Australian VET Conference 2026

Two days. Dozens of ideas. One question that’s still with me.

I just wrapped up two days at the Australian VET Conference 2026, and I’m still processing everything.

It was one of those events where you go in thinking you’ll get a few useful tips, and you leave with your head full of ideas, pages of action items, and a new question about whether you’re measuring the things that actually matter.

Here’s what landed for me:

AI is not replacing you. It’s waiting for you to lead it.

Javier Amaro from Insources delivered one of the most grounded AI presentations I’ve seen in the VET space. No hype. No fear-mongering. Just a clear-eyed look at what AI can and can’t do in training and assessment.

The message I took away: AI brings speed and scale. You bring creativity, context, and judgement. The best outcomes happen when both are in play.

For RTOs, this means spending less time producing content from scratch and more time doing what only you can do; building relationships, interpreting data, validating quality, and designing learning experiences that actually land.

Are you measuring training impact, or just completion rates?

Dan Hill’s session on training evaluation hit close to home. Most of us in the VET sector are still measuring inputs and outputs, not actual outcomes.

What’s the ROI of the training we design and deliver? Not the direct financial cost of the training!

More like — what did learners actually get out of it? Will they use it at work? Will it be a valuable addition to their skill sets? Is our feedback data actually telling us anything useful? Are we adjusting programs before they end, or just reflecting afterwards?

Worth exploring the Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI, CIPP and LTEM models if you haven’t already. There’s a whole framework waiting behind the ‘did you enjoy today’s training’ tick box.

A legal reminder that could catch you off guard

Peter Denison from Toyer Lawyers reminded us that Section 62 notices from ASQA can be issued directly to third-party platforms like aXcelerate, SharePoint, Dropbox, and without the RTO even knowing. That’s a significant shift in how we need to think about data governance, and how ASQA is regulating right now.

And it’s not just third-party platforms that ASQA can compel under Section 62 to provide evidence for an investigation, its anyone. Even if they are removed from the RTO.  That is, even if they have no real link to the RTO ( eg: an employer who has hired an individual who gained a qual through the RTO).

If your compliance house isn’t in order on those platforms, now is the time.

The session I didn’t expect to love the most

Jay Pottenger on the brain, dopamine, and sustainable performance.

He made a compelling case that we’re all running on dopamine debt.  Leaning on our phones for a hit of stimulation that actually increases stress, anxiety and broken sleep. His STAND framework (Stop, Think, Ask, Navigate, Decide) is something I’m already using.

Create a ‘third space’ to close out your workday. Earn your dopamine the slow way. Find your flow state. Stress and burnout are passed on from leaders to teams; so this is not just personal, it’s organisational.

And the question Annie Harvey asked that I can’t shake…

“What would you attempt this year if you trusted yourself more?”

It’s a question worth sitting with. Whether you’re running an RTO, leading a team, or figuring out what’s next — self-efficacy is everything.

Now over to you.

Were you at the Australian VET Conference this year? If so, I’d love to hear:

Were you inspired? What was the standout moment for you?

What’s the one action you’ve committed to taking away from the conference?

Is there a speaker, session or idea you think deserves more attention in our sector?

Drop a comment below; I read and respond to every one. And if we connected at the conference, it was genuinely great to meet you.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Tracy Saggus