AI Transparency Statement¶
Purpose of this statement¶
RTOpacks uses artificial intelligence to assist in the production of learning resource content, and displays graduate outcome data sourced from Australian government statistical datasets. This statement explains how AI is used, what it is not used for, and what users need to know about the provenance, currency, and limitations of the data displayed on the platform.
Artificial intelligence¶
What AI is used for¶
RTOpacks uses AI-assisted tools to draft learner-facing training content, including assessments, learning guides, and delivery resources associated with units of competency.
AI is used as a drafting aid only. All AI-assisted content is subject to human review and approval by a qualified content author before it is delivered through the platform. The human author — not the AI — is responsible for the final content.
What AI is not used for¶
- AI does not author or modify unit of competency descriptors or qualification content. That content is reproduced verbatim from the National Register of VET at training.gov.au under CC BY 4.0.
- AI does not make compliance determinations. RTOpacks does not assess whether an RTO's practices meet the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2025 (which replaced the 2015 Standards effective 1 January 2025) or any other regulatory requirement. Compliance is the responsibility of the RTO and its accountable personnel.
- AI does not generate, adjust, or interpret graduate outcome data. Outcome data is sourced directly from published government datasets as described below.
- No AI system on RTOpacks makes decisions about individual learners.
Errors and feedback¶
RTOpacks does not warrant that AI-assisted content is free from error. Users are responsible for reviewing and approving all content before use in their training operations.
If you identify content that appears inaccurate, inconsistent with the source unit descriptor, or otherwise unsuitable, contact us at compliance@rtopacks.com.au.
Outcome data — Recon Panel¶
The Recon Panel displays graduate outcome statistics sourced from two Australian government datasets. The following explains each source, its scope, its currency, and its limitations.
Jobs and Skills Australia — VET National Data Asset (VNDA)¶
What it is
The VET National Data Asset (VNDA) was developed by Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) in partnership with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It links individual records from a range of government administrative data assets to provide statistical insights on the outcomes of VET graduates.
What it covers
VNDA data displayed on RTOpacks covers domestic, non-school students who completed a nationally recognised VET qualification in the 2020–21 financial year. Outcomes — including employment rates and income — are measured primarily in the year following completion (2021–22).
Data currency
This data is approximately four to five years old at the time of this platform's launch. It represents the most recently available national linked-record dataset published by JSA. RTOpacks will update its VNDA data when JSA publishes a new release. Check jobsandskills.gov.au for the current release schedule.
Perturbation and rounding
To enable granular data release while protecting personal information, JSA has applied perturbation to all FY2020–21 statistics. Perturbation makes small modifications to some figures without compromising their analytical value. As a result:
- All percentages are rounded to the nearest integer
- All dollar figures are rounded to the nearest hundred
These figures are statistical estimates, not precise measurements. RTOpacks presents them accordingly and does not restate them with false precision.
Comparisons require caution
The VET sector serves a diverse student base. VNDA statistics do not account for the effect of individual capabilities, preferences, experiences, or ambitions on graduate outcomes. Direct comparisons — between qualifications, between fields of education, or between student demographic groups — should be made cautiously and always with appropriate contextual information. RTOpacks does not draw causal conclusions from this data and users should not do so either.
VNDA figures are derived using business rules specific to the dataset. They are not directly comparable with labour statistics published from other sources, including ABS labour force surveys or other salary and employment datasets.
JSA statutory disclaimer
The following disclaimer is published by Jobs and Skills Australia and applies to all VNDA-sourced data displayed on this platform:
The results of these studies are based, in part, on data supplied to the ABS under the Taxation Administration Act 1953, A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999, Australian Border Force Act 2015, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 and/or the Student Assistance Act 1973. Such data may only be used for the purpose of administering the Census and Statistics Act 1905 or performance of functions of the ABS as set out in section 6 of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975. No individual information collected under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 is provided back to custodians for administrative or regulatory purposes. Any discussion of data limitations or weaknesses is in the context of using the data for statistical purposes and is not related to the ability of the data to support the Australian Taxation Office, Australian Business Register, Department of Social Services and/or Department of Home Affairs' core operational requirements. Legislative requirements to ensure privacy and secrecy of these data have been followed. For access to PLIDA and/or BLADE data under Section 16A of the ABS Act 1975 or enabled by section 15 of the Census and Statistics (Information Release and Access) Determination 2018, source data are de-identified and so data about specific individuals has not been viewed in conducting this analysis. In accordance with the Census and Statistics Act 1905, results have been treated where necessary to ensure that they are not likely to enable identification of a particular person or organisation.
NCVER — VOCSTATS enrolment data¶
What it is
Enrolment data displayed in the Recon Panel is sourced from VOCSTATS, the statistical data service of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
What it covers
VOCSTATS data covers VET enrolment activity across Australia. It provides context on the volume of students undertaking qualifications and units of competency nationally.
Attribution
Source: VOCSTATS, National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). NCVER is not responsible for the correct extraction, analysis, or interpretation of data as presented on this platform. NCVER data is © Commonwealth of Australia.
Additional Recon Panel data sources¶
The Recon Panel also draws from the following Australian government datasets. Each is used to provide market intelligence context to RTOs. None is used for compliance assessment, compliance determinations, or individual learner decisions.
yourcareer.gov.au — Qualification and career data
Fee data, VSL (VET Student Loan) eligibility flags, employment outcome indicators, and career pathway information per qualification are sourced from the yourcareer.gov.au platform, operated by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. This data is accessed via the yourcareer.gov.au public API. RTOpacks presents this data as general market context. Fee data changes with each government budget cycle and may not reflect current pricing for all providers.
CRICOS — Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students
International course registration data, provider details, and indicative international tuition fees are sourced from CRICOS, operated by the Australian Department of Education. CRICOS data is published under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia and is updated monthly. Attribution: © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Education.
Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Shortage List (OSL)
Occupation shortage ratings displayed on RTOpacks are sourced from the Jobs and Skills Australia Occupation Shortage List (OSL), formerly known as the Skills Priority List. The OSL is updated annually. Ratings represent JSA's assessment of shortage at a point in time and do not constitute a guarantee of employment or demand for any qualification. A rating of "No Shortage" does not mean employers have no difficulty recruiting in all circumstances, and a "Shortage" rating does not mean every graduate will find employment. Attribution: Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation Shortage List, latest release.
Jobs and Skills Australia — Internet Vacancy Index (IVI)
Job vacancy indicator data displayed on RTOpacks is sourced from the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index (IVI). The IVI is a monthly count of newly lodged online job advertisements sourced from SEEK, CareerOne, and Workforce Australia. The IVI does not reflect the total number of job advertisements in the Australian labour market and does not account for jobs advertised through other channels. Online job advertisements are biased toward higher-skilled positions. IVI data is an indicator only — it is not a measure of total vacancies or employment opportunity. Attribution: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, latest release.
Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections
Forward-looking employment projection data displayed on RTOpacks is sourced from employment projections produced for Jobs and Skills Australia by Victoria University using the Victoria University Employment Forecasting (VUEF) model. Projections are calibrated against Australian Treasury macroeconomic forecasts. Employment projections are indicative only. They are based on modelling assumptions and contain inherent uncertainty. They should not be relied upon as precise predictions of future employment conditions. Attribution: Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Projections, latest release.
State and territory government training subsidy lists
Government funding eligibility information is sourced from the subsidised training lists published by Australian state and territory governments. Each state's data is sourced separately and reflects the program rules current at the time of the most recent ingest. This information is updated annually following state budget cycles.
Sources by state:
| State | Program | Source authority |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Smart and Skilled | NSW Department of Education |
| QLD | Queensland Subsidised Training List (QSTL) | QLD Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts |
| VIC | Free TAFE | Victorian Department of Education |
| SA | WorkReady (STAL + TPL) | Skills SA |
| WA | Jobs and Skills WA | Western Australian Department of Training and Workforce Development |
| TAS | Skills Tasmania Funded Qualifications | Skills Tasmania |
| NT | Fee-Free TAFE (CDU) | NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade / Charles Darwin University |
RTOpacks does not warrant that state funding data is complete or current. RTOs must verify eligibility and funding status directly with the relevant state training authority before making enrolment or business decisions. State funding eligibility is subject to conditions that vary by provider, student cohort, and program rules.
What the Recon Panel is and is not¶
The Recon Panel is an information tool. It surfaces publicly available government outcome and enrolment data alongside qualification and unit information to assist RTOs in understanding the broader context of the qualifications in their scope.
The Recon Panel:
- Is a convenient aggregation of publicly available government data
- Is not a compliance assessment tool
- Is not a guarantee of graduate outcomes for any specific cohort or delivery context
- Is not a substitute for independent research, enrolment forecasting, or regulatory advice
Further information¶
For questions about AI use or data sources on this platform: compliance@rtopacks.com.au
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