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Program specialisations
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are governed by the Australian Qualifications Framework and are structured by training packages. Within certain training packages, specialisations in VET qualifications exist to provide students with the opportunity to develop depth of skills in a defined area of practice.
They enhance flexibility within the qualification structure, supporting workforce needs and creating clearer pathways for students. RTOs may choose to deliver one, multiple, or all specialisations depending on industry demand and organisational capacity.
The VET Information Standard enables the capture of program specialisation information including identifying the specialisation, stream or pathway a student has enrolled into within a program.
This page explains how program specialisations are to be captured in the VET Information Standard, including the information element and how they appear on USI transcripts.
What is reported
Specialisations, particularly training package qualifications, are identified through a suffix that is appended to the program identifier on Training.gov.au (TGA). RTOs are required to ensure that both the qualification and the specialisation suffix are provided to NCVER.
Both the parent program and the specialisation suffix are captured within the program or subject reference number element.
What this means for students
A student's program specialisation will appear on their USI transcript, providing greater clarity regarding the focus of their training. Where a student undertakes multiple specialisations, all of these can be shown on their USI transcript.