The Queensland Government has introduced the Vocational Education and Training (Commonwealth Powers) and Other Acts Amendment Act 2011 before the State Parliament that will aim to deliver national consistency for the vocational education and trade sector.

 

The state, which is on the brink of a $70 billion construction boom in the next two years, is expected to experience high demand for qualified trades people, engineers and resources specialists.

 

“Thousands of jobs will be on offer and we need a robust and resilient skills sector to equip local jobseekers with the skills and talents needed to secure those jobs,” State Employment Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said.

 

The legislation will see the establishment of the Australian Skills Quality Authority as the preeminent skills management authority in Queensland.

 

“As part of the changes, registered training providers and vocational education and training courses in Queensland will come under the one umbrella of the Australian Skills Quality Authority.”

 

“A single, national regulator will ensure that strong training providers can continue to do what they do best without being hampered by over regulation. That way, the Authority can focus its attention on providers that need a helping hand,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

 

The objectives of the bill have been outlined as follows:

  • Abolish the Training and Employment Recognition Council and transfer its remaining functions to Skills Queensland
  • Refer legislative power to the Commonwealth to regulate training organization
  • make consequential amendments to the  Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 and other Acts.

 

The establishment of ASQA is expected to deliver the following benefits:

 

  • improved employer and consumer confidence in the quality andconsistency of assessment of VET qualifications
  • consistent application of standards for RTOs across jurisdictionsand consistent application of  sanctions against RTOs which donot meet the high standards expected in the VET sector; and
  • a coordinated national response to emerging issues in the VET sector.

More information can be found here