Indian VET ties could strengthen trainer jobs in Australia

Australia's education sector is considered highly by overseas onlookers. Our training facilities and education system are strong enough to reap positive rewards, evidenced by the five Australian universities that placed in the QS World University Rankings' top 50 for 2014/15.

Our training industry is also highly rated, and for Indian students wishing to gain their vocational education and training (VET) Down Under, there is now an even greater incentive to do so.

A memorandum of understanding was recently signed between Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne and India's Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani. This agreement outlined the mutual recognition of qualifications between the two countries, which will further encourage Indian students to receive their training in Australia.

As well as allowing more people to receive a high level of training, it is likely to increase the number of training jobs in Australia, as VET facilities take on more students.

"About half the cohort of Indian students in Australia join vocational courses," Minister Pyne began in a report by the Economic Times.

"The Australian VET system is very strong and is designed to address workplace-specific skills requirement of different industries. There is a strong connect between the Australia's VET and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a skilled workforce in India,"

TAFE, adult and community education providers, agricultural colleges, community organisations, industry skill centres, private training providers, and commercial and enterprise training providers were all listed as beneficiaries from this closer relationship.

What's more, the number of Indian students receiving education in Australia is growing by 15 per cent each year, with around half of the 20,189 yearly learners taking a VET course.

Typically, Indian students completing their course can stay in the country on a subclass 485 visa for between 18 months and four years. With the option to take their skills back home, it could prove a boost to both training industry recruitment and the options overseas students have after completing their education.