Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) are the formal channel for considering industry skills requirements in the development and review of training packages. In 2017 all IRCs were reviewed and followed the Guiding Principles developed by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC).
Each IRC is made up of people with close links to industry. They are leaders in their own sectors from big business to small enterprise and peak bodies to unions, who understand the skills needs of their sector, industry or occupation.
IRCs advise the AISC about the skills needs of their industry sector.
IRCs ensure training packages meet the needs and concerns of employers, employees, training providers, and people seeking training qualifications.
To make sure industry’s voice is heard, IRCs gather information from their industry sector - including challenges, opportunities, trends and industry requirements for training - to advise on training packages.
They use this information to develop and review training packages to help make sure the national training system provides the qualifications, knowledge and skill sets that industry needs.
IRCs also promote the use of vocational education and training in the industry sectors they represent.
Each IRC is supported by a Skills Service Organisation (SSO) to help them in their work. For details about SSOs visit the SSO page.
Further details for all IRCs can be found below:
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
- Aerospace
- Aged Services
- Agriculture and Production Horticulture
- Ambulance and Paramedic
- Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation and Land Management
- Animal Care and Management
- Aquaculture and Wild Catch
- Automotive Allied
- Automotive Heavy Vehicle
- Automotive Light Vehicle
- Automotive Strategic
- Automotive Vehicle Body Repair
- Aviation
- Business Services
- Children’s Education and Care
- Civil Infrastructure
- Client Services
- Coal Mining
- Community Sector and Development
- Complementary Health
- Construction, Plumbing and Services
- Correctional Services
- Culture and Related Industries
- Dental
- Direct Client Care and Support
- Disability Support
- Drilling
- Education
- Electricity Supply Generation
- Electricity Supply Transmission, Distribution and Rail
- Electrotechnology
- Enrolled Nursing
- Extractive
- Financial Services
- First Aid
- Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical
- Forest Management and Harvesting
- Furnishing
- Gas
- Information and Communications Technology
- Local Government
- Manufacturing and Engineering
- Maritime
- Meat
- Metalliferous Mining
- Naval Shipbuilding
- Personal Services
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
- Printing and Graphic Arts
- Process Manufacturing, Recreational Vehicle and Laboratory
- Property Services
- Public Safety
- Public Sector
- Pulp and Paper Manufacturing
- Racing
- Rail
- Sport and Recreation
- Sustainability
- Technician Support Services
- Textile, Clothing and Footwear
- Timber and Wood Processing
- Timber Building Solutions
- Tourism, Travel and Hospitality
- Transport and Logistics
- Water
- Wholesale and Retail
IRC membership details are updated each quarter.