HomeSkip to main content

Glossary

On this page:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

  • Accredited course: A group of modules established to meet an industry training need which is not covered by a qualification.
  • APL: Approved Providers List.
  • Approved Providers List: (APL) A list of Registered Training Organisations who have successfully tendered and signed a contract for the delivery of training from their NSW scope of registration. They participate in the various programs administered and/or funded by State Training Services in an effort to meet the State's skills shortages, training priorities and VET needs.
  • AQF: Australian Qualifications Framework.
  • AQTF: Australian Qualifications Training Framework.
  • ASQA: the Australian Skills Quality Authority.
  • ATTP: Apprenticeship and Traineeship Training Program.
  • Australian Qualifications Framework: (AQF) The national system and guidelines which defines the qualification levels issued by schools, vocational education and training providers and higher education institutions.
  • Australian Quality Training Framework: (AQTF) National set of standards which assures consistent, high-quality training and assessment services for the clients of Australia's vocational education and training system.
  • Australian Skills Quality Authority: (ASQA) the national regulator/approver of training organisations and training packages.
  • Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard: (AVETMISS) The national guidelines for the collection of participant and training information in the vocational education and training system.
  • AVETMISS: Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard.

B

  • BVET: NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training.

C

  • CAPS: Continuing Apprentices Placement Service.
  • CBT: Competency based training
  • Certificate of proficiency: Certificate issued by the Vocational Training Tribunal to an applicant for trade recognition who demonstrates at least 4 years industry experience and who holds relevant qualifications from a registered training organisation. Also issued to an apprentice or trainee who has completed the term of training and has been awarded a relevant qualification, also see Craft Certificate.
  • Commissioner for Vocational Training: A position appointed under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 with overall authority to deal with all apprenticeship and traineeship matters in New South Wales.
  • Competency: Demonstrated capacity, knowledge and ability to perform a task or skill needed to satisfy the special demands or requirements of a particular situation.
  • Competency Based Training: (CBT) Training developed for and based on the competency requirements of a job.
  • Competency Based Completion:  determining a trainee's success in completing a course based on competency only (rather than waiting for the full term of the training to finish).
  • Continuing Apprentices Placement Service: (CAPS) Assists at risk and out of work apprentices to connect with employers who are looking for an apprentice.
  • Craft certificate: Certificate issued by the Vocational Training Tribunal to an applicant for trade recognition who demonstrates at least 4 years industry experience but has NOT been awarded a relevant qualification by a Registered Training Organisation. Also issued to an apprentice who has completed the training term, also see Certificate of Proficiency.
  • Credit transfer: Granting of credit by a training organisation to students for modules (subjects) or units of competency completed at another training organisation or via another qualification.

D

  • DEC: Department of Training and Communities
  • DEEWR: Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations.

E

  • Existing worker trainee: Someone who has been employed continuously by their current employer for more than 3 months full-time or 12 months casual or part-time immediately prior to commencing a traineeship, Also see also new entrant trainee.

F

  • No items.

G

  • Group Training Organisation: Organisation which employs apprentices and trainees and places them with host employers. The host employers provide the on-the-job training and experience, while the group training organisation organises off-the-job training, handles recruitment, job rotation and pay.
  • GST: Goods and Services Tax.
  • GTO: Group Training Organisation.
  • GTO National Standards: Quality arrangements for group training organisations in each State or Territory.
  • GTO Performance Agreement: Contract between a group training organisation and the NSW Department of Education and Communities.

Back to Top

H

  • Host Employer: A host employer hosts an apprentice or trainee employed at that time by a Group Training Organisation and provides the on-the-job training. The Group Training Organisation is the legal employer and is responsible for all the associated administrative functions including workers compensation, payroll tax.

I

  • Industry Skills Council: National organisations which provide independent advice and support on industry training, including development of training packages.
  • ISC: Industry Skills Council.
  • Industry Training Advisory Body: Industry based bodies that advise on training and related matters on behalf of their industry sectors.
  • ITAB: Industry Training Advisory Body.
  • Industry Training Officer: State Training Services staff who provide advice, assistance and support to apprentices, trainees and their employers.
  • ITO: Industry Training Officer.

J

  • JGTP: Joint Group Training Program.
  • Joint Group Training Program: Program funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments to increase the number of apprentices and trainees.

K

  • No items.

L

  • No items.

M

  • No items.

N

  • New entrant trainee: Someone employed for less than three months full-time or 12 months part-time or casually, or any combination of the above, prior to commencing a traineeship, also see existing worker trainee.
  • NTIS: National Training Information Service. Replaced by Training.Gov.Au (TGA).
  • Nominal Term: refers to the standard time allocated to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship on a full time basis.    The nominal term is specified in the Vocational Training Order for each apprenticeship or traineeship.

O

  • No items.

P

  • PPP: NSW Productivity Places Program (see SSP).

Back to Top

Q

  • Qualification: A nationally endorsed group of units of competency to meet the training requirements of industry workforce roles.

R

  • Recipient Created Tax Invoice:  (RCTI) Receipt given to organisations so that they do not have to invoice the Department.
  • Recognition of prior learning: (RPL) Process of assessment of knowledge, skills and previous experiences in regards to those required to meet a qualification.
  • Registered Group Training Organisations: (GTO) Organisation that complies with the national standards.
  • Registered Training Organisation: (RTO) Organisations registered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to deliver training, conduct assessments and issue nationally recognised qualifications in accordance with the Australian Quality Training Framework.
  • RPL: Recognition of prior learning.
  • RTO: Registered training organisation.

S

  • Scope of Registration: The list of qualifications a Registered Training Organisation has been approved to deliver by ASQA.
  • Skills cluster: Training course or program consisting of units of competencies grouped together from different qualifications, training packages, and/or AQF Levels.
  • SSP: NSW Strategic Skills Program (funding arrangements for PPP, existing workers, jobseekers and people with special needs).
  • STS: State Training Services.

T

  • TGA: Training.Gov.Au - National website that provides information on the vocational education and training system, including RTOs and Training Packages. (formally NTIS)
  • Trade Skills Recognition number:  (TSR) File number given to each person applying for trade recognition.
  • Training packages: Training packages are nationally endorsed manuals developed by industry that establish the vocational education and training qualifications and units of competency for occupations within each industry sector. The packages define the guidelines and standards surrounding delivery of training and assessment against these qualifications. They provide flexibility to enable training organisations to meet an individual's training need and guidelines on how to customise training to meet this need.
  • TSR: Trade Skills Recognition (number).

U

  • Unit of Competency: The nationally recognised guidelines and standards against which a participant receives training and assessment to meet industry workforce requirements. Guidelines include performance standards and customisation rules.

V

  • VET: Vocational education and training.
  • VET in Schools: Vocational education and training in schools.
  • VETAB: NSW Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board ceased operations on 1 July 2011 and transferred its powers and authority to the Commonwealth. See: Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
  • Vocational Training Appeal Panel: Hears appeals against the decisions of the Vocational Training Tribunal or Commissioner for Vocational Training.
  • Vocational Training Orders: Specify the qualifications that need to be achieved by apprentices or trainees, the terms of training and the probationary periods.
  • Vocational Training Tribunal: New South Wales body responsible for trade skills recognition, resolving complaints and disputes and considering applications for the transfer, suspension, cancellation and variation of apprenticeships and traineeships.
  • VTO: Vocational Training Orders.  These legally establish apprenticeships and traineeships in NSW.
  • VTT: Vocational Training Tribunal.

W

  • No items.

X

  • No items.

Y

  • No items.

Z

  • No items.

Back to Top

Page last updated: 18 November 2011