The National Training Register Enhancement Project is improving the infrastructure and technology that underpins the National Register. This will support the vocational education and training sector well into the future.
The current National Register, Training.Gov.au, is over a decade old. Parts of the infrastructure are dated and make it difficult and costly to maintain and update. Improving the National Register will:
- strengthen capabilities so that training products can be developed and updated faster to meet evolving needs
- drive collaboration across sectors, reducing duplication of training products
- deliver enhanced technology, infrastructure, and system improvements capable of enabling the vocational education and training sector into the future.
The Project works collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders, including state and territory governments, regulators, and others, to deliver user-centred design and experience.
The following improvements will be made to the National Register:
The National Training Register Enhancement Project will be delivered over the next few years and is expected to conclude in mid-2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will the National Training Register Enhancement Project impact?
The National Training Register Enhancement Project will have an impact on users in the vocational education and training sector, including:
- regulators
- registered training organisations
- training package developers
- from 2023, Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC)
- state and territory government training departments and state training authorities
- providers of student management systems.
How will changes and impact on stakeholders be monitored?
A dedicated change management function has been established to deliver program activities to prepare, equip, and support individuals and entities to successfully move to the new National Register.
How can I stay informed about the National Training Register Enhancement Project?
The National Training Register Enhancement Project team will release regular communications to stakeholders. Please regularly check this website for the latest information.
How can I be involved in the National Training Register Enhancement Project?
There are lots of opportunities to be involved, including:
- participating in workshops
- participating in training sessions
- participating in change impact research
- participating in User Acceptance Testing
- sending suggestions/questions to NTRReform@dewr.gov.au
- regularly checking this page for updates and news
- liaising with the members on external reference groups
- liaising with your respective peak body.
Who are you engaging with to ensure the National Training Register Enhancement Project meets the sector’s needs?
The department convenes external reference groups that include regulators, users including representatives from state and territory governments and peak bodies, and training package developers which will soon comprise Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC) from early 2023.
To find out about members and how to engage with them, send an email to NTRReform@dewr.gov.au.
Will there be training on enhancements to the National Register?
Yes. A training plan with a detailed schedule will be created for each user group and will be shared with reference groups and stakeholders shortly.
Will User Acceptance Testing be conducted for the National Training Register Enhancement Project?
Yes. User Acceptance Testing will be conducted throughout the development phase of the National Training Register Enhancement Project. The Project will work with the right users at the right time to make sure that all Project deliverables meet user needs.
Will the National Training Register Enhancement Project include demonstration versions or prototypes of system functionality?
The National Training Register Enhancement Project adopts an Agile delivery approach. This means the project will develop a ‘minimum viable product’ of sufficient quality to meet the intent of the deliverable, and incrementally build to enhance the system over time. All releases would undergo extensive testing, including but not limited to User Acceptance Testing.
Can I access training.gov.au and pre-existing reports during the National Training Register Enhancement Project?
Yes. Training.gov.au will be available throughout the National Training Register Enhancement Project and all features will remain accessible. Once functions are ready for release on the new National Register, they will transition to the new site. Existing pre-built reports will remain available on training.gov.au and the new system will streamline these, along with providing improved self-service reporting tools.
What technology will be used for other systems to interact with the products the National Training Register Enhancement Project is building? Will the Simple Object Access Protocol Webservices be maintained?
The new National Register will use REST Application Program Interfaces (APIs) as the primary standard for interoperability with other related systems inside and outside the department. Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Webservices will be decommissioned as part of the Project.
How long will the current Simple Object Access Protocol Webservices be available before they are decommissioned?
There is no decommissioning date set for the current Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Webservices yet. Any transition in future will be managed in a way that does not impact current needs, and appropriate lead times and communication will be made with impacted users.
How will the transition from Simple Object Access Protocol Webservices to REST APIs be managed?
The National Training Register Enhancement Project will build transition pathways and timeframes from the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Webservices to the REST (Representational State Transfer, also known as RESTful API) APIs at an appropriate time in the future to align with project deliverables. The current SOAP Webservices will be maintained until the proper transition occurs.
How are the Vocational Education and Training Data Streamlining and National Training Register Enhancement Projects related?
The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Data Streamlining program is focused on improving the collection and use of VET student and training activity data from training providers. The National Training Register Enhancement Project focuses on improving national register capabilities. These projects are complementary and will exchange information to increase transparency, improve responsiveness and build a stronger VET system.