Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to run teams, projects and business units. It sits at diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is practical and job-focused rather than academic. You will study how to lead and manage people, plan and monitor operations, manage budgets and financial plans, develop and implement business plans, and build effective workplace relationships. Assessment is usually through projects, case studies and work-based tasks rather than long written exams.

Australian vocational qualifications like this one are structured around units of study, each carrying credit points. A full-time load is typically four units per semester, with two semesters in the year. Some providers also offer a trimester calendar. You need to complete all required units and the total credit points to graduate. Many courses include a capstone unit where you bring together what you have learned by developing a business or management plan for a real or simulated organisation. Where a course includes work-integrated learning, it usually takes the form of a placement or a project with an employer, giving you direct experience of an Australian workplace.

You will finish with skills employers ask for every day: leading a team, giving feedback, managing conflict, planning rosters and workloads, reading a profit and loss statement, preparing a budget, and writing a business case. You will also learn how to manage risk, comply with workplace legislation, and support a positive culture. These are the skills that let you step into a supervisor or team leader role and do it well, rather than learning by trial and error.

This course suits people who already have some work experience and want formal recognition, or who are moving from a hands-on job into a leadership position. It also suits school leavers who want a fast, practical start to a business career rather than a three-year degree. International students should note that while studying in Australia on a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after completing the course you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. English requirements for entry are usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. Tuition and exact entry requirements are published on the CRICOS register and the provider's official page, so confirm the details there before you apply.

• Team leader or supervisor in retail, hospitality, logistics or customer service
• Office manager or administration manager in a small to medium business
• Project coordinator or operations coordinator
• Business development officer or account coordinator
• Frontline manager in health administration, community services or local government
• Small business owner or manager

These roles are found across the Australian economy, including professional services, retail and wholesale, manufacturing, construction, health and community services, tourism, and government administration.