Following the fifth national forum of the Australian Travel Career Council (ATCC) Travel Skills Taskforce, an executive synthesis session was held on 11 May to review the proposed structure of the Certificate III in Travel (SIT30222) and complete a final impact assessment.
The session examined how recommendations developed through five intensive consultation forums could strengthen career pathways and support long-term workforce growth across Australia’s travel sector.
Twenty-three industry leaders representing a broad cross-section of the travel industry participated in the executive session. ATCC CEO Rick Myatt opened proceedings by outlining proposed reforms across 17 competency units and acknowledged the significant collaborative contribution made by all travel sub-sectors throughout the national consultation process.
A key focus of discussion was ensuring the qualification remains future-ready, including whether the Certificate III in Travel should continue as a standalone qualification or align more closely with the Certificate III in Tourism.
Myatt highlighted a critical challenge affecting training delivery nationwide.
“A disparity in funding from state to state is causing Registered Training Organisations to steer away from delivering the travel qualification.”
The funding imbalance has contributed to a significant decline in course availability, reinforcing the importance of carefully evaluating any future structural changes.
The Session concluded by addressing the primary barriers facing prospective entrants to the industry, particularly the diminished perception of job security following the pandemic. Delegates agreed that qualification reform will play an important role in rebuilding confidence and strengthening the workforce pipeline through three strategic priorities:
- Modernising Skills – Replacing legacy manual processes with competencies such as AI literacy and digital fluency to position travel as a technology-enabled, human-centric career.
- Removing Structural Barriers – Addressing limitations within the current Certificate III in Travel, including restricted access to a full qualification for school-based trainees, to create stronger entry pathways for young people.
- Stabilising Training Supply – Exploring closer alignment with broader tourism qualifications to support more consistent state funding, encourage Registered Training Organisations to re-enter the sector, and help reverse the 56 per cent decline in graduates since 2019, according to National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data.
ATCC Director Barry Mayo said the proposed reforms present an opportunity to strengthen the industry’s long-term workforce capability.
“By adopting a purpose-led qualification and aligning more closely with government funding priorities, we can transform current challenges into a streamlined gateway for a future-ready workforce.”
Following the completion of scheduled roadmap milestones and extensive industry consultation, ATCC will share its workforce practice findings with training package administrators for consideration as part of the proposed qualification reforms.
