Training Packages specify the skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the workplace.  They do not prescribe how an individual should be trained. Trainers and supervisors develop learning strategies - the 'how' - to support an individual learners' needs, abilities and circumstances.

The development and endorsement process for Training Packages ensures the specifications are developed to an agreed quality standard and are highly responsive to industry’s existing and future demand for new skills.

The following key principles underpin the development and endorsement processes:

• open and inclusive industry-driven maintenance, validation and endorsement of Training Packages
• strong and clear key stakeholder roles with critical points of intervention and consultation
• continuous improvement, with full Training Package reviews where required
• highly responsive process capable of meeting industry’s needs and priorities for new skills
• Industry Skills Councils’ responsibility and accountability for the quality and relevance of Training Packages (see Table 1: Training Package quality principles).

Each Training Package:

• provides a consistent and reliable set of endorsed components - endorsed by the National Quality Council which is representative of industry, unions, the Australian government and States/Territory State governments
• enables nationally recognised VET 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.

Training Packages are made up of three nationally endorsed components.

• Units of competency:  the specifications of knowledge and skill, and the application of that knowledge and skill to the standard of performance required in the workplace. Units of competency cover a range of functions, relevant to the workplace and appropriate to either an enterprise, industry or cross-industry application.
• Qualifications framework: created by packaging units of competency into meaningful groups defined in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
• Assessment guidelines:  an industry framework for assessing competency in the specified industry, industry sector or enterprise.  Assessments should be valid, reliable, flexible and fair and consistent with the Essential Standards for Registration under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF 2007).

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Training Packages can only gain national endorsement if they meet nationally agreed Quality Principles.

• Training Package Quality Principles ( PDF 111KB | RTF 78KB)

Table 1: Training Package Quality Principles: