"Industry has welcomed the release today of legislation designed to tighten both quality and integrity measures in our Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.
"The Australian economy is reliant on a strong, vibrant VET sector to develop the skills required for up to 50% of the jobs in our workplaces.
"These skills are best developed from a trusted VET sector, renowned for quality-focussed skills development. For too long, some unscrupulous providers and poor practices have cast a shadow over the sector. In turn, this has damaged its broader reputation, and that of the many quality providers, and has undermined the student experience, including for international students.
"This Bill introduced today, (the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment [Strengthening Quality and Integrity in Vocational Education and Training No. 1] Bill 2024) expands the remit of the regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), to do the job required to lift the quality of the VET sector, improve integrity and increase sanctions, where warranted.
"This Bill is an important and significant step in the right direction," Mr Willox said.
