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Getting to know VET > Overviews > Provider peak bodies
Vocational education and training (VET) is delivered by a variety of public and private providers. Provider peak bodies represent training providers in Australia. They play a leadership role, undertaking research and providing advocacy and professional development services to its members. Each peak body works with a distinct segment of the training sector.
ALA represents organisations and individuals in the adult and community education (ACE) sector. ACE includes Aboriginal Community Controlled Education Providers, AMES Australia, Centre for Adult Education (CAE) (VIC), Community Colleges, Community Learning Centres, Neighbourhood and Community Houses, Telecentres, LINC network (TAS), U3As, Workers Education Association (SA), Workers Education Association (NSW), Adult and Further Education programs in many TAFE institutes and community organisations who offer learning opportunities to adults.
The AEU is a nationally organised union which advocates for the public education sector. Its members are educators who work as principals, teachers and allied educators in schools, TAFE institutes, Corrections Education, Adult Migrant Education Services, and early childhood education centres.
CCA represents not-for-profit community-owned providers of adult and youth education, training and learning in a local environment. It provides a voice in the adult education policy debate at federal, state and territory government levels and aims to ensure that the work undertaken by locally-owned not-for-profit education providers of VET, foundation courses, personal development and life-long learning is acknowledged and represented in future government agendas.
ERTOA, formerly called the Enterprise Registered Training Organisation Forum (ERTOF), is a national association representing and supporting: organisations operating as registered training organisations (RTOs) under the VET Quality Framework (VQF) who deliver training primarily to their employees and/or volunteers; organisations who are not RTOs (or those who engage with an external RTO) who deliver training primarily to their employees and/or volunteers; and individuals working actively as trainers, assessors or facilitators who deliver accredited training under the VQF. The organisations supported by ERTOA represent a distinct and unique component of the Australian VET sector, because they fall under industry and their primary business is not training.
ERTOA publications in VOCEDplus
ITECA is the peak body of independent providers in the higher education (HE) and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. Its members include providers of post-compulsory education and training for Australian and international students, including higher education, VET, English language courses, senior secondary studies and foundation studies. provides a voice for private providers, promoting the choice and diversity that the private sector offers and influences the legislation, regulations, compliance requirements and policies which affect the business environment in which they operate. Founded in 1992, it was formerly known as the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). The transition from ACPET to ITECA creates a single organisation to represent the independent HE and VET sectors.
ACPET/ITECA publications in VOCEDplus
NAEN, formerly Group Training Australia (GTA), is Australia's group training peak body. It represents a network of around 100 group training organisations (GTOs) located throughout metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia. NAEN promotes the benefits of the group training model of apprentice and trainee employment and highlights the contribution of the group training network to skills development. NAEN also includes six state/territory associations: New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory; Queensland / Northern Territory; South Australia; Tasmania; Victoria; and Western Australia. Group Training Australia (GTA) changed its name to the National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) in December 2016 in a move to better reflect its role and function.
NAEN/GTA publications in VOCEDplus
TDA is the peak national body incorporated to represent Australia's 58 government owned Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and university TAFE divisions, and the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC). The core business of TDA is to support member institutes, lead the advocacy for quality skills in Australia, and manage a range of international education and training projects in cooperation with member institutes.
How to cite this overview
NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Education Research) 2019, Getting to know VET overview: Provider peak bodies, VET Knowledge Bank, NCVER, Adelaide, <https://www.voced.edu.au/vet-knowledge-bank-getting-know-vet-overviews-provider-peak-bodies>.
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