Frequently Asked Questions

What are Skills Stores?

Skills Stores are a new Victorian Government service.

The service has been designed to make Victoria’s vocational education and training system more accessible and easier to understand.

Skills Stores help you gain recognition for your current skills and provide guidance on how best to update or improve your qualifications.

Skills Stores can be found in fixed locations - such as education providers or retail outlets – or they can be mobile.

Mobile Skills Stores services visit public spaces such as shopping centres, libraries and, by arrangement, workplaces.

What happens when I visit one?

When you visit a Skills Store, you can make an appointment with one of the consultants.

The consultant will provide you with information about the Victorian vocational education and training system and will then talk with you about your current skills.

The consultant will help you identify the skills you already have and how they may be counted towards a nationally recognised qualification.

The consultant can then give you a personal referral to a TAFE institution or other registered training organisation to have those skills formally assessed.

That way, your existing skills and experience may be recognised by a qualification or a Statement of Attainment without you having to repeat training unnecessarily.

How much does it cost?

All Skills Stores services – including advice, obtaining an initial skills profile and referral to a registered training organisation – are free-of-charge. There may be fees and charges associated with training provided by a registered training organisation to which you are referred.

These and more answers to frequently asked questions about Skills Stores are available to download: Frequently asked questions (PDF - 138Kb)

What people say about Skills Stores Case studies (PDF - 226Kb) are available of people’s experiences when they visited Skills Stores to seek advice on Victoria’s vocational education and training system. Some people are re-entering the workforce, others seeking advice on how to gain qualifications without repeating training in knowledge and skills they have already gained.