What is VET About?
Vocational Education and Training is about learning skills
that can be used directly in the workforce. These skills can be applied to
joining the workforce for the first time, as part of secondary school studies, seeking
a trade or vocation (traineeship or apprenticeship), preparing for tertiary
study, re-entering the workforce or career development.
How does VET fit into Scouts?
Although Scouts is a volunteer supported youth organisation,
vocational education principles still apply.
We are all learning from day one in Joey Scouts well into our
service as adult volunteers. Skills we
learn in Scouts can be used in the workforce, just as skills gained in
education or the workforce can be used in Scouts.
For Venturer Scouts, Rover Scouts and adult volunteers, many
of these skills and much of this knowledge can be linked to formal VET outcomes.
When you consider the many aspects of the scouting program and organisation,
you will find a VET qualification that matches, including:
- Youth protection
- Business
- Outdoor recreation
- Creative pursuits
- Project management
- Leadership
How are VET outcomes achieved in Scouts?
Scouts Australia operates a Registered Training Organisation
(RTO) to provide nationally recognised statements of attainment and
qualifications (i.e., Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas).
Thousands of members from the Scout movement in Australia
have taken advantage of this function and gained qualifications in areas such
as volunteering, performing arts, leadership and adventurous activities.
Who is SAIT?
Scouts Australia Institute of Training (SAIT) (RTO# 5443) is
Scouts Australia’s own RTO.
Registered under federal legislation by the Australian
Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), SAIT is an entity that has specific responsibilities,
compliance and legal obligations. It
must achieve all of these before it can deliver statements or qualifications to
students and to maintain ongoing registration.
What is the RPL process?
SAIT does not deliver training. SAIT has approval to provide
statements of attainment and qualifications within its scope of registration
through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. RPL is an approved
assessment process that uses evidence gathered from previous training,
practical activities, work or scouting experience to demonstrate an
individual’s knowledge and skills.
To achieve RPL, you will be provided with an RPL assessment
tool (a document that shows you the steps needed) and if you require guidance,
the SAIT administration team will reach out to an assessor appointed by SAIT to
assist you in your journey.
Save your RPL Evidence
Throughout any training program, when completing practical
activities, and when submitting evidence to SAIT, always retain copies of your
evidence and never send original documents.
Evidence may be applicable to multiple qualifications, and
retaining copies ensures you can reproduce material if it is misplaced,
corrupted during transmission, or required by a different assessor.
SAIT Challenges
Maintaining administrative, workplace, child safe, financial
and legal practices is an ongoing challenge for Scouts at Unit, Group,
District, Region, Branch and National level.
For SAIT, there are many additional challenges where failure
could cause serious ramifications for students (cancellation of qualifications),
SAIT itself (non-compliance at government audit) or Scouts Australia
(reputation or financial impact).
A series of recently implemented changes in SAIT aims to
improve student (scout member) support and ensure that compliance obligations
are met.
SAIT Update
SAIT has made significant changes to its operational
structure and processing framework to support members wishing to complete VET
units, skillsets and qualifications.
The first aspect is that SAIT will manage all member
enrolments directly through an online enrolment process, with an expanded
administration team and activation of assessment faculties for youth and adults.
Secondly, SAIT has appointed a team of quality assurance advisors
(appropriately skilled Scout volunteers) to support the final processing and
approval of members’ VET applications from across Australia.
Thirdly, SAIT will continue to select, evaluate and support
Assessors who have appropriate knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications
to hold the role.
We expect that these changes will reduce processing delays
and improve outcomes for Queensland members.
SAIT Enrolment and Processing
Effective from April 1, 2026, SAIT is handling all
enrolments and student enquiries directly.
Queensland members can use the following SAIT contact information
for enrolment and support:
- SAIT enrolment website: https://scouts.com.au/members/sait/enrolment/
- SAIT Administration email: sait.enrolment@scouts.com.au
Impact for Queensland Members seeking VET qualifications
Moving forward please consider the following scenarios and
act as appropriate:
New VET Enquiry
Any Queensland member wishing to enrol in a VET program
should contact SAIT directly via email.
VET Enrolment Underway
Any Queensland member who believes they are already enrolled
(or have begun enrolment) in a program with SAIT, should contact SAIT directly
by email to check their status and seek further support.
VET Evidence Already Submitted
Any Queensland member who has submitted evidence for the
SAIT RPL process, either to Queensland state office, Queensland training team,
SAIT directly or a SAIT assessor, should contact SAIT directly via email to
confirm status.
What is the NAAF?
The
National
Adventurous Activity Framework (NAAF) is a Scouts Australia standard which
provides a nationally consistent structure for the planning, leadership, and
qualification requirements of Adventurous Activities (AA) across all Branches. A
revised version of the NAAF was published on the in the
Scouts Australia Key
Resources website in March 2026,
including four new appendixes:
- Appendix
1 – Appointment Level for Outdoor Adventure Skills Support
- Appendix
2 – Training and Recognition Pathway: Core Proficiency Curriculum
- Appendix
3 – Requirements for skill recognition and appointment for Adventurous
Activities
- Appendix
4 – External Body Qualification Recognition Mapping
VET in Adventurous Activities (AA) Skills or Appointments
Previously VET was a formal element of Scout AA skills or appointments
including Safe Participant (SP), Trained Participant (TP), Assistant Guide (AG)
and Guide (G) roles. VET outcomes were often
required before an AA appointment was approved.
Moving forward two main
changes apply:
- VET outcomes are no longer a requirement for
achieving SP, TP, AG and G Scout skills or appointments.
- VET outcomes remain as a scaffold to continuing
AG and G appointments and must be achieved within three years of the original AA
appointment.
VET in AA Training Programs
In future, while VET units may be used to inform aspects of Scout
AA training program content, there will be no direct link, alignment or
suggestion that a VET outcome will be achieved through completion of an AA
course delivered by a Scout training team.
Applications for VET outcomes will not be provided to SAIT
by Queensland training administration or through the Queensland training team,
nor will they be based solely on the exact paperwork used in AA training.
Members who choose to apply for VET qualifications or
skillsets may use their participation in a Scout training program to support
the development of a portfolio of evidence for the RPL process with SAIT. Skills
learned, photos of practical sessions, and logs of outdoor activities during
training may be provided by the member to support their application.
Training Requirements for AA Skills and Appointments
Trainer confirmation of successful course completion at the end
of a Scout training course will serve as evidence of AA acquired skills and
eligibility for appointment. Current Queensland AA pathway booklets (requiring
pre, on, and post course completion), will no longer be issued or required for
completion of AA training for specific skills/pursuits.
Completion of the relevant Core skills workbook is still
required, as there are currently no training course equivalents for this
content. The Core skills workbooks will remain in use until further planned
review is complete.
TP
Core skills pathway workbook is available on the Support Hub.
Training for SP/TP skills now requires:
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Completion of the TP Core skills pathway workbook
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AND
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Successful completion of training course only
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(Completed once only and applicable to all pursuits)
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(Completed for each relevant skill/pursuit)
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SP/TP skills for members
immediately eligible following the NAAF change are currently being processed,
e.g members who have successfully completed TP Core skills workbook and a
training course but may not have finalised post course booklet requirements or
received VET units.
Appointments for members now immediately eligible for AG/G
appointments, e.g while pending the issue of VET units, are also being
identified and processed.
If you have questions about your eligibility for Scouts
SP/TP skills or for AG/G Appointment, please reach out as indicated below.
Still Confused - Support in Queensland
VET Opportunities and Processes
Queensland has a VET professional appointed as BC VET to
support members through gaining a VET qualification.
- Are you confused by the RPL process?
- Do you need help understanding a SAIT request?
- Would you like to understand what qualifications
you could apply for?
- Have you got questions about how SAIT can
support achieving VET qualifications for school?
SP/TP Appointments
SP/TP are skills outcomes of training courses and our BC
Learning & Development can assist.
- Have you submitted your TP Core booklet but not
heard back?
- Have you completed your AA training but not
received your SP/TP appointment?
- Are you part way through completing an AA
booklet and not sure what to do next?
- Do you need to know how to confirm what courses
you have already completed?
AG/G Appointments
AG/G appointments may require assistance from an AA
specialist and our ACC Specialist Activities can assist.
- Have you got question about how to finish your
AG/G appointment?
- Are you seeking help to get guide appointment in
another pursuit?
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