Fact Sheet: Transition of Training Products

Compliance Standard 14 specifies a Registered Training Organisation’s (RTO) obligations on how to manage student enrolments and transitions when training products are superseded (replaced), no longer current and not superseded (not replaced), expired, removed or deleted from training.gov.au (TGA). 

Outcome Standard 2.1 specifies the requirements for RTOs communicating with students about the changes to training products and the implications for their training and assessment.  

The terms transfer and completion are used in the 2025 Standards to describe the actions required when training products change.  In the VET sector, these actions are also commonly referred to as transition and teach out.

For the purposes of Compliance Standard 14:

• Transfer (also referred to as transition) means moving a currently enrolled student from one training product into a replacement training product, in a timely manner; and
• Completion (also referred to as teach out) means enabling a student to complete the training product in which they are enrolled and to be issued the relevant AQF certification documentation within the applicable timeframe.

How Training Products Change

Understanding how training products change helps RTOs determine whether transfer or completion requirements apply, and what actions are required under Compliance Standard 14.

When a training product is updated, the change will generally fall into one of the following categories:

1.Superseded training products

A training product is replaced by a newer version. 

When this happens, the replacement training product may be either:

• Equivalent – meaning the superseded training product leads to the same workplace and/or occupational outcomes; or
• Not equivalent – meaning the superseded training product has different workplace and/or occupational outcomes from the one it replaces.

2.Newly developed training products

A training product is developed for the first time. 

• For a qualification, the training product is created to address an original skill or occupational outcome required by industry. 
• For a unit of competency, the training product is created to address an emerging skill or task required by industry.

In these cases, it does not replace an existing training product. 

3.Deleted training product

A training product is removed entirely from TGA, with no replacement offered, as the skill or occupational outcome is no longer required by industry.

Major training product changes

A major change occurs when an update is significant enough to require the issue of a new training product code. When this happens, RTOs must review the change to determine whether transfer or completion requirements apply under Compliance Standard 14.  Major changes may include, but are not limited to:

Major changes to qualifications

• Changes to qualification packaging rules such as: 
  • altering the total number of units required for completion;
  • introducing a new specialisation; and
  • changing or removing an existing specialisation.
• Deleting a qualification from the national training system.
• The release of a new qualification.
• Removing units of competency from either the core or elective options of a qualification.

Major changes to units of competency

• The release of a new unit of competency. 
• Adding, removing or revising a core unit of competency, including changes to pre‑requisite requirements.
• Deleting a qualification or unit of competency from the national training system.

Minor Training Product Changes

A minor change does not result in a new training product code. However, these updates may still affect how training and assessment are delivered and assessed.

Where minor changes occur, RTOs should review their training and assessment materials to ensure alignment with the current requirements. 

Minor changes may include, but are not limited to:

• Fixing errors or updating outdated references.
• Clarifying wording where requirements remain the same.
• Adding an existing unit of competency to the elective options of a qualification, including the addition of pre-requisites.
• Updating elective units that are not part of a specialisation.
• Adding, updating or removing elective groupings where the overall number of units required does not change.

There are occasions where a minor change has occurred and the version of the training product has changed. Where this occurs, RTOs must review the change to determine whether transfer or completion requirements apply under Compliance Standard 14.

Transfer and Completion Arrangements under the 2025 Standards

Under the 2025 Standards, training product changes that trigger transition or completion requirements fall into two categories: Those that are:

• Superseded (i.e. replaced) by a new version of the training product. For example, a qualification, skill set, unit of competency, accredited course, accredited short course (i.e. Course in…) or module; and
• No longer current and has not been superseded, including where the training product has been expired, removed or deleted. 

Transfer and completion timeframes differ depending on the status of the training product. While the 2025 Standards describe training product status using outcome-based terms, TGA applies different status labels. To support consistent interpretation, the below table aligns the wording used in the 2025 Standards with the corresponding TGA status terminology and outlines the applicable transfer or completion requirements.

_{*unless an application has been submitted and approved by the Training Accreditation Council (the Council). Please see the TAC website for more information on this process.}

Superseded Training Products 

Student Enrolments 

Unless otherwise approved by the Council, after one year from the date a replacement training product is released onto training.gov.au, no further enrolments are permitted into the superseded training product. This includes Accredited Courses that are showing as ‘non-current’ on the National Register but include information indicating they have been superseded or replaced.

Compliance Standard 14 uses the term ‘a timely manner’ to recognise that the appropriate timeframe for transfer or completion will vary for different training products and characteristics of the student cohort. This approach is intended to minimise disruption for students and reduce administrative burden on RTOs. 

RTOs must determine and be able to justify, on a case-by-case basis, what constitutes a timely manner for transferring students into the replacement training product or for the decision to complete students. RTOs should document the timeframe applied, including the rationale for the timeframe approved, as part of their broader student management and transition planning.

All currently enrolled students in a superseded training product must either:

• be completed in the training product in which they are enrolled and be issued the relevant AQF certification documentation within a timely manner; or
• be transferred into the replacement training product within a timely manner.

When a training product has been replaced, it is a clear indication that industry needs have changed, to the extent that the previous qualification is no longer suitable. Students should complete or be transferred into the replacement qualification as soon as possible. Although the 2025 Standards allow for students to complete the superseded training product in a 'timely manner', it does not provide an indefinite timeframe.

Considerations given to ‘timely manner’ may include: 

• meeting the needs and best interests of the students; 
• the expectations of industry; 
• the RTO’s ability to adapt to the change; and 
• the nature of the training product itself.

Outcome Standard 2.1 outlines the obligations to inform students as soon as practicable, of any changes to training products or the RTO’s operations that may impact students, including any changes relating to the transfer or completion of students following the superseding, deletion, or expiry of a training product.

The RTO should:

• assess equivalency, at unit level, between the superseded and replacement training product;
• consider Recognition of Prior Learning for superseded and/or replacement products;
• develop a plan to manage the transfer or completion of affected students; 
• determine an appropriate time at which to transfer students. This may occur at the end of a block of training to minimise disruption;
• advise students in writing of their available options, including transfer, completion or alternative pathways, and the implications of each option; 
• consult with industry where applicable (e.g. licensing implications); and
• inform employers where applicable, e.g. apprentices and trainees, where training contracts may be affected, or where work placements are occurring. 

Amendment to Scope

When a revised training product is released, the TAC identifies all qualifications and units of competency that have been determined as being ‘equivalent’ to the superseded product. 

Where a replacement training product is determined to be equivalent, it will be automatically added to the RTO’s scope of registration and does not require an application or fee.

All other training products, including where a training product has been superseded but is not equivalent, require the RTO to submit an application to the TAC via the RTO Portal to amend its scope of registration. This process does not apply to Accredited Courses or Accredited Short Courses (Course In) where an RTO2 Application to Amend Scope of Registration is required in all cases. 

Training Products that are Not Current and Not Superseded, or are Expired, Removed or Deleted

Unless otherwise approved by the Council, from the date a Training Product is listed as non-current and has not been superseded, or is listed as deleted or cancelled on TGA, no further enrolments into that Training Product are permitted. 

Unless otherwise approved by the Council, when any Training Product is no longer current and has not been replaced by a new Training Product, transfer into another training product is not permitted. In these circumstances, all students currently enrolled must be completed

in the training product in which they are enrolled and issued the relevant certification documentation within the applicable timeframe, from the date the Training Product is listed as non-current, deleted or cancelled on TGA. 

These applicable time frames are:

• Two years for an AQF qualification, including Accredited Courses; and
• One year for units of competency, skill sets, accredited short courses (i.e. Course in…) and modules.

Demonstrating Compliance

At audit, the auditor will be looking to confirm that the RTO has:

• established and implemented a clear process for identifying changes to training products and determining whether transfer or completion requirements apply;
• informed students, as soon as practicable, any changes in training products or the RTO’s operations that may affect them;
• communicated transfer or completion options to students in writing;
• assessed the impact on students and employers (e.g. licensing changes);
• ensured students are not enrolled in a superseded training product for an extended period without appropriate transfer or completion arrangements in place; and
• implemented a planned approach for managing the transfer or completion of students enrolled in apprenticeships or traineeships, including communicating arrangements with employers and other relevant stakeholders. 

Removing Superseded Training Products from Scope of Registration

Previously, superseded or deleted training products were automatically removed from an RTO’s scope of registration after the applicable transfer or completion period (12 or 24 months). This process will continue to apply for training products that are removed or deleted and not replaced, which will be automatically removed from an RTO’s scope of registration 24 months from the date the training product is removed or deleted from TGA.

Under the 2025 Standards, where a training product has been superseded, RTOs are able to either transfer students into the replacement training product or complete students in the superseded training product within a timely manner. As there is no definitive timeframe that applies to all RTOs, superseded training products are no longer automatically removed from an RTOs scope of registration.

Once all enrolled students have either been completed or transferred, the RTO must submit an RTO2 Amendment to Registration application via the RTO Portal to remove the superseded training product from its scope of registration. 

Under the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 (WA), RTOs must not issue certification for any training product not listed on their scope of registration. For this reason, superseded training products must remain on scope until all enrolled students have either been issued with their AQF certification or formally transferred into the replacement training product, before the RTO2 Amendment to Registration application is submitted.

Modification to Enrolment and Transition Period 

In addition to the provisions outlined in Compliance Standard 14, the Council may from time to time, consider requests to modify the enrolment and transition period of a training product where it can be demonstrated that a modified period is required. Further information, including how to apply, is available on the TAC website.

If a request for a modified enrolment or transition period is approved, the approval will be published on the Council’s website. The arrangement will apply to all the TAC-registered RTOs delivering the training product to a student cohort, regardless of who made the request.

Keeping track of training product updates

Updates to training products are published on TGA. RTOs are responsible for monitoring changes to training products on their scope of registration and identifying when transfer or completion requirements apply.

RTOs can also monitor training package development activity through the Training packages under review section on the training.gov.au homepage to anticipate upcoming changes.

Notifications for training product updates

TGA provides a notification service to help RTOs stay informed of updates to nationally recognised training on their scope of registration. RTOs may choose to register for an account and subscribe to notifications for relevant training products.

To receive notifications, RTOs can:

• sign in or register for an account at TGA;
• access the 'Notifications' function;
• use the Quick search to locate training products on their scope of registration;
• select the relevant training products and save their notification preferences; and
• update selections as scope changes occur.

Definitions

• Accredited short course means a course that leads to a VET statement of attainment accredited by a VET Regulator in accordance with the accreditation standards (within the meaning of the Regulations) or the equivalent requirements 
  •  in another non-referring state; or 
  • under the Commonwealth Act.
• AQF qualification means an AQF qualification type endorsed in a training package or accredited in a VET accredited course.
• Module relates to a specific area of learning at a given level of knowledge or skills performance and is made up of a number of learning outcomes and assessment criteria.  It directly aligns to the stated educational, community or legislative outcomes of its course. Modules do not have direct industry, occupational or vocational outcomes as these are reflected in units of competency¹
• Skill set means a single unit of competency or a combination of units of competency from a training package which link to a licensing or regulatory requirement or a defined industry need.
• TGA means the National Register or training.gov.au.
• Training product means an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification, a skill set, a unit of competency, accredited short course or module. 
• Unit of competency means the specification of the standards of performance required in the workplace as defined in a training product. 

 ^{1. AQTF 2021 Standards for Accredited Courses}