ANTA reported to an industry-based board and was an administrator and adviser.
It advised the ANTA Ministerial Council (MINCO) of Australian Government, state and territory Ministers responsible for vocational education and training on:
- VET policy, strategy, priorities, goals and objectives nationally; and
- VET plans, which states and territories developed each year. These plans detailed how states and territories proposed to meet national priorities, goals and objectives.
ANTA administered national programs and the Australian Government funding of the national VET system.
ANTA’s mission was to ensure that the skills of the Australian labour force were sufficient to support internationally competitive commerce and industry and to provide individuals with opportunities to optimise their potential.
ANTA worked closely with governments, industry and other stakeholders to provide advice to MINCO to develop a strategic focus and recommend on national policies and strategies. ANTA's core roles included:
- developing a draft national strategy
- development, management and promotion of the National Training Framework;
- developing advice to identify and plan for future growth requirements
- ensuring comprehensive up-to-date national statistical data was available
- developing advice on key performance measures and reporting objectives
- providing an integrated annual national report
- coordinating national initiatives and undertaking policy reviews, evaluation and research on national priorities, and
- administering programs requiring national delivery.