Let’s start today with a quick thought experiment…
Imagine we all wake up tomorrow and every plumber, hairdresser, childcare worker, aged care assistant, construction worker, mechanic, barista, dental assistant, IT technician – and yes, trainers! – just disappeared. Poof. Gone.
How long before the wheels of daily life grind to a halt?
The truth is our country doesn’t run without skilled workers and most of those skills? They don’t come from four years at university. Sorry fam… it’s the reality we live in…
They come from the hands-on, practical, nationally recognised training – delivered through the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector by incredible humans called trainers. You might also know it as TAFE!
So I thought we’d explore how VET quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly!) powers Australia’s economy, supports industries through change, and helps everyday people build strong, meaningful careers.
👨🏭 VET = Real Skills for Real Jobs
University gives you theory. VET gives you tools.
And that’s not a criticism of uni – it’s just a different purpose.
In VET, we teach people how to do the job, not just talk about it. When someone trains in aged care, they’re learning how to safely transfer a client from a bed to a chair. When someone trains in hospitality, they’re learning food safety, knife skills, and customer service all at once.
Our students walk out with more than a piece of paper. They walk out work-ready.
That’s why industries rely on us. The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC), and the newer Jobs and Skills Councils, work with industry employers to make sure training packages actually reflect what’s happening on the ground. We don’t train in a vacuum – we train for the demands of the country.
A perfect example? The rise of renewable energy.
As solar, wind, and battery systems boom across the country, VET has adapted. There are now qualifications and skill sets designed specifically for workers in the clean energy sector. You don’t get that kind of agility from most education systems!
👩🏫 Building Careers, Not Just Filling Jobs
One of the things I love most about VET is how it changes lives.
I once had a student who was a genuine inspiration. She’d been out of work for years, raising three kids on her own. She came into our Certificate III in Business course feeling unsure – I’m just not smart enough for study, she told me on my first day teaching her.
But week by week, she gained confidence. We worked on interview skills, teamwork and basic computer skills. By graduation, she was unstoppable. Today, she’s a team leader at a local council office. And she still sends me updates about her life, her career and her education.
That’s what VET does. It builds people. It helps them step into the workforce or change careers when life throws out those curveballs.
According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), nearly 80% of VET graduates are employed after training. That’s not a fluke. It’s because our training is linked directly to what employers actually need from their workers.
🧗♂️ A Safety Net for a Changing Economy
Think about how many industries have changed just in the last 5 to 10 years alone.
Retail has moved online. Hospitality has had to pivot again and again. Aged care and disability services are under intense pressure to meet growing demand with better-trained staff. Cybersecurity is a booming field. And tech? Well, let’s just say if you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind.
VET gives people the chance to reskill and upskill without having to start from scratch.
During COVID, I saw so many people enrol in short courses and skill sets – just to stay employable. Hospitality workers did Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) courses online. Admin staff learned how to use new software systems. Healthcare workers added infection control skill sets to their CVs.
In fact, the government’s Fee-Free TAFE initiative (run in partnership with states and territories) was designed to respond to these exact pressures. Courses in healthcare, tech, and trades were made free or low-cost to help fast-track people into those essential jobs.
That’s workforce planning in real-time – and VET is always right at the heart of it.
🚜 Industry Keeps the Engine Running
You can’t train people in isolation from the real world. It just doesn’t work.
That’s why industry partnerships are everything in the VET space. Our training packages, units, and assessments don’t come from guesswork. They come from detailed industry consultation, often led by Jobs and Skills Councils like:
- Skills Insight supports industries linked to agriculture, animals, and the environment. This includes farming, forestry, animal care, seafood, racing, and even the furnishing and textile industries. Emerging areas like environmental management and natural resource security are also included – meaning these training areas are deeply tied to how we care for land, animals, and sustainable production.
- Service and Creative Skills Australia looks after creative fields and people-focused services. Think hairdressing, floristry, travel, hospitality, retail, and even performing arts. This cluster supports the industries that make our cities and towns vibrant – places where people gather, create, and connect. As shopping and services increasingly move online, training for these fields is also adapting.
- Powering Skills Organisation Ltd is all about energy. From electricity and gas to renewables like solar and wind, this cluster keeps the lights on – literally. They’re also getting ready for the future, with training that covers things like hydrogen energy and energy storage systems.
- Future Skills Organisation covers the brains of business – finance, marketing, HR, and technology. This includes training for cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the digital tools that keep modern businesses running. Whether it’s bookkeeping, IT support, or creating a digital strategy, this cluster keeps professionals sharp and future-ready.
- Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance supports a wide range of industries that make things – from food and pharmaceuticals to aerospace and engineering. This also includes emerging areas like defence and space technologies. These training packages help people build, test, design, and improve the products we rely on every day.
- Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance focuses on industries that dig deep and move fast. This includes everything from mineral mining to car manufacturing and repairs. They’re also preparing for the next wave of innovation, like driverless car technology and safer, smarter mining operations.
- Industry Skills Australia is all about moving things from A to B. This cluster supports training in transport and logistics – everything from aviation and rail to maritime and warehouse distribution. As global and local supply chains get more complex, this training ensures everything keeps flowing smoothly.
- Public Skills Australia covers roles in government and public safety. This includes police, fire and emergency services, defence, corrections, and local councils. The people working in these areas keep our communities safe and functioning, and they need training that’s practical, consistent, and up-to-date.
- HumanAbility is focused on the heart of our communities – aged care, disability services, early childhood education, mental health, and sports and recreation. This cluster makes sure the training for carers, support workers, and educators matches the real needs of the people they serve.
- BuildSkills Australia takes care of construction and property services. From plumbing and large infrastructure to managing buildings and water systems, this cluster ensures that workers have the skills to create the physical spaces we live and work in. With Australia’s growing infrastructure projects, these skills are more in-demand than ever.
These councils work with employers, RTOs, unions, and peak bodies to make sure our qualifications stay up to date.
And it’s not just policy. I’ve had employers walk into our classroom and give guest talks. My TAFE partnered with NDIS providers to take on work placement students – like me! When I did my TAE, we co-designed an assessment task to better reflect real-world admin work.
That collaboration is what keeps VET training alive – practical, current, and useful.
⛺Supporting Regional and Diverse Communities
Let’s not forget… VET reaches people who might never set foot in a university lecture hall. Australia is rather large for a country and we are a spread out kind of people… Like the desert!
TAFE and private RTOs don’t just operate in the city – it’s thriving in our regional towns, rural centres, and metro suburbs. We train everyone from school leavers to 50-year-olds retraining for a new career. We support people with disabilities, migrants, single parents, First Nations learners, and more.
In regional Australia, especially, VET is the backbone of the local economy. You want a mechanic in Wagga Wagga? A childcare worker in Broome? A barista in Ballarat? VET trained them.
And with the increase in blended and online delivery models (thanks COVID!), access to learning has only gotten better and better.
One student last year did her full course remotely from a sheep station. She completed assessments with patchy internet and lots of good humour – and now she runs her own small business doing bookkeeping for other rural operators.
That’s the power of accessible, skills-based training. It meets people where they are at – figuratively, and literally!
🤷♂️ So What Does This Mean for the Future?
VET isn’t just filling short-term gaps. It’s shaping the future of work and education in Australia.
The National Skills Agreement between the Commonwealth and states is pouring billions into strengthening the VET sector. It focuses on things like equity, quality teaching, foundation skills, and training for new and emerging industries. But it doesn’t come by chance…
We’ve got a seat at the table in shaping policy… solving skills shortages… and lifting up our communities.
But we can’t get complacent! To keep meeting the workforce needs of our country sustainably, we have to stay flexible, industry-connected, and student-focused. That means we need more support for trainers. More diverse resources for learners. More real-world collaboration with the industry.
And that doesn’t happen if we don’t get involved in the conversation!
Over to You…
What workforce trends are you seeing in your corner of the world? Maybe it’s a spike in digital skills, a need for more aged care workers, or a shift toward sustainability. And how is your RTO responding? Are you updating training, introducing new programs, or working more closely with industry to keep things current?
I’d love to hear your stories – especially those powerful moments where VET changed someone’s life. Whether it’s a student landing their dream job, switching careers, or gaining confidence they never had before, those stories matter. Share your insights in the comments below.
When we reflect together, we help shape a VET sector that’s responsive, resilient, and ready for the future.
Till next time!