The National Governance and Accountability Framework establishes the decision-making processes and bodies responsible for training. It also includes planning and performance monitoring arrangements to guide the operation and growth of the training system.
The diagram below shows the relationships within the Framework.
The following principles from the 2005-08 Commonwealth-State Agreement for Skilling Australia’s Workforce guide the way in which the governing bodies undertake their roles and interact.
- Industry and business needs, both now and for the future, drive training policies, priorities and delivery.
- Better quality training and outcomes for clients, through more flexible and accelerated pathways, are assured.
- Processes should be simplified and streamlined and enhance national consistency.
- Young people have opportunities to gain a wide range of lasting skills that provide a strong foundation for their working lives.
- Training opportunities are expanded in areas of current and expected skill shortage.
The Ministerial Council is the key decision-making body, and has overall responsibility for the national training system, including strategic policy, priority setting, planning and performance. The Council is chaired by the Australian Government Minister with responsiblity for training, and consists of state and territory government ministers responsible for training. It is supported by a National Senior Officials Committee, National Industry Skills Committee and National Quality Council.
Find out more about the Ministerial Council.
The National Senior Officials Committee is responsible for supporting the Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education, implementing its decisions, driving national collaboration on training matters and monitoring the effectiveness of the national training system.
The National Senior Officials Committee consists of the chief executive officers of the Australian and state government departments responsible for training. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
To enhance the industry-led focus of the vocational education and training system, the National Industry Skills Committee provides the Ministerial Council with high-level, advice on workforce planning, future training priorities and other critical issues facing the training sector. It has a cross-section of employers from a range of industries, including emerging industries; small, medium and large enterprises; and businesses from a diverse geography.
The National Industry Skills Committee meets with the Ministerial Council ahead of council meetings, and has joint meetings with the National Senior Officials Committee during each year.
The Committee provides advice to the Ministerial Council which may include:
- strategies to improve training outcomes and delivery, usability of and access to the national training system;
- industry training research priorities to ensure that the system is well positioned to respond to emerging challenges; and
- ways that industry can work with governments to improve outcomes for disadvantaged clients, particularly Indigenous Australians and people with a disability.
The Committee also plays a key role with the National Senior Officials Committee in advising the Ministerial Council on national research priorities to ensure that the system is well positioned to respond to emerging challenges.
Find out more information about the National Industry Skills Committee. 
National action groups and taskforces are established on a needs basis, for a fixed time period, with the aim of providing targeted, specialist advice requested by the Ministerial Council or the National Senior Officials Committee. Responsibility for managing and coordinating the work of a group rests with a state or Australian Government training department.
Currently, the following action groups and taskforces are in operation;
- Review of Resourcing VET Action Group;
- Equity Advisory Taskforce;
- Indigenous Advisory Taskforce;
- Disability Advisory Taskforce; and
- Advisory Alliance.
Find out more information about current Action groups and Taskforces.
The National Quality Council has a key role in bringing together the major players in the vocational education and training sector - industry, employee representatives, governments, equity groups and practitioners - to oversee and support the current and future quality of vocational and technical education across Australia.
The National Quality Council is a committee of the Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education, and oversees quality assurance and ensures national consistency in the application of the Australian Quality Training Framework standards for the audit and registration of training providers. It has specific decision-making powers in relation to the endorsement of training packages and other aspects of the quality assurance under the National Skills Framework.
Find out more about the National Quality Council the following information is required for metadata purposes, please ignore. [title]State & territory training authorities[/title] [summary]
Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) provide advice to Australian, state and territory governments on the training that is required by industry.
The key purpose of an ISC is to provide:
· comprehensive representation of industry in the management and planning of vocational education and training (VET)
· advice and participation in the development of training products and services to meet industry needs.
ISCs collect information on industry training needs from employers, employee representatives and professional industry associations, thereby ensuring an industry-led VET system that is flexible and responsive. Skills Councils also ensure the Australian vocational education and training system remains industry-led, client-focused, flexible and responsive.
the following information is required for metadata purposes, please ignore. [title]Industry Skills Councils[/title] [summary]
Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) provide advice to Australian, state and territory governments on the training that is required by industry.
The key purpose of an ISC is to provide:
- comprehensive representation of industry in the management and planning of vocational education and training (VET)
- advice and participation in the development of training products and services to meet industry needs.
ISCs collect information on industry training needs from employers, unions and professional industry associations, thereby ensuring an industry-led VET system that is flexible and responsive.
ISCs advise government on how public funds should be spent within each industry, and have primary responsibility for the development and maintenance of Training Packages.
ISCs ensures the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system remains industry-led, client-focused, flexible and responsive.
[/summary] [coverage]Australia[/coverage] [audience]All Audiences[/audience] [industry]All Industry Sectors[/industry] [modified_date]1142344800000[/modified_date] [created_date]1092578400000[/created_date] end of page metadata information.
Training packages are developed by industry skills councils for specific industries or industry sectors. The councils are independent not-for-profit companies.
Find out more information about Industry Skills Councils .
The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) is a not-for-profit company owned by the federal, state and territory ministers responsible for training. It is unique in Australia's education system. It is responsible for collecting, managing, analysing, evaluating and communicating research and statistics about vocational education and training (VET).
To find out more go to the NCVER website
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Australia Limited is a ministerial company owned by the Commonwealth, state and territory ministers responsible for training.
TVET Australia was established by the Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education (MCVTE) on 18 November 2005 to provide responsive and high quality services to support the National Training System.
To find out more go to the TVET Australia website .