Large Training Provider of the Year Award
The Large Training Provider of the Year Award recognises large registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer a range of training products and services and that demonstrate excellence and high-level performance in all aspects of vocational education and training.
2025 state or territory Award winners of this category are nominated to enter a short-listing process to the Australian Training Awards. The original application of the winners already address the award criteria below and are automatically submitted to the Australian Training Awards by the state or territory training awards.
Eligibility criteria for the Australian Training Awards
Organisations must be registered in Australia, with an Australian Business Number.
Nominees must:
- meet the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry requirements
- have 500 or more students enrolled at the time of nomination, as reported by RTOs in the most recent annual National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data collection period*
- be an RTO for which the delivery of vocational education and training is their core business
- nominate in the state or territory where the majority of their training is being delivered **, and
- have won the aligned category at the relevant state or territory training awards in 2025.
* If this criteria is not met, nominees may be eligible to apply for the Small Training Provider of the Year Award.
** Organisations may only nominate for this category in a single state or territory. Only one nomination will be accepted per RTO code.
Note: Applicants to the Large Training Provider of the Year Award will be subject to quality assurance checks by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), and/or the applicable regulatory authority in Victoria and Western Australia. The checks will inform the selection process of applicants to this award category.
Section A: Overview
The information in Section A will not be considered or used for judging purposes, but it may be used as a summary of your organisation throughout the Awards process.
Organisation Details
| Number of currently enrolled students* | |
| Number of narrow ASCED fields of education that you offer** | |
| Number of qualifications listed on your scope of registration currently being delivered | |
| Number of units of competency listed on your scope of registration currently being delivered | |
| Number of skill sets listed on your scope of registration currently being delivered | |
| Number of accredited courses listed on your scope of registration currently being delivered | |
| Completion rate for qualifications (in the year previous to this award) | % |
| Completion rate for units of competency (in the year previous to this award) | % |
| Completion rate for skill sets (in the year previous to this award) | % |
| Completion rate for accredited courses (in the year previous to this award) | % |
| Number of full-time equivalent staff | |
| Number of part time staff | |
| Number of casual staff | |
| Number of contracting staff | |
| Length of time in operation (years) | |
| Percentage of annual turnover attributed to Australian Government funding | % |
| Percentage of annual turnover attributed to state/territory government funding | % |
| Percentage of annual turnover attributed to fee-for-service funding | % |
*Please attach evidence of the breakdown of your enrolled student numbers in each state and territory (as provided to NCVER in the most recent annual data collection period). Note that this attachment is not counted towards the attachment limit.
**Qualifications and accredited courses are each assigned a 4-digit Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) ‘narrow’ field of education code. There are 71 narrow fields of education, and they identify the subject matter relating to a program of study.
Business Summary
Provide a brief description of your organisation, including the reasons why you are applying for this award.
(Limit: 500 words)
Section B: Selection Criteria
This information will be considered and used for short listing and judging purposes
Criterion 1: High quality and leading practice in vocational education and training
How do you provide high quality vocational education and training? For example, you may consider:
- how you demonstrate excellence and high level performance in nationally accredited training arrangements
- how you provide creative and innovative solutions to emerging training needs
- the systems you have in place to manage, evaluate and enhance your VET products and services
- how you implement and keep up with best practice
- how your training influences best practice
- how you measure success (e.g. outcome and completion data, satisfaction surveys, independent validations and evaluations, industry recognition, business outcomes from training activity)
- how you undertake continuous improvement and apply quality controls within your organisation.
(Limit: 800 words)
Criterion 2: Meeting student needs
How do you support students and meet their needs in vocational education and training? For example, you may consider:
- how you encourage access to your VET products and services
- what support services you provide to students during their training
- the systems you have in place to be able to reach different cohorts (e.g. online training)
- how you are inclusive of different students’ needs
- how you provide students with the skills they need to be successful in the workplace
- how satisfied students are with their training
- the success you have achieved in meeting the needs of equity groups.
(Limit: 800 words)
Criterion 3: Meeting industry needs
How do you monitor industry and market needs? For example, you may consider:
- how you build new, innovative and effective partnerships with industry in the local or wider community
- how you collect data on and understand industry/business needs and expectations
- your capacity and flexibility to meet changing training needs and new training markets
- how your training reflects changing industry requirements and expectations.
(Limit: 800 words)
Criterion 4: High quality business management
How do you manage your business to ensure it is operating at a high quality? For example, you may consider:
- the strategies you have in place to identify local/regional issues (e.g. social, economic, industrial or environmental issues) and how you incorporate these into your service delivery
- the systems you have in place for planning and communicating your purpose, vision, goals, values and core business strategies (and for creating alignment across your whole organisation)
- how you develop the capability and capacity of your workforce
- the strategies you have in place to build a positive workplace culture
- how you support employee wellbeing and positive mental health
- how you incorporate inclusion and diversity into running your business
- how you identify and attract new clients and new markets, and how you address these without impacting the sustainability of your operations
- how you enrol, train and report on online learners
- how you ensure the sustainability of your operations, including your understanding of risk and risk management.
(Limit: 800 words)
Criterion 5: Innovation and excellence in design and delivery of training
How you demonstrate innovation in your approach to the design and delivery of training for students? For example, you may consider:
- details of creativity, innovation and excellence in the design, development and delivery of training
- how you demonstrate creativity and innovation in the design and development of your processes and techniques (operational or educational)
- innovative methods that you use to create positive relationships or partnerships with others to enhance the effectiveness of your training
- innovative approaches that you use to encourage access to training for your students (e.g. mentoring, e-learning, collaborative learning).
(Limit 800 words)
For further information visit your relevant state or territory training awards website.
TAFE NSW - South Western Sydney Institute
2013
Winner
New South Wales
TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute (TAFE SWSi) provides training to more than 3000 secondary school students through VET in Schools arrangements, TAFE delivery, Australian School-based Apprenticeships and collaborative programmes targeting secondary students at risk of disengagement.
TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute (TAFE SWSi) is one of the largest registered training organisations in Australia and caters to clients ranging from high profile national organisations to small and micro local businesses. SWSi is also an international vocational education and training provider currently delivering Australian-accredited training in China and the Philippines.
In 2009 SWSi introduced a ‘Bright Ideas’ initiative to improve workforce capability in innovation. The success of this initiative led to the SWSi Innovate model, which in turn led to numerous successful collaborations with industry partners.
SWSi caters to one of the most ethnically diverse and disadvantaged regions in Australia. Reflecting the region’s diversity, SWSi provides targeted training for a range of groups including Indigenous students, refugees, students with disabilities and the long-term unemployed.
Download the Australian Training Awards fact sheet on SWSI's achievements. Watch the video of SWSI after receiving the award.
TasTAFE
2014
Finalist
Tasmania
TasTAFE was formed in 2013 with the merging of Tasmanian Polytechnic and the Tasmanian Skills Institute and is the largest registered training organisation in Tasmania. In its first year of operations, its 14 campuses delivered 7.6 million hours of training, across 375 qualifications, to more than 32 000 students, 7577 of whom completed their qualifications.
TasTAFE was formed in 2013 with the merging of Tasmanian Polytechnic and the Tasmanian Skills Institute and is the largest registered training organisation in Tasmania. In its first year of operations, its 14 campuses delivered 7.6 million hours of training, across 375 qualifications, to more than 32 000 students, 7577 of whom completed their qualifications.
TasTAFE has strategic relationships with a range of stakeholders, including industry and employers. It liaises with these groups to identify current and future skills needs, allowing the TAFE to ensure delivery of appropriate courses. Examples of industries that are benefitting from this relationship include tour guiding, wool classing and agri-business.
TasTAFE offers an individual support programme, Boost, to students studying at Certificate III level or higher with disability or mental health issues. The Skills for Life Student Support Program is addressing completion rates through its support of Australian Apprentices.
Chisholm Institute
2014
Winner
Victoria
Chisholm Institute is one of Victoria’s largest providers of VET, providing programmes and services across the vocational, higher education and schools sectors to 40 000 students annually.
Chisholm Institute is one of Victoria’s largest providers of VET, providing programmes and services across the vocational, higher education and schools sectors to 40 000 students annually.
Chisholm’s facilities have been purpose-built for industry. The National Precision Growing Centre is one of two controlled environment horticulture training facilities in Australia, and the Centre for Sustainable Water Management is the only facility of its kind in Melbourne. The Centre for Integrated Engineering provides a simulated manufacturing environment that has been endorsed by Engineers Australia.
Chisholm partners with a number of stakeholders to deliver beneficial projects, including working with the telecommunications industry to ensure a sufficiently skilled and trained workforce is available to roll out the National Broadband Network. Chisholm is the lead TAFE on the Victorian Government’s programme to address the skills needs of people affected by restructuring, with over 400 people enrolled in Chisholm’s courses in 2013 in order to reskill.