AOD VET training provider landscape contracts as workforce demand grows

Thompson K, JA Fischer, A Muminovic, Di Censo G, Gray O, Bartram A & Bowden J. Alcohol and Other Drug Vocational Education and Training in Australia: Changes in the Landscape From 2011 to 2024. Australian Journal of Social Issues 1–10. July 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.70125

A new NCETA publication reported findings from a study which investigated how Australia’s alcohol and other drug (AOD) vocational education and training (VET) landscape has changed over the past 13 years.

The study compared AOD training available in Australia in 2024 with the findings of an earlier review conducted in 2011. It identified a contraction in the sector, including fewer training providers and programs and a shift away from public TAFE institutions towards private providers. These changes have occurred while demand for AOD services continues to grow.

VET is an important pathway into the AOD workforce, particularly for people who do not hold a university-level health qualification. Reduced access to training may therefore affect who can enter the workforce, how well workers are prepared for practice and the sector’s capacity to respond to existing workforce capability and retention challenges.

The findings also have implications beyond specialist AOD services. People affected by substance use frequently seek assistance through mental health, homelessness, family and domestic violence, and other health and social services. Workers across these settings may be required to provide AOD-related support, often without specialist training. Accessible AOD education is therefore essential to building workforce capability and ensuring people receive effective and non-stigmatising care.

While online training has expanded and may help reduce geographic barriers, the researchers caution that online availability does not necessarily provide equitable access. Participation can still be limited by inadequate digital infrastructure and a lack of financial and organisational resources, particularly among rural and remote workers. The publication also highlights the need for culturally responsive training pathways and greater workforce diversity.

NCETA researchers are continuing to investigate the longer-term implications of reduced training access, including the financial and employment outcomes of people who complete AOD qualifications. This work will help clarify what may be at stake for students, workers, services and the communities they support as training opportunities decline.

Read the full article here and Flinders media release here.

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