About us
The Western Australian State Training Board is a statutory body established by Part 3 of the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996. We are the peak industry training advisory body to the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in WA.
Our key focus is to ensure Western Australia has a quality vocational education and training (VET) system that enables people to develop skills and knowledge that support and meet the needs of industry.
We actively encourage industry and employers to engage with training — not only to meet the growing, dynamic and diverse needs of our workforce; but also to contribute to the development of training programs that meet their needs.
Find out more about how we work
Our priorities
The Board manages and supports a range of activities and projects to support industry, business and our community across WA to provide optimum employment opportunities for people and ensure the availability of appropriately skilled labour. We are working closely with industry, training providers and other stakeholders to establish and implement strategies that will support the State Government’s Plan for Jobs, which aims to create a vibrant and diversified economy with a broader range of industries and jobs.
By increasing training options and creating apprenticeships and traineeships at every opportunity, our training system can deliver real job opportunities for all Western Australians.
Find out more about our priorities
Our advisory role
We provide high level independent expert advice and industry-based research on strategic directions, policy and priorities for WA’s training system. This advice includes the following key areas.
- Strategic directions, policies and priorities for the state’s training system.
- The existing and anticipated supply and demand for skills in various industries.
- The establishment and variation of apprenticeships and traineeships.
- Strategies to support industries experiencing skill shortages.
- The development of policy to improve links between specific industry developments and VET.
- The extent to which training services meet the current and future requirements of industry and the community, including the requirement for equal opportunity of access to those services.
- Emerging international, national and state training issues, and any other matters as directed by the Minister.
Board membership
Our Chair and Board members are drawn from WA’s key industries and employer and employee groups. They contribute industry experience and expertise, providing a direct link between industry needs and government direction that informs our work.
Working together to create opportunities
WA offers workforce opportunities that are unique to our great state. But with opportunity comes challenges; such as determining skills and training needs in response to rapidly changing demographic, economic and labour market conditions. The WA State Training Board is actively working with industry, business and employers to identify training needs now and into the future, and the skills gaps that can be addressed through quality vocational education and training.
The Board also has an important role in encouraging industry to invest in training, and to engage with the training sector, so that together we can design quality training programs to meet their needs. This involves developing and delivering strategies, policies and actions that maximise opportunities for building, attracting and retaining a skilled and capable workforce for WA; whether it's through creating more flexible training options, or creating opportunities for employers to engage with the training sector through apprenticeships and traineeships.
We invite and welcome industry, business and employers — particularly small businesses and start-ups — to be part of this important work and help create new and accessible opportunities for all Western Australians to participate in the workforce and community.
If you are interested in finding out more about these opportunities, please contact us
Office of the State Training Board
The Board is supported by a secretariat – the Office of the State Training Board (OSTB) – which provides executive and research support to the Board's members and committees. OSTB is a branch of the Department of Training and Workforce Development.
The Office handles all State Training Board enquiries and can be contacted via email: ostb@dtwd.wa.gov.au or by phone at 08 6551 5593.
Alternatively; please use our online form if you have an enquiry, would like to offer feedback or make a complaint.
Legislated functions
The legislated functions of the State Training Board are set out in Section 21 of the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 (the VET Act). A brief explanation of each of the legislated activities, as defined by the Act, is provided below.
To find out more about these legislated functions, please contact us
Western Australian State Training Plan
Show moreSection 21(1) (a) of the VET Act requires the Board to prepare for the Minister's approval a State Training Plan for WA.
The Plan identifies the training and skill development priorities for WA’s industries, and guides the State Government’s investment in training places under the Act over a four-year period.
Classification of qualifications for delivery through a training contract
Show moreUnder Section 60C of the VET Act, the Minister must take advice and recommendations from the Board on the creation of qualifications for delivery through a training contract as apprenticeships and traineeships in WA.
To propose the establishment of a new apprenticeship or variation to an existing apprenticeship, a proponent can submit a proposal by lodging a notice of intent to the Board. The proponent may be an individual business/employer, employer or industry group, union, registered training organisation, industry training council, the Board, the Minister, or other stakeholder.
View how to create a proposal for establishment or varying an apprenticeship
*Apprenticeship means any employment-based training scheme whether termed an apprenticeship, traineeship, cadetship or internship.
Appeals against decisions of the Training Accreditation Council
Show moreA person who is dissatisfied with a decision of the Training Accreditation Council (TAC) relating to registration, course accreditation or cancellation of VET qualifications may appeal that decision through an application to the State Training Board under Section 58G of the VET Act.
Appeals should be lodged within 21 days of the date of being notified of TAC’s decision via email. TAC will be notified that an appeal has been lodged. The appeal should:
- clearly state that it is an appeal against a TAC decision;
- clearly identify which guidelines or criteria that TAC erred in its application of or failed to apply;
- explain why TAC was bound to apply the guidelines or criteria; and
- describe the alleged error and explain how TAC should have applied the guidelines or criteria.
Industry training advisory bodies
Show moreUnder Section 21(1) (b) of the VET Act, the Board recognises various industry training advisory bodies (industry training councils) from whom we take advice on the development of the WA State Training Plan and when providing advice to the Minister on apprenticeships and traineeships.
Policy advice to improve links between industry developments and VET
Show moreSection 21(1)(c) of the VET Act allows the Board to prepare, for the consideration of the Minister, policy which aims to improve the links between specific industry developments and VET so as to gain optimum employment opportunities for people and ensure the availability of appropriately skilled labour for WA.
