Vocational Education and Training (VET) is education and training that focuses on providing skills for work. VET provides the skills to help people to:

• Join the workforce for the first time
• Re-join the workforce after a break
• Upgrade skills in their chosen field
• Move into a different career.

Who offers VET?

VET courses are primarily offered by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). These can include Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and private colleges. Some universities may also offer VET courses in addition to higher education courses. Each Australian state or territory registers these organisations to:

• provide quality training
• deliver courses developed with industry
• Issue a nationally recognised qualification.
• You can find a list of registered RTOs on the My Skills website.

RTOs that wish to offer courses to international students must also register with the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). This register allows the government to monitor the education offered to international students in Australia and ensure that it is of a consistently high quality. You can find a list of registered providers on the CRICOS website. You can also find more information about the Educational Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) legislative framework that governs CRICOS on the Australian Education International (AEI) website.