More Than Training

Why this matters

Aboriginal Community Controlled Registered Training Organisations (ACCRTOs) play a unique and essential role in Australia’s vocational education and training system.

They do far more than deliver qualifications. They build workforce capability, strengthen community-controlled organisations, create pathways into employment, and support self-determination through culturally grounded education and training.

Despite their contribution, ACCRTOs have often been understood and funded as though they operate in the same way as mainstream training providers. This report challenges that assumption, demonstrating that ACCRTOs represent a distinct community-controlled model that delivers significant workforce, social, cultural and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

The Report

The HSSO was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, with the support of the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, to undertake the first national capability analysis of Aboriginal Community Controlled Registered Training Organisations (ACCRTOs) and a representative sample of First Nations Led and Owned Registered Training Organisations (FNL/O RTOs).

HSSO led the project from design through to delivery, undertaking national stakeholder engagement, organisational analysis, workforce and policy analysis, and development of the final report and recommendations. To complement this work, HSSO commissioned Equity Economics to undertake an independent Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis, providing additional evidence of the broader social and economic value created by ACCRTOs and FNL/O RTOs.

The project provides one of the most comprehensive analyses of the Aboriginal Community Controlled RTO sector undertaken to date, bringing together organisational capability, workforce development, system analysis and social impact to inform future policy and investment.

Key Findings

The analysis found that ACCRTOs occupy a distinct position within Australia’s vocational education and training system.

Rather than functioning solely as training providers, they operate as community-controlled workforce and capability development institutions, supporting culturally safe learning, wrap-around learner support, workforce participation and stronger communities.

The report found that:

• ACCRTOs create workforce pathways for learners who are often not reached by mainstream vocational education and training.
• Their culturally grounded delivery models generate workforce, community and social outcomes that extend well beyond accredited training.
• Existing funding and performance frameworks do not adequately recognise the real cost or broader impact of community-controlled delivery.
• ACCRTOs are essential workforce infrastructure for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and sectors experiencing critical workforce shortages.
• Investment in ACCRTOs delivers substantial value for learners, communities and governments. The Social Return on Investment analysis estimated that every dollar invested in ACCRTOs generates approximately $13.40 in social and economic value.
• The SROI ratio of the FNL/O RTO sector is estimated to be 9.4, which means that $9.40 in social and economic value is created for each dollar of economic cost.

The Case for Recognition

The findings have important implications for governments, policy makers and the vocational education and training system.

The report demonstrates that strengthening ACCRTOs is not simply about improving access to training. It is about investing in community-controlled workforce development, supporting Closing the Gap priorities, strengthening essential services and enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to build the workforce capability they need for the future.

The report identifies practical opportunities to better align funding, policy and system design with the demonstrated contribution and impact of ACCRTOs, providing a roadmap for future reform across Australia’s vocational education and training system.

Continuing the Conversation

This report reflects HSSO’s commitment to working alongside governments, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and First Nations partners to address complex workforce challenges through evidence, collaboration and practical reform.

We hope it contributes to a broader national conversation about the future of culturally grounded workforce development and the vital role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Registered Training Organisations in strengthening Australia’s workforce and communities.

Resources

The full report, executive summary and report infographics can be found here or in the Related Resources/Links section at the top of this page. 

Full Report

Executive Summary

Report Infographics