Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management at the Australian Workplace Skills Institute is a two-year qualification for people who want to run teams, projects and business units. It sits at the diploma/advanced diploma level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, so it is practical and job-focused rather than academic. You will study how to lead people, manage operational plans, oversee budgets and financial plans, manage risk, build business relationships, and improve workplace systems. Units are delivered as part of a structured course of study, with credit points recorded for each unit completed.

How the course is structured

Australian vocational qualifications are built from units of competency. Each unit has a code, a title and a credit value, and you need to complete all required units to graduate. The course runs over two years, usually across semesters or trimesters, with intakes at different points in the year. Assessment is competency-based: you show you can do the task, not just remember the theory. That might mean writing an operational plan, running a team meeting, preparing a budget, or responding to a simulated workplace problem. Some units are delivered on campus, some may be blended, and the institute will confirm the exact delivery mode and timetable.

Work-integrated learning and skills

This field uses work-integrated learning heavily. You may complete a placement or workplace project where you apply leadership and management skills in a real organisation. The skills you build include planning and monitoring operational work, managing team performance, leading change, managing budgets and financial plans, developing and using emotional intelligence, and communicating with stakeholders. You also learn to comply with Australian workplace legislation, including work health and safety, anti-discrimination and fair work requirements. These are the skills employers ask for when they promote someone into a supervisory or middle-management role.

Who it suits

This course suits people who already have some work experience and want a formal qualification to move into team leader, supervisor or department manager roles. It also suits recent school leavers who want a practical business qualification rather than a three-year bachelor degree. International students should note that while you study in Australia, your Student visa generally allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight once your course has started. After you finish, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. English requirements for entry are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 106453A, and you should check the official page for current fees, intakes and unit details.

• Team leader or supervisor, leading a small team in retail, hospitality, logistics or administration.
• Office or administration manager, running the day-to-day operations of a business unit.
• Project officer or coordinator, supporting projects in construction, government, health or community services.
• Operations coordinator, managing rosters, resources and workplace systems.
• Frontline manager, in banking, insurance, call centres or customer service.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own business or a franchise.

Australian industries that hire these roles include retail, hospitality, logistics and transport, construction, health and community services, government administration, and professional services. The qualification is recognised nationally under the AQF, so it travels with you across states and territories.