How to Add Trainer VET and Vocational Credentials

Overview

In the Student Management System (SMS), managing a trainer's qualifications, competencies, and industry experience is essential for compliance. The Credentials tab on the People Page provides a centralized area to record and manage a trainer's credentials, divided into two distinct categories:

VET Credentials: Used to select specific credentials based on a trainer's assigned role and validate unit packaging against official training.gov.au compliance rules.
Vocational Credentials: Used to record specific programs and units a trainer is qualified to deliver and/or assess based on their industry experience, including accredited and non-accredited courses, skill sets, and units.

Prerequisites & System Access

The Credentials tab on the People Page is accessible only to users with the following roles or settings:

Users assigned as a Trainer
Admins who have the "Also Provides Training" toggle set to Yes
Company Contact Users who are set as Trainers

Step Tutorial

1. Navigate to Trainer Credentials

From the main menu, navigate to People.
Select the trainer or eligible staff member.
Click the Credentials tab.

You will see two primary sections:

VET Credentials
Vocational Credentials

2. Set the Trainer Role & Direction Provided By (If Required)

Before adding VET Credentials, you must assign a Trainer Role.

Select the appropriate Trainer Role from the dropdown menu.
If the selected role contains an "Under Direction" label (e.g., Role 1C, 1D, or 2B), the required Direction Provided By dropdown field will automatically appear.
- For a more detailed guide on the different Trainer Roles: How to Change the Authorisation Badges on the Credentials Tab

NOTE: If you later change the Trainer Role to one that does not require supervision, the Direction Provided By field will be hidden and is no longer required.

IMPORTANT: Trainers set as supervisors in the Direction Provided By dropdown are protected by system validation—they cannot be set as inactive, deleted, or have their user type edited while actively linked as a supervisor.

3. How to Add VET Credentials via People Page

VET credentials are the official certification of a student’s skills and achievements in the VET system. Under the Standards for RTOs 2025, RTOs must ensure these credentials are accurate, secure, and compliant. Our SMS plays a key role to guide users in selecting the correct credentials based on a trainer’s role and to validate unit packaging for compliance.

To access a Trainer's VET Credentials

Step 1: Go to People tab
Step 2: Search for the Trainer's Profile

Step 3: Under the Trainer's details, go to Credentials tab.

Credentials tab will not appear if the User profile is not a Trainer in the system or if the "Also Provide Training" toggle under General tab is not toggled ON

Step 4: Under VET Credentials section, click on the + button then choose the specific credential from the dropdown.

Step 5: After choosing the relevant VET Credentials, tick the relevant elective units

Selecting Elective and External Units
You can select more units than the total number of required elective units when adding a Trainer VET Credential. The previous restriction that prevented saving when the number of selected elective or external units exceeded the required elective units has been removed.
Note: The system will still automatically create the corresponding Trainer Matrix evidence for the elective or external units added.

If you have external units you want to declare that is not on the list, you can utilise the External Units section. (Just make sure that it aligns to the requirements of the VET Credentials you are trying to add - conditions may vary per qualification)

Save button will only be available after meeting the requirements.

VET Credentials record will now be added under the trainer's Credentials tab:

There are also options to "Edit" or "Delete" added VET Credential records by clicking the kebab icon then choosing the corresponding action you would want to happen

4. (Optional) How to Add Higher_ED or Secondary_Skillset Credentials

For specific Trainer Roles, you can add Higher_ED or Secondary_Skillset credentials under VET Credentials:

Select Higher_ED or Secondary_Skillset from the credential dropdown. A modal will appear displaying sections for Qualification details and Units of Study.
Enter Qualification Code, Name, Issued By, and Issued Date.
Enter the relevant Unit of Study Code and Unit of Study Name.

5. How to Add Vocational Credential via People Page

Vocational Credentials refer to nationally recognised qualifications, skill sets, units of competency, or statements of attainment issued under the Standards for RTOs 2025. Recording these credentials in the Student Management System (SMS) is critical to demonstrating that training and assessment have been conducted by suitably qualified and competent trainers. Proper records provide auditable evidence that the trainer meets regulatory requirements, upholds industry standards, and has the authority to deliver and assess nationally recognised training, thereby ensuring the integrity and credibility of the training outcomes.

To access a Trainer's Vocational Credentials

Step 1: Go to People tab
Step 2: Search for the Trainer's Profile

Step 3: Under the Trainer's details, go to Credentials tab.

Credentials tab will not appear if the User profile is not a Trainer in the system or if the "Also Provide Training" toggle under General tab is not toggled ON

Step 4: On the Vocational Credentials section, click on the + button then choose the specific credential from the dropdown.

Step 5: After choosing the Program Instance, tick the relevant core/elective unit/s you are teaching from the list. Once done, make sure to click the Save button.

Save button will only be available after meeting the Vocational Credential requirements.

You have now successfully added your Vocational Credentials:

6. How to Add External Units (VET & Vocational Credentials)

When adding or editing VET or Vocational Credentials, you can include External Units:

In the Add/Edit modal, locate the External Units section beneath the Elective Units area.
Click the External Units dropdown to select units available under Programs > Units.
NOTE: If the unit required is not available in the dropdown list, you will need to add this unit into your unit library Refer this help guide for detailed instructions - How to Add a Unit in the SMS
Once selected, the unit is added to the Added External Units list.

IMPORTANT: Validation rules apply to External Units:

For VET Credentials: Each program must comply with the minimum Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and/or Certification level permitted for the selected External Unit.
For Vocational Credentials: External Units must have an assigned AQF level.

7. OPTIONAL: How to Edit or Update Existing Credentials

Locate the credential entry in the VET or Vocational Credentials table.
Under the Actions column, click the Edit button.
Modify Elective or External Units as required.
Click Save after verifying that all validation rules remain satisfied.

Additional Information on Trainer Matrix Automatic Integration

Saving a VET or Vocational Credential automatically generates corresponding evidence entries in the Trainer Matrix to keep compliance records in sync:

VET Credentials: Automatically generate Trainer Matrix records for:
1. Qualification or competency
2. Industry currency
3. Professional development
Vocational Credentials: Automatically generate Trainer Matrix records for:
1. Qualification or competency
2. Industry currency

Initial Status & Uploading Documents:

Automatically generated entries default to Approved? = Evidence Gap.
When a supporting document is uploaded to the Trainer Matrix entry, the status automatically updates to Awaiting Review.

IMPORTANT: Deleting a credential removes all associated auto-generated Trainer Matrix records, except those that have uploaded documents attached. If you re-add the same credential later, the system reconnects to existing Trainer Matrix records without creating duplicates.

And that's how to manage Trainer VET and Vocational Credentials in the SMS!

Congratulations on completing this tutorial. We hope this guide helps streamline your trainer compliance management. For any questions or assistance, please reach out to the Support team via email.

FAQs

Why is the Credentials tab not visible on a person's profile?

The Credentials tab is only displayed for users configured as:
- a Trainer,
- Admins with "Also Provides Training" set to Yes,
- or Company Contact Trainers.

Ensure the user role or trainer toggle is properly set.

Why can't I click the "Add" button under VET Credentials?

The Add button in the VET Credentials section only displays after a Trainer Role has been selected from the dropdown menu.

What happens if I try to change a Trainer Role after adding VET Credentials?

If credentials already exist in the table, the system validates whether the existing credentials are compatible with the new role. If they are incompatible, the system displays a warning and prevents the role change until incompatible credentials are updated or removed.

How does Credit Transfer work between credentials?

When adding a new credential, the system checks previously selected Elective Units across existing credentials. Matching units are automatically pre-selected for the new credential, though you can manually remove them if necessary.

Why can't I delete or deactivate a supervisor trainer?

If a trainer is currently selected in the Direction Provided By dropdown for a supervised trainer, system validation prevents them from being set as inactive, deleted, or changed to a non-trainer user type. Reassign or remove the supervision link first.