Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Diploma of Leadership and Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to step into a team leader, supervisor or frontline management role, or who are already doing that job and want formal recognition for it. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree. You study how to lead people, plan and monitor work, manage budgets and operational plans, handle conflict, support team performance and deal with the day-to-day problems that come with being responsible for other people's work.

The course runs over one year of full-time study, usually split into two or three study periods across the year. It is made up of units of study, each worth credit points, and you need to pass all required units to graduate. Assessment is practical: case studies, workplace projects, role plays, reports and presentations rather than long written exams. Many diplomas in this field include a work placement or require you to draw on your current workplace for assessment tasks, so you can apply what you learn straight away.

Skills you come out with include giving feedback that people actually act on, writing operational and project plans, reading a budget and explaining variances, running a meeting that finishes on time, and managing your own workload while supporting a team. You also learn the compliance side: work health and safety duties, anti-discrimination and fair work obligations, and how to keep records that stand up if something goes wrong.

This diploma suits two groups. First, someone with a year or two of work experience who keeps getting asked to supervise others and wants the paperwork to match the job. Second, a student who wants a shorter, more practical qualification before deciding whether to continue into a bachelor degree. Australian institutions often give credit towards a bachelor degree for diploma study, so it can be a stepping stone rather than a dead end. If you are an international student, confirm the English requirement, tuition and start dates on the official CRICOS register and the college's own page before you apply. A Student visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your circumstances.

• Team leader or supervisor, retail, hospitality, warehousing, manufacturing, customer service and contact centres.
• Frontline manager, health administration, community services, local government and not-for-profit organisations.
• Office or administration manager, small and medium businesses across most Australian industries.
• Operations coordinator, logistics, construction, aged care and disability services.
• Project support officer, government departments and private firms running internal projects.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own operation and managing staff.