Australian Qualifications Framework
English
Governments
Governments hold a wealth of knowledge on skills development, and are increasingly realizing the value of learning from each others’ experiences. Their policy documents, programme evaluations, and research findings contain their experience and ideas on how to better link skills to employment
Lifelong learning
There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.
Training quality and relevance
National policies and initiatives
National legislation, policies and initiatives on the issue of training and skills development and the world of work.
The objectives of the AQF are to provide a contemporary and flexible framework that:
• accommodates the diversity of purposes of Australian education and training;
• contributes to national economic performance by supporting contemporary, relevant and nationally consistent qualification outcomes which build confidence in qualifications;
• supports the development and maintenance of pathways which provide access to qualifications and assist people to move easily and readily between different education and training sectors and between those sectors and the labour market;
• supports individuals’ lifelong learning goals by providing the basis for individuals to progress through education and training and gain recognition for their prior learning and experiences;
• underpins national regulatory and quality assurance arrangements for education and training;
• supports and enhances the national and international mobility of graduates and workers through increased recognition of the value and comparability of Australian qualifications;
• enables the alignment of the AQF with international qualifications frameworks.
Industry skills councils
Lifelong learning
Skills recognition
Asia and the Pacific
