Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework is a comprehensive framework for all nationally recognised qualifications in schools, vocational education and training, and higher education.

There are 15 national qualifications titles within the framework (refer to Table 1), including eight competency-based qualifications for the vocational education and training sector. Table 1 groups the qualifications according to the educational sector that has responsibility for setting the standards of each qualification.

Why is the Australian Qualifications Framework so important?

The Australian Qualifications Framework helps all learners, employers, and education and training providers to participate in and navigate the qualifications system. Under the framework, learners can start at the level of learning that suits them and then build up their skills as their needs and interests develop and change over time. The framework assists learners to plan their career progression regardless of their life stage or location. In this way, it supports national standards in education and training and encourages lifelong learning.

What is a qualification?

A qualification is a formal certification, issued by a relevant approved body, which recognises that a person has achieved learning outcomes relevant to identified individual, professional, industry or community needs. Nationally recognised vocational education and training qualifications can be developed in two ways:

Training package qualifications—training packages are developed by industry through national industry skills councils or by enterprises to meet the identified training needs of specific industries or industry sectors or enterprises. Units of competency are combined into meaningful groups aligned to qualifications within the Australian Qualifications Framework. Learners who complete some, but not all, units of competency from a qualification are awarded a statement of attainment. When the remaining units of competency are completed, a qualification is issued.

Accredited courses—an accredited course, based on industry, enterprise and/or community needs, can be developed where no relevant training package or endorsed units of competency exist. Units of competency from one or more training package can be combined into an accredited course. Units of competency may also be developed where these do not already exist and these can be combined with training package units of competency into an accredited course. The units of competency are combined into meaningful groups aligned to qualifications within the Australian Qualifications Framework. Accredited courses are accredited by a state or territory accrediting body.

Table 1: Australian Qualifications Framework

Schools sector

Vocational education and training sector

Higher education sector

 

 

doctoral degree

 

 

masters degree

 

vocational graduate diploma

graduate diploma

 

vocational graduate certificate

graduate certificate

 

 

bachelor degree

 

advanced diploma

associate degree, advanced diploma

 

diploma

diploma

senior secondary certificate of education

certificate IV

 

certificate III

 

certificate II

 

certificate I

 

What is a statement of attainment?

A statement of attainment is issued by a registered training organisation when an individual has completed one or more units of competency from a nationally recognised qualification(s) and/or accredited course(s).

Qualifications guide for developers

The Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook (Fourth Edition, 2007) provides a detailed guide for the practical implementation of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The handbook contains guidelines to assist the developers of training packages and accredited courses to determine the appropriate level of a qualification. The handbook also explains the responsibilities for assessment and for issuing qualifications and statements of attainment.

Issuing qualifications

Under the Australian Quality Training Framework, only registered training organisations are able to issue qualifications or statements of attainment.

A qualification and/or statement of attainment issued under the Australian Qualifications Framework must follow the protocols for defining the form of a qualification and/or statement of attainment as specified in the Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook.

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