Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector is central to building workforce capability, supporting industry demand, and driving national productivity. To keep this system strong, credible, and trusted, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) monitors and regulates training providers across the country. Each year, ASQA publishes its Regulatory Risk Priorities (RRPs), setting out the issues that most threaten quality, compliance, and student outcomes. The 2025–26 RRPs highlight six critical themes that will shape ASQA’s regulatory focus for the year ahead.
A Data-Led and Intelligence-Driven Model
ASQA has moved away from traditional compliance inspections toward a model built on intelligence gathering and data analysis. This approach allows regulators to detect trends, identify early warning signs, and anticipate risks before they become systemic. By concentrating resources where they are needed most, ASQA can target providers and practices that pose the greatest risk to students, employers, and the integrity of qualifications.
Rather than checking compliance in isolation, the regulator now seeks to connect the dots between evidence, risk signals, and industry intelligence. This provides a proactive framework that both addresses non-compliance and prevents it from becoming entrenched.
The Annual Environmental Scan
The foundation of ASQA’s risk strategy is the annual environmental scan (e-scan). This process draws on consultation with industry stakeholders, student groups, regulators, and training providers. The e-scan highlights the areas of greatest concern and groups them into themes, providing a clear structure for regulatory action.
For 2025–26, the e-scan shows continuity with earlier years but also recognises new complexities in the way risks are connected. By adjusting the themes and refining their focus, ASQA aims to capture the dynamic challenges facing providers in a changing training landscape.
Key Risk Themes for 2025–26
The e-scan has identified six priority areas of concern:
Shortened Course Duration
Some providers continue to compress training delivery to unrealistic levels, particularly in online or blended formats. This undermines the volume of learning and erodes the credibility of qualifications.
Student Work Placement
Work placements are a vital component of qualifications in health, community services, and care sectors. Poorly managed placements or inadequate supervision reduce students’ ability to demonstrate competence and pose risks to vulnerable communities.
Non-Genuine Providers
A minority of providers remain focused on profit rather than quality education. These operators compromise the reputation of the entire sector and reduce trust in VET both domestically and internationally.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
When conducted properly, RPL provides valuable recognition of existing skills. However, rushed or poorly documented processes weaken assessment outcomes and risk unfair or inconsistent decisions.
Academic Integrity
Incidents of plagiarism, contract cheating, and weak assessment integrity undermine student learning and reduce the value of qualifications. Maintaining rigorous standards in assessment remains an ongoing regulatory focus.
International Education Risks
Marketing and recruitment practices targeting international students have been highlighted as a risk area. Misleading promotions or poor-quality delivery for overseas learners damage Australia’s reputation as a global education provider.
Notably, online delivery is no longer treated as a separate theme. Instead, concerns about online training have been folded into the broader risk of shortened course durations, reflecting that the real issue is quality and volume of learning rather than the mode of delivery.
Industry Sectors Under Close Scrutiny
ASQA has signalled that some industries require particular attention because of their potential impact on public safety and community trust.
Among the key sectors under particular vigilance are:
Early Childhood Education and Care: This sector is critical because the quality of training and practical placements directly influences the well-being, development, and safety of young children. Any deficiencies in training standards or practical experience could have serious long-term consequences for the most vulnerable members of the community. ASQA's oversight ensures that educators are adequately prepared to provide nurturing, safe, and stimulating environments for children.
Aviation: In the aviation industry, the stakes are exceptionally high. Inadequate training or systemic compliance failures can lead to immediate and catastrophic safety consequences, potentially resulting in accidents, injuries, or fatalities. Given the inherent risks associated with air travel, ASQA's close monitoring aims to uphold rigorous training standards for pilots, ground crew, maintenance personnel, and other aviation professionals, thereby safeguarding passengers and ensuring the integrity of air operations.
High Risk Work Licensing: This category encompasses a broad range of activities that, by their nature, pose significant hazards to workers and the public. Examples include operating heavy machinery, working at heights, or handling dangerous goods. If individuals engaged in high-risk work are not properly trained and certified, the potential for serious workplace incidents, injuries, or even fatalities increases dramatically. ASQA's focus here is to ensure that all individuals undertaking such work possess the necessary competencies and are licensed appropriately, thereby promoting safer work environments across various industries.
To effectively address the identified risks within these critical industries, ASQA will implement targeted compliance campaigns. These campaigns will employ a multi-faceted approach, integrating:
Audits: Comprehensive examinations of RTOs (Registered Training Organisations) and their programs to assess compliance with national standards, curriculum requirements, and the quality of delivery and assessment.
Investigations: In-depth inquiries into specific complaints, incidents, or suspected non-compliance issues to uncover root causes and identify accountability.
Education Programs: Proactive initiatives designed to inform and guide RTOs, industry stakeholders, and learners about best practices, regulatory requirements, and emerging risks.
By combining these strategies, ASQA aims to proactively identify and rectify potential issues within these vital sectors, ensuring that vocational education and training contribute positively to public safety and maintain community confidence in the skills and qualifications of the Australian workforce.
Why These Risks Matter
The six themes are closely linked. A provider that shortens courses may also be failing to provide adequate work placements, cutting corners in RPL, or encouraging poor academic practices. Misleading marketing can attract students to providers that are already cutting quality, feeding into broader issues of integrity.
By treating the themes as part of a connected ecosystem, ASQA seeks to protect students, reassure employers, and maintain the value of national qualifications. Each theme represents not only a compliance challenge but a threat to the public trust that underpins the entire VET sector.
Building a Culture of Quality
The 2025–26 priorities send a clear signal that compliance is not about filling out forms or meeting the bare minimum. It is about embedding a culture of quality and accountability into the daily operations of training providers.
Those providers that build systems of integrity will not only withstand regulatory scrutiny but will thrive in a competitive market. They will earn the trust of students and employers who depend on qualifications being credible and consistent. Conversely, providers who persist in treating compliance as a technicality will face greater oversight and potentially, sanctions.
Conclusion
The VET sector stands at the heart of Australia’s skills agenda. By focusing on shortened courses, placements, provider integrity, RPL, academic honesty, and international delivery, ASQA is targeting the areas that have the greatest influence on quality outcomes.
The message is clear: the qualifications delivered across Australia must be meaningful, trusted, and world-class. The Regulatory Risk Priorities for 2025–26 are designed to ensure that remains the case. For training providers, the challenge is to embrace these expectations and demonstrate that quality is not a burden, but the foundation of their role in preparing Australians for the future of work.
