Shaping the Future of Outdoor Recreation: VET Review Workshops Underway
- Outdoors NSW & ACT
- Oct 8
- 4 min read
The world of outdoor recreation in Australia is evolving—and to keep pace, our training and qualifications must evolve too. Enter the Outdoor Recreation and Leadership Qualification Review, led by HumanAbility: a national initiative to ensure vocational education and training (VET) in this sector aligns with real-world demands, modern safety and regulatory standards, and the aspirations of learners and industry alike.
A key pillar of this review are the Consultation Workshops (sometimes referred to as “VET Review Workshops”) that invite industry voices to steer the direction of change.
Why the Review Matters
Before diving into the workshops, it helps to understand why this review is happening:
The outdoor recreation and leadership sector contributes an estimated $11 billion annually to the Australian economy and is projected to grow by about 10 % by 2026.
Yet the sector faces considerable workforce challenges: a shortage of skilled staff, high turnover, casualisation of roles, and gaps between what formal qualifications currently deliver and what industry needs in practice.
The existing qualifications under review are: • SIS20419 Certificate II in Outdoor Recreation • SIS30619 Certificate III in Outdoor Leadership • SIS40621 Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership • SIS50421 Diploma of Outdoor Leadership
The review aims to reshape training so graduates are better prepared, pathways are clearer, and the VET system is more responsive and sustainable.
What the Workshops (Consultations) Offer
These workshops are a critical bridge between the theory of qualification design and the reality of on-the-ground practice. They function as open forums where stakeholders can:
Provide feedback on draft qualifications, units of competency, and skill sets.
Discuss and challenge assumptions in the functional analysis, ensuring that the roles, tasks, and competencies are grounded in real workplaces.
Identify gaps and redundancies in current training products—i.e. what’s missing, what’s duplicated, what’s inefficient.
Shape future pathways — particularly how learners move from entry-level roles to advanced leadership, and how training can support mobility across sectors (e.g. tourism, education, health).
Ensure alignment with external frameworks like the Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAAS) and good practice guides.
In short: these workshops are not token events. They are collaborative, influential spaces where the sector’s future gets negotiated.
When & Where: Upcoming Workshops (2025)
Registrations are open for both in-person and online workshops across multiple states. Below is the schedule (times in local zones unless otherwise noted) as of this writing:
Location | Date | Time | Notes |
Brisbane | Tues, 21 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Cairns | Thurs, 23 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Port Augusta | Tues, 28 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Penrith | Tues, 28 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Adelaide | Thurs, 30 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Wollongong | Thurs, 30 October 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Canberra | Thurs, 6 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Online | Mon, 3 November 2025 | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm AEST | Virtual workshop |
Online | Wed, 5 November 2025 | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm AEST | Virtual workshop |
Online | Fri, 7 November 2025 | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm AEST | Virtual workshop |
Wodonga | Tues, 11 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Geelong | Thurs, 13 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Melbourne | Fri, 14 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Perth | Tues, 18 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Busselton | Thurs, 20 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | In person |
Beyond these, written submissions are open from September through November 2025, giving stakeholders in all regions another pathway to contribute.
If you’re a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), employer, industry practitioner, or learner in outdoor rec, these sessions are your chance to have a direct impact. Workshopping what we teach, how we teach it, and how we assess it matters.
What to Expect (and How to Prepare)
Attending a workshop can be more than just turning up and listening. To make your voice heard and to get the most out of the session, consider:
Review the Functional Analysis Report
HumanAbility has published a Functional Analysis Report outlining core tasks, competencies, and gaps uncovered in earlier research phases. Familiarising yourself with it before the workshop helps ground your feedback in evidence.
Bring your own case examples
What are the challenges in your setting—remote, regional, coastal, school programs, commercial tours? Real problem statements or examples are gold in these discussions.
Note duplication or missing content
Are there units that feel repetitive (e.g. “assist,” “lead,” “manage”)? Are there key capabilities not currently addressed (e.g. mental health facilitation, remote communication, or digital safety)? Many past consultations have flagged these as issues.
Think across pathways
Consider horizontal and vertical mobility: how can someone move from Certificate II → IV → Diploma? How can this training link to adjacent sectors (tourism, youth work, education)?
Engage with other stakeholders
Workshops are best when cross-sector perspectives come together—RTOs, land managers, schools, guiding services, Indigenous tourism, adventure tourism, community groups. The more viewpoints, the better.
What Changes Are Being Considered
The review is already bringing to light several themes and recommendations emerging from early consultations and analysis. These include:
Simplification & consolidation
Reducing repetition or overlap across units while preserving critical distinctions in safety, environment, and decision complexity.
Stronger alignment with real work
Embedding more workplace-based learning, structured placements or traineeships, and assessment that reflects real conditions.
Clearer pathways & progression
Scaffolding from entry roles through to leadership, and the ability to recognise prior learning (including informal or volunteer-based experience).
Cross-sector flexibility
Designing units that serve multiple domains—e.g. leadership, risk, facilitation skills usable in tourism, education, community settings.
Inclusion, ethics, and wellbeing
Embedding cultural, inclusive, environmental, and emotional safety practices across competencies—not just as electives.
Alignment with AAAS & good practice guides
Ensuring training content remains consistent with national standards in outdoor activity practices.
Why Your Voice Matters
The design choices made now will shape:
The preparedness of future outdoor leaders stepping into real roles
The relevance of training to contemporary outdoor challenges (climate change, remote delivery, digital tools)
The equity of access to high-quality training for regional or underrepresented participants
The sustainability of the workforce through clearer career paths and retention strategies
If you’re working in or connected to outdoors, this is your chance to help craft training that truly supports the industry.
