The Federal Government has announced the formation of the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC), which will act as a standards setting body for the vocational education and training (VET) sector with an aim to improve quality and consistency of VET regulation throughout the country.

 

The Council will operate on a Commonwealth, state and territory level and will assisted ministers with responsibilities in the vocational education and training area by providing a uniform advice on national standards for the regulation of vocational education and training.

 

The key functions of the National Skills Standards Council are to:

  • develop and maintain national standards for regulation of vocational education and training for approval by SCOTESE and provide advice to SCOTESE on development and implementation of the standards;
  • provide information, through SCOTESE, to the regulators of vocational education and training on the implementation and interpretation of the national standards and on issues of quality standards generally in the vocational education and training sector;
  • provide information to the vocational education and training sector on the national standards and any changes to the standards;
  • provide advice to SCOTESE on the operation of the regulators of vocational education and training;
  • endorse national training packages

The membership of the NSSC has been drawn from academia, industry, the VET sector and government.  Members have been appointed on the basis of their own expertise, providing a good balance of skills and perspectives relevant to the Council’s work. 

 

The Council will be led the Hon John Dawkins AO, former Chair of the National Quality Council.  Mr Dawkins has an extensive experience in VET quality issues and currently chairs the Australian Qualifications Framework Council.

 

The expert members of the Council are as follows

  • John Dawkins
  • Adrienne Nieuwenhuis
  • Tom Karmel 
  • John Vines
  • Margaret Haseltine
  • Megan Lilly
  • Berwyn Clayton
  • Valerie Braithwaite
  • Pat Forward

 

For further information, including the complete membership of the NSSC visit http://www.nssc.tvetaustralia.com.au