Glossary

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 6 (AQF6) courses are called an Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification. Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires advanced skills. You can complete these courses at a Registered Training Organisation or with a higher education provider such as a university.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

An apprenticeship combines work with structured training. If you become an apprentice, you will be training in a skilled trade to become a qualified tradesperson. Apprenticeships usually take up to 4 years to complete.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices/about and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national policy for education and training in Australia. It regulates qualifications provided in higher education (e.g. universities), vocational education and training, and schools.

The AQF has a system which gives every regulated and nationally recognised qualification a number from 1 to 10. On this scale, AQF level 1 is the least complex and AQF level 10 is the most complex.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 2 (AQF2), courses are called a Certificate II. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification. Courses at this level generally give an introduction to an area of work an may not directly lead to an employment outcome. In order to get a job in many cases you need to complete a Certificate III.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 3 (AQF3), courses are called a Certificate III. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level usually lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will usually have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course, or while completing the course if you are doing a traineeship.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 4 (AQF4), courses are called a Certificate IV. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification. Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course, or while completing the course if you are doing a traineeship.

At the Certificate IV level you will develop a range of specialised skills and have specialised knowledge that you will use in your job role. The problems you solve in your job role might be predictable or unpredictable.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 5 (AQF5), courses are called a Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires advanced skills.
Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 6 (AQF6), courses are called an Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires advanced skills. You can complete these courses at a Registered Training Organisation or with a higher education provider such as a university.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 (AQF7), courses are called a Bachelor Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Degree level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires professional skills.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8 (AQF8), courses are called a Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that required professional skills. You may then go on to research and further learning.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 9 (AQF9), courses are called a Masters Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Masters Degree level you can build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your Bachelor Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. This could involve research, coursework or extending on your professional skills.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 6 (AQF6), courses are called an Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires advanced skills. You can complete these courses at a Registered Training Organisation or with a higher education provider such as a university.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 (AQF7), courses are called a Bachelor Degree. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Degree level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires professional skills.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8 (AQF8), courses are called a Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that required professional skills. You may then go on to research and further learning.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At the Australian Quality Framework Level 1 (AQF1), courses are called a Certificate I. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level generally give a basic introduction to an area of work and may not directly lead to an employment outcome. In order to get a job in many cases you need to complete a Certificate III course.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At the Australian Quality Framework Level 2 (AQF2), courses are called a Certificate II. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level generally give an introduction to an area of work and may not directly lead to an employment outcome. In order to get a job in many cases you need to complete a Certificate III course.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Quality Framework Level 3 (AQF3), courses are called a Certificate III. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level usually lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will usually have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course, or while completing the course if you are doing a traineeship.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

The Certificate III Guarantee program is a funding program provided by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. It subsidises some Certificate III and also some Certificate II qualifications in Queensland. If you are completing your first post-school qualification or completing a qualification during school, you may be eligible.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 4 (AQF4), courses are called a Certificate IV.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course, or while completing the course if you are doing a traineeship.

At the Certificate IV level you will develop a range of specialised skills and have specialised knowledge that you will use in your job role. The problems you solve in your job role might be predictable or unpredictable.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

A Commonwealth Supported Place is a place at a university or higher education provider where the Australian Government pays part of your fees. It is a subsidy, and students must also pay a contribution towards their course fees. You may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place if you are completing a course that is at the Bachelor Degree level or higher.

Visit https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/commonwealth-supported-places-csps and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 5 (AQF5), courses are called a Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that requires advanced skills.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

The free TAFE for Year 12 Graduates program is a funding program provided by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. It provides free training to Year 12 graduates during the calendar year after they leave school. You may be eligible if you are completing a course that is in a high priority skills area. Courses delivered on campus or as part of a traineeship or apprenticeship by certain course providers.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

The Australian and State and Territory Governments offer financial assistance to help VET students with tuition fees. Subsidised training is money given by the government to reduce or fully cover training fees.

The Queensland Government invests millions of dollars in Vocational and Educational Training (VET) each year to help people start or further their careers. This includes subsidising the cost of completing VET if you are a high school student, or after you finish school. Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives.

Certain courses are eligible for VET student loans and/or subsidised training. You can also find out more about which courses are funded by visiting the Queensland Skills Gateway website: http://www.skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au/

Talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor about what funding you might be eligible for.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8 (AQF8), courses are called a Bachelor Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that required professional skills. You may then go on to research and further learning.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

At Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8 (AQF8), courses are called a Bachelor Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level you will develop the ability to do a job that required professional skills. You may then go on to research and further learning.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

The Higher Level Skills Program is a funding program provided by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. It subsidises the cost of some Certificate IV or above qualifications. You may be eligible if you are completing a course that is on the Queensland Government’s priorities list.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

Each AQF level has requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and the application of this knowledge and skills required to complete a qualification.

Courses at this level lead to an employment outcome, meaning that you will have the knowledge and skills to get a job after you finish a course.

At the Masters Degree level you can build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your Bachelor Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma. This could involve research, coursework or extending on your professional skills.

Visit https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications and talk to your teachers, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is where skills and knowledge you have gained through work, volunteer and life experiences are recognised. These might be able to count towards or be equivalent to an entire qualification. For example, working in an office could help you to get part of or a full certificate in business administration.

Visit https://www.qld.gov.au/education/career/rpl and talk to your teachers and guidance counsellor to see if this might be an option for you.

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are training providers which have been registered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to deliver vocational education and training services.

Only RTOs can deliver nationally recognised and accredited VET qualifications and can receive Australian, State and Territory funding.

Be aware there are some training organisations that are not registered and so are not regulated. Visit www.skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au to search all registered training providers and to make sure the courses you are looking at are accredited.

A traineeship combines work with structured training. If you become a trainee you will be training in a vocational area such as health, community services or business to receive a qualification in your chosen vocational area. It usually takes between 12 months and 3 years to complete a traineeship.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices/about and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

Transferable skills are skills you learn in one job or field of work that you can use to get a job in another field of work. It is easy to underestimate the transferable skills you have, so be sure to think about these examples when you look at applying for jobs in a field you haven’t worked in before:

• Communication – this could be written or spoken
• Problem solving
• Thinking critically and analysing data
• Interpersonal skills like building relationships with customers
• Managing your time effectively
• Working in a team
• Having a professional attitude
• Being ethical
• Showing initiative
• Being self-motivated
• Having a strong sense of responsibility
• Being able to work under pressure
• Having a flexible and adaptable approach

Talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer ad career advisor about transferable skills and to see if this might apply to you.

The User Choice program is a funding program provided by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. It subsidises the cost of training and assessment services for apprentices and trainees in Queensland. You may be eligible if the apprenticeship or traineeship you are completing is on the Queensland Government’s priorities list.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are available to high school students while they are still at school. This is often called VET in Schools (VETiS). You may be eligible for subsidies which will support you in completing a VET course.

Visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives and talk to your teachers, VET coordinator, guidance officer and career advisor for more information.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is learning that provides you with the skills and knowledge you need to enter and succeed in the workforce in your chosen field or area of interest. VET covers many careers and industries such as health, construction, hospitality and retail.

A VET qualification is a formal certification awarded by a training provider to recognise the successful completion of a work-related and skills-based education program.

There are eight types of VET qualification. These are:

• Certificate I
• Certificate II
• Certificate III
• Certificate IV
• Diploma
• Advanced Diploma
• Graduate Certificate
• Graduate Diploma