Reimagining vocational qualifications

This paper questions whether the previous assumptions underpinning vocational qualifications for Australia are still valid. Much has changed since the development of national curriculum in the 1980s and then the implementation of Training Packages in 1996. While the world of work has changed dramatically, individuals entering work have correspondingly different expectations, needs and potentially a complex, multifaceted journey to navigate. When the existing qualifications architecture was designed the internet was in its infancy, email yet to be deployed, smart phones unimagined and digitisation was in the realm of science fiction. The skills and capabilities required to enter and stay in the workforce in the 2020s and beyond are different than in the 1990s. While some skills remain constant, many new ones have been added and the balance has shifted and continues to shift. No longer are we developing qualifications for a world where your entry qualification is designed set you up for the remainder of your working life.