The following projects are underway to improve current qualifications, skill sets and units of competency. The Government allocates projects to Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), based on advice in the IRC Skills Forecasts or a Case For Change.

On behalf of the IRCs, Skills Impact manages the projects, taking them through a process that adheres to the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.

Click on a project below to find out more and to register your interest to receive updates.

Projects are organised under the relevant IRC:

Completed Projects

Once a project has been finalised, the revised qualifications, skill sets and units are published on training.gov.au and available for delivery by registered training organisations.

Click here to view completed projects

Agriculture and Production Horticulture IRC

Ag & Horticulture Core Skills Project

This project will look at the common skills that feature across all sectors of the industry. It will focus on the broader qualifications that apply to these sectors, and which can be contextualised to apply to numerous job roles.
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Permaculture, Organic Production & Composting Projects

This project will look at the job skills associated with permaculture, organic farming and composting. Guided by industry experts, the skills will be defined in national qualifications and skills standards that will help support the future training and development of the workforce.
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Pig and Poultry Farming Project

Skills in animal welfare, safety and sustainability are critical for pig and poultry farmers. This project entails the review of 10 pork and 11 poultry units, along with nine skill sets, so they meet the current skills needs of industry and align with current legislation. Relevant qualifications will be updated to reflect the changes to the units.
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Water Allocation & Entitlement Skills Project

Access to water resources is vital to Australian farmers and it is equally vital that farming communities understand the water market. Skills standards related to the acquisition, management and trading of water will be developed.
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Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation & Land Management IRC

Respect for Country Job Skills

Skills Impact is seeking to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about whether qualifications and stills standards for respecting Country reflect the accurate skills and knowledge for this work, and to hear about any improvements that can be made.
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Animal Care and Management IRC

Small Companion Animal Incident Management Project

The bushfire events of 2019-20 underlined the need for national skills standards to be developed to support the important role of animal facility, emergency service, animal welfare and evacuation centre workers involved in the coordination and care of small companion animals during disasters caused by natural events.
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Trainers of Assistance Dogs Project

Growing evidence for how assistance animals can improve the quality of life for people with impairments and disabilities is driving demand for more skilled trainers of assistance dogs. The specific skills standards for this job role will be developed and packaged as a specialisation in existing qualifications.
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Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC

Australian Native and Bush Food Project

Domestic and international consumers are hungry for Australian native and bush foods, which offer both nutritional benefits and cultural appeal. This project aims to address the need for national skills standards to describe the skills needs of the Australian native and bush foods sector.
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Forest Management and Harvesting IRC

Responding and Assisting in Bushfires Project

The bushfires of 2019-2020 brought attention to how workers and contractors can support the prevention and clean-up of bushfires. The events also highlighted the need for updated national skills standards to support this work. This project will assess the extent of the skills gaps and propose training package solutions in consultation with the broad range of relevant stakeholders.
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Meat IRC

Meat Processing, General, Quality and Safety Skills Project

In producing high quality meat products for local and global consumers, the meat processing workforce relies on a combination of core skills in safety, quality assurance, and leadership. This project will review the Certificate III in Meat Safety, Certificate III in Quality Assurance, Certificate IV in Meat Safety, Certificate IV in Quality Assurance and Certificate IV in Leadership qualifications and 125 units, with a focus on the core units required for these qualifications.
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Timber and Wood Processing IRC

Sawmilling and Timber Processing Project

Digital transformation and technical progress are changing the skills required in the sawmilling and engineered wood products sectors, as industry works to provide environmentally sustainable solutions for building construction. Consultation will take place throughout this project to define the skills needed to operate highly specialised automated equipment and perform current processes.
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What is the training package project process?