IRC Review FAQs

  • How will the IRC Review work?

    The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) launched the IRC Review in April 2016 with the review of the following 15 IRCs.

    • Electrotechnology
    • Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical
    • Electricity Supply Industry Transmission Distribution & Rail
    • Public Sector
    • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers
    • Financial Services
    • Construction
    • Property Services
    • Furnishing
    • Rural and Related
    • Five forestry-based IRCs:
      • Skills and Employment
      • NSW Skills and Training
      • SA Skills and Training
      • TAS Skills and Training
      • VIC Skills and Training

    Stakeholders will be notified when proposed structures for each IRC are published on this website for comment. To receive regular updates on the review process please register via the AISC’s enquiry form.
    The review acknowledges the variation in sectors across IRCs and the need for flexibility when reviewing the structure and membership of the committees.

  • What is an Industry Reference Committee and how do the new VET arrangements work?

    The primary purpose of an IRC is to provide advice to the AISC about the skills needs of their industry or sector, based on their experience and expertise.

    Specifically, IRCs undertake the following functions (supported by their SSO as required):

    1. Gather general intelligence for their industry sectors to inform advice on training package development and review
    2. Oversight the development and review of training packages in accordance with the requirements of the AISC
    3. Oversight the development of the IRC workplan by the SSO, advising who should be included in the consultation and the type of information to include
    4. Provide sign off on the workplan, business cases, cases for endorsement and other submissions for consideration by the AISC
    5. Report to the AISC on progress of its work
    6. Promote the use of VET in the sectors they represent.

    To facilitate this work, IRCs are comprised of industry representatives with expertise from a cross-section of the particular industry or sector, and will be tailored to the particular circumstances of that industry or sector.