Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or middle management roles. It sits at the diploma level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, so it's practical and job-focused rather than academic. You'll study how to lead a team, manage budgets and financial plans, develop and use emotional intelligence, manage business operational plans, and support innovation and continuous improvement. Assessment is usually a mix of reports, presentations, projects and simulated workplace tasks, not long written exams.

Australian qualifications are built from units of study, each with a set credit point value. A full-time load is normally four units per semester or trimester, and you need to pass all required units to graduate. The one-year duration means two standard study periods, or three if the college runs trimesters. There may be a capstone unit where you pull your learning together into a workplace project, and some colleges arrange a professional placement or industry project so you can apply leadership skills in a real organisation. Confirm the exact unit list, study periods and assessment methods on the official Australian Capital College page and the CRICOS register entry for course code 105658G.

You'll finish with skills employers ask for: how to give feedback, run a meeting, read a profit and loss statement, manage a roster, handle a difficult customer, and keep a team safe and motivated. You'll also learn to write a business case, manage risk, and plan and monitor operational performance. These are the day-to-day tasks of a frontline manager in retail, hospitality, health administration, logistics, construction, community services or government.

This course suits three groups: people already working who want formal recognition before going for a supervisor role, school leavers who want a fast, practical qualification instead of a three-year bachelor degree, and international students who want an Australian qualification plus post-study work rights. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) after you finish. English entry is usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the college's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so check both.

• Team Leader or Supervisor, retail, hospitality, call centres, warehousing and logistics.
• Office Manager or Administration Manager, professional services, health clinics, schools and local government.
• Operations Coordinator, transport, construction, manufacturing and facilities management.
• Frontline Manager, aged care, disability services and community organisations.
• Assistant Store Manager or Duty Manager, supermarket, fast food and hotel groups.
• Project Support Officer, government departments and infrastructure contractors.

Employers across Australia hire for these roles in small business, national chains, not-for-profits and the public sector. The qualification also gives you a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for prior study, if you decide to keep going.