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VET curriculum requirements

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Under section 14 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW), NESA may develop syllabuses for courses of study or endorse syllabuses developed by schools or other educational bodies.

About VET curriculum requirements

  1. NESA’s VET courses are based on national Training Packages or accredited courses.
  2. VET courses for Stage 5 and Stage 6 must be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO) that has the relevant qualification and units of competency on their scope of registration, and follow the course developed or endorsed by NESA.
  3. Schools retain overall responsibility for monitoring course delivery and for duty of care while students are participating in courses conducted by an RTO.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialHSC (curriculum)K–10PreliminaryRoSAVET

Accessing Stage 5 and Stage 6 VET courses

Stage 5

  1. Students in Years 9 and 10 may access VET courses through 2 curriculum pathways:
    1. Stage 5 VET Board Endorsed courses, and/or
    2. early commencement of Stage 6 VET courses.

Stage 6

  1. Students in Years 11 and 12 may access VET courses through 2 curriculum pathways:
    1. Stage 6 VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks (Board Developed courses), and/or
    2. Stage 6 VET Board Endorsed courses.

VET courses may count towards the award of the RoSA and HSC

  1. VET courses may count towards the award of the RoSA and the HSC if:
    1. the course was developed or endorsed by NESA 
    2. the course was taught in line with the syllabus or course description, and indicative hour requirements
    3. the student has satisfactorily completed the course, including any mandatory work placement requirements, and
    4. the course adheres to NESA’s pattern of study requirements (HSC credential only).

Online resources

For further information

For enquiries about VET curriculum, VET courses, and students with disability, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

HSC (curriculum)K–10PreliminaryVET

Proposing and endorsing VET BECs

  1. Schools may propose a new VET Board Endorsed course (VET BEC) and/or additional unit(s) of competency to existing VET BECs if a VET qualification or specific unit(s) of competency are not available through a VET course already developed or endorsed by NESA. VET BECs must be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO).
  2. NESA reviews and endorses VET BECs annually.
  3. Schools must:
    1. read the VET BEC guidelines on NESA’s website
    2. complete:
      1. the Stage 5/6 VET BEC application form, or
      2. the Stage 6 VET BEC for school-based apprentices/trainees application form
    3. submit the application via the relevant school system/sector
    4. take responsibility to ensure their school system/sector submits the application to NESA by the dates specified on NESA’s website, and
    5. retain copies of supporting documentation.
  4. School systems/sectors must:
    1. attach evidence of support from the school system/sector, and from industry, and
    2. submit the completed VET BEC application form to curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au by the dates specified on NESA’s website.
  5. NESA will:
    1. form a Board Endorsement Panel to review the application against published criteria
    2. make contact with the applicant and school system/sector if there are any questions, and
    3. make a decision to endorse or not endorse an application, and advise the applicant in writing.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For VET curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Board Developed course (BDC)

A course developed by NESA, that includes general education courses, Life Skills courses and VET Industry Curriculum Framework courses.

Board Endorsement Panel

Formed by NESA to assess Board Endorsed course proposals for endorsement against specific criteria.

HSC credential

Awarded to students who meet HSC eligibility and course requirements. Includes an HSC testamur and HSC Record of Achievement.

registered training organisation (RTO)

A training provider registered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), or a state registering and accrediting body, to deliver training, and/or conduct assessments, and issue nationally recognised AQF VET qualifications. RTOs delivering NESA VET courses must have the relevant qualification and units of competency on their scope of registration.

Stage 6 VET Industry Curriculum Framework (Framework)

Syllabuses developed by NESA to provide students with the opportunity to gain industry-recognised national vocational qualifications (Certificate or Statement of Attainment) under the AQF as part of their HSC. Courses within a Framework count as Board Developed unit credit for the HSC, and include an optional HSC exam which provides the opportunity for students to have this HSC exam mark contribute to the calculation of their ATAR.

Training Package

A nationally endorsed, integrated set of competency standards, assessment guidelines and AQF VET qualifications for a specific industry, industry sector or enterprise. Training Packages specify the knowledge and skills required by individuals to perform effectively in the workplace, which are expressed in units of competency, and detail how units of competency are packaged into nationally recognised and portable qualifications that comply with the AQF. NESA's VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks (Frameworks) and VET Board Endorsed courses (VET BECs) are based on Training Packages.

VET Board Endorsed course (VET BEC)

A course endorsed by NESA that is based on an AQF VET qualification in industry areas not covered by Board Developed Framework courses. VET BECs count as Board Endorsed unit credit for the HSC but do not contribute towards an ATAR.

work placement

A period of unpaid work with an employer undertaken by VET students in order to satisfy the requirements of a course or qualification, with supervision provided by the employer, the training provider or both. For NESA VET courses, work placement may be mandatory, recommended or not required.