National Careers Week highlights importance of career education and VET pathways

National Careers Week has highlighted the growing importance of career education, vocational pathways and lifelong learning in preparing students for future employment opportunities. More than 800 careers and transition advisers across NSW public schools are supporting students to explore career options through VET programs, work experience, school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, industry visits and careers expos. 

Career advisers interviewed as part of the initiative noted increasing student interest in practical, work-based learning and greater awareness that career pathways are no longer linear. Students are increasingly seeking opportunities to build transferable skills, gain workplace experience and tailor education pathways to suit their individual goals and interests.

Career experts also identified several emerging workforce areas expected to generate future employment demand, including agriculture technology, climate-tech, aged care, disability services and energy efficiency sectors. Many advisers highlighted growing female participation in VET trade programs such as construction, manufacturing and engineering, reflecting broader workforce diversification trends and changing industry demand.

The increasing focus on vocational pathways, applied learning and future workforce capability is particularly relevant to industries including local government, water, public safety and broader public sector occupations. Career guidance also reinforces the ongoing importance of career education in addressing workforce shortages, supporting diversity initiatives and strengthening pathways into critical infrastructure and community service roles.

Read the full article on the NSW Department of Education website

Australian Training Awards nominations extended

Nominations for the 2026 Australian Training Awards have been extended until 3 June 2026, providing additional time for individuals, employers and registered training organisations to apply for national recognition of excellence in vocational education and training (VET).

The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards for the VET sector, recognising best practice, innovation and outstanding achievement across both individual and organisational categories. Awards are available through state and territory training award pathways, while several categories also allow direct national entry, including the Innovation in VET Award, Australian Apprenticeships Employer Award and Outstanding Achievement in the VET and Skills Sector Award.

The Awards also include categories focused on school-to-work transitions and foundation skills, including the School Pathways to VET Award and Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award. These categories are particularly relevant to sectors represented by the NSW Public Sector ITAB, where workforce attraction, applied learning pathways, apprenticeships and foundation skills capability remain key priorities.

Finalists will be announced later in 2026, with the Australian Training Awards presentation event to be held at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Sydney on 20 November 2026.

Access further information at  Australian Training Awards.

ASQA releases new regulatory expectations for governance and compliance

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has released a new Statement of Regulatory Expectations outlining the responsibilities of registered training organisations (RTOs) under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2025. The statement focuses on fit and proper person requirements (FPPRs), obligations to notify ASQA of material changes, and expectations for transparent engagement with the national regulator.

ASQA has reinforced that RTOs are expected to maintain effective governance, compliance and risk management arrangements to ensure ongoing adherence to the 2025 Standards. The regulator also emphasised that providers must engage openly, honestly and transparently with ASQA, with non-compliance potentially resulting in further regulatory action.

The statement highlights increasing regulatory focus on organisational governance, leadership accountability and provider integrity across the VET sector. These developments are particularly relevant to industries represented by the NSW Public Sector ITAB, where public confidence, compliance assurance and quality training delivery remain critical priorities across government, public safety, water and local government training environments.

The release also serves as an important reminder for RTOs, industry bodies and training providers to review governance arrangements, reporting processes and organisational oversight mechanisms ahead of full implementation of the 2025 Standards.

Further information can be found on the ASQA website.

Federal Budget commitments to skills and training 

The 2026–27 Federal Budget included investment and reform measures across Australia’s skills and training sector, with strong focus on apprenticeships, Free TAFE, workforce capability and tertiary system reform.

Key measures included $722.8 million for a new Key Apprenticeship Program, replacing the New Energy Apprenticeships Program and expanding support to critical residential construction occupations linked to the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million new homes. The Budget also confirmed Free TAFE as a permanent initiative, providing 100,000 fee-free places annually from 2027, backed by more than $1.6 billion in funding through to 2034–35.

Additional funding was allocated to accelerate establishment of TAFE Centres of Excellence, supporting priority sectors including construction, manufacturing, clean energy and care industries. The Budget also introduced a new National Credit Recognition Framework aimed at improving pathways between VET and higher education by enabling TAFE graduates to transition into university qualifications more efficiently.

Targeted learner support measures included increases to the Living Away from Home Allowance and Disability Apprentice Wage Subsidy from July 2025, aimed at improving participation and retention for vulnerable learners and apprentices.

The Budget also included reforms to the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System, redirecting employer incentives away from larger corporations towards small and medium enterprises and Group Training Organisations. While intended to better target support, the changes are expected to generate discussion across industry regarding future apprenticeship engagement models and employer participation.

A further development was the return of $25.3 million in uncommitted National Skills Agreement funding, raising broader questions about implementation capacity and the pace of skills reform delivery across jurisdictions.

These reforms continue to have significant implications for workforce planning, apprenticeships and traineeships, qualification pathways and public sector workforce capability development across industries represented by the NSW Public Sector ITAB.

National Jobs and Skills Council Update

Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) are a national network of industry owned and led organisations, designed to provide leadership in addressing national skills and training needs. They have been established to supply industry with a strong and strategic voice within the VET sector as part of broader government-led skills reform.

JSC activities including Workforce and Training Package projects relevant to Public Sector industries are listed below.