attainment issued by other RTOs.
Training packages
AgriFood Skills Australia has reached an important milestone in the merger process for the three rural industry training packages: Rural Production (RTE03), Amenity Horticulture (RTF03) and Conservation and Land Management (RTD03). The three training packages are being merged into a single Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package (AHC09). The first draft of the new merged rural training package is now up on the AgriFood Skills Australia website.
Download the Poultry CRC's response to the first draft of the new training package, as sent to AgriFood Skills Australia on 6 May, 2009 (PDF, 124KB).
A full list of training packages can be found on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) website.
Training subsidies
There is a range of subsidies available for employers, employees and people who would like to enter the poultry industry. The two major funding sources are FarmBis training funds and New Apprenticeships support. A number of other funds and programmes are also listed below that may be worth investigating, particularly for established farms.
New apprenticeships support
A range of apprenticeships and traineeships are available for training in the poultry industry.Australian Apprenticeships attract financial incentives for eligible employers to help reduce the real cost of training and an excellent summary can be found found at the website. 
GrantsLINK
GrantsLINK covers the range of grants that are available from the Australian Government.
Industry Training Strategies Programme
The Industry Training Strategies Programme (ITSP) funds projects that help employers to more fully understand nationally endorsed training packages. It has a particular emphasis on increasing pathways for Australian Apprentices.
Skills for the Future vouchers
Skills for the Future is a set of major new initiatives, announced by the Prime Minister on 12 October 2006. These initiatives, worth $837 million over five years, will focus on the need for continuous upgrading of skills over the course of an individual’s working life.
From January 2007, if you are 25 years or older you can apply for a voucher for up to $3,000 to complete Year 12 or enrol in a vocational Certificate II course. From July 2007, if you are a worker 30 years or older, wage subsidies of up to $150 a week will be made available to take up an Australian Apprenticeship. If you want to go further you can also start or upgrade your qualifications to Diploma or Advanced Diploma level, particularly in engineering skills.
The Australian Apprenticeships Access Programme
The Australian Apprenticeships Access Programme provides job seekers who experience barriers to skilled employment, with pre-vocational training, support and assistance to obtain and maintain an Australian Apprenticeship.
Job Networks Contracts
There are many agencies throughout Australia that provide assistance to job seekers to find employment or training programs to assist them to gain further skills. These agencies receive funding from the Federal Government under the Job Network programme to assist these activities and so have funds available that can be used for training people for the poultry industries.
If a person is registered and "case managed" with a Job Network provider then funds for training can be accessed for the "job seeker account" to support that person.
Scenario: A poultry company may want to expand their operation and need a number of new partially trained employees; the job network provider can bring together a number of people looking for work, train them (with the assistance of the poultry company to provide the required industry knowledge) and then the poultry company can offer suitable candidates employment. Using the funds available to the job network provider means a substantial saving in time and money for the employer in training.
Further incentives are also available to the poultry company if the new employees are employed as New Apprentices.
Scholarships for people in Agriculture
- Nuffield Scholarship - Nuffield Australia is a unique global network of farmers that provides a scholarship scheme for the benefit of the Australian farming community. Through the adoption of local and international best practice and continuous development of a network of industry leaders and innovators, the scholarship scheme promotes excellence in all aspects of Australian agricultural production, distribution and management.
- Poultry CRC Scholarships - For more information about the Poultry CRC scholarship program, contact the Education Coordinator, Julie Roberts on (02) 6773 2632 or email jroberts@poultrycrc.com.au
Training Providers
The following table contains links to the NTIS web site that will take you to lists of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) registered to deliver each the following qualifications:
| Qualification name | AQF Code | Link to list of RTOs |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate I in Rural Operations | RTE10103 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE10103 |
| Certificate II in Agriculture (Poultry Production) | RTE20103 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE20103 |
| Certificate III in Agriculture (Poultry Production) | RTE31003 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE31003 |
| Certificate IV in Agriculture (Poultry Production) | RTE40103 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE40103 |
| Diploma in Agriculture (Poultry Production) | RTE50103 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE50103 |
| Advanced Diploma in Agriculture | RTE60103 | NTIS list of RTOs for RTE60103 |
See also
External links
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) lets you navigate your learning and career pathways.
- National Training Information Service (NTIS) database on vocational education and training in Australia.
- Training.com.au a point of access to the vast range of vocational education and training information, products and services in Australia.
- Rural Skills Australia Supporting training in Agriculture and Horticulture in conjunction with the National Farmers' Federation, State Farm Associations, Australian Workers' Union and the Rural Training Council of Australia.
- Rural Skills Australia: Farm recruitment important information for people on the land.
- FarmBisis a jointly funded initiative between the Australian, State and Northern Territory Governments.
