For the sake of simplicity, we are using the term vocational education and training to cover:
All education and training directed at the access or maintenance of specific vocationally oriented skills whether a qualification is attached or not. This includes continuing professional education.
Adult and community education of all types.
This is a very complex and varied sector. However, and again for the sake of simplicity, we can break it into:
Courses provided by higher education providers leading to a recognised university level qualification.
Recognised vocational and trade courses falling to levels 1 to diploma as defined within the Australian Qualifications Framework. These courses are provided by private Registered Training Organisations, Universities and Colleges of Technical and Further Education.
A multiplicity of short courses including continuing professional development courses provided by a multiplicity of providers.
Adult and community education courses provided by a range of providers including community colleges.
This complex structure is further complicated by:
Variations in individual needs.
Variations introduced by the varying population and industry structures throughout Regional Australia.
Just to get you started while we work through these issues ourselves:
University level offerings are best dealt with by visiting our Higher Edication pages.
EDNA, the Education Network Australia, provides on-line access to a wide range of sources concerned with education & training. See http://www.edna.edu.au/.
Developed in conjunction with state and territory training authorities and the Australian National Training Authority, training.com.au provides a single point of access to the vast range of vocational education and training information, products and services in Australia.See http://www.training.com.au/
The Hobson's web site, while not offering complete, provides access to a number of providers. See http://www.studiesinaustralia.com/.
Australian Education International (AEI) is part of the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and focuses on international students. It includes the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) providing information and advice on the comparability of overseas qualifications with Australian qualifications. See http://aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/AboutAEI/Default.htmAEI
