Funding for VET for secondary students

The Department of Education funds registered training organisations (RTOs) to deliver Vocational Education and Training for Secondary Students (VETfSS) across the Northern Territory (NT).

The department funds courses that are aligned to occupational outcomes pertinent to today’s job market and are key in the engagement of remote community students in employment opportunities in their local context.

Priority funding is provided to training that:

• provides a pathway to further training and/or employment in skill shortage areas as highlighted in the Northern Territory Skilled Occupation Priority List (NTSOPL)
• aligns to the remote town job profiles and regional workforce plans
• has a large number students interested in undertaking the training
• will be delivered by an RTO who has previously achieved 100% of their Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) annual hours of curriculum (AHC) deliverables in their VETfSS programs.

Selection process

The selection process occurs every year, to secure VETfSS programs for the following calendar year:

• April - the department directly contacts RTOs to request their VETfSS offerings for the following calendar year.
• May to July - assessment process occurs, RTOs may be contacted for further information during this time.
• August - RTO informed of outcome. If selected, the RTO will be sent a funding offer listing the qualifications and target AHC.
• September - VETfSS programs announced to schools.
• February/March - training contract issued. This can only be issued once the previous year’s training contract is finalised which is done through an acquittal.

For further information, refer to the VETfSS Timeline for RTOs PDF (548.5 KB).

Funding rates

Funds are calculated in accordance with department industry provider rates. Industry rates are calculated at $ per annual hours curriculum (AHC) as stated in the Victorian training package purchasing guides.

Read more about private provider AHC rates on the Northern Territory Government website.

As of 1 January 2023, training in regional or remote locations include a delivery allowance in addition to the industry rate:

• regional - 25%
• remote - 80%.

Read more about delivery allowance for VET funded programs on the Northern Territory Government website.

Payments

Payment of the training contract is usually divided into the following payments:

• payment 1 - 50% of agreed total funding amount upon signing of the contract
• payment 2 - 30% of agreed total funding amount upon receipt of AVETMISS compliant data demonstrating resulted AHC of at least 50% of the target AHC of the training contract
• payment 3 - 20% of agreed total funding amount upon receipt of AVETMISS compliant data with finalised enrolment outcomes and target AHC of the training contract achieved.

Upon receipt of the final AVETMISS compliant data for the training year, the department will generate an acquittal summarising the target AHC and resulted AHC. If the target AHC has not been achieved, the RTO will only be paid for the remaining resulted AHC. The third and final payment will be processed when an acquittal is completed.

In the event of an overpayment, the department may seek reimbursement of grant funds or offset against future payments.

Related information

• Department of Education - Funding for VET for secondary students
• National register of VET
• Australian Skills Quality Authority - national regulator for VET
• Victorian training package purchasing guides
• Private provider AHC rates and delivery allowances

Skill Sets

Skill sets will only be funded if:

• they consist of generic units of competency (example: working with others, work safely in the workplace, and one industry specific unit that is NOT a core unit for future programs).
• the level of the units of competency are appropriate for intended cohort, as per the VETfSS Age Requirements.
• the volume of learning is appropriate for units of competency chosen and intended cohort (e.g. the nominal hours are close to the duration of training. A skill set totaling to 85 nominal hours is delivered over one block week [25 hours face to face at best]).

Certificate III Qualifications

Certificate III level qualifications will only be funded if:

• Vocational Work Placement (VWP) or placement requirements do not exceed a total of 2 weeks or 80 hours. When it exceeds this amount, the VET qualification is better undertaken as a school-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship.
• The qualification is not available as an Apprenticeship or Traineeship or there is no Registered Training Organisation (RTO) receiving User-Choice funding as per the Apprenticeship and Traineeship database.
• The program is designed to ensure students have the best chance to gain an NTCET (i.e. student still attends days at school to attend compulsory subjects).
• There is strong industry support, such as support through the Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC’s).

Notes

• Day Release programs take priority in Urban settings.

Contact

For more information about funding for VETfSS, email vetis.det@education.nt.gov.au.