Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Diploma of Leadership and Management at Hilltop College Australia is a one-year course for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or middle management roles. You study how organisations run: how to plan and monitor work, manage budgets and financial plans, lead teams through change, build relationships with stakeholders, and handle the day-to-day problems that come with managing people. Assessment is practical, you work through case studies, projects and role plays based on real workplace situations rather than sitting long written exams.

How the course is structured

The diploma is delivered over one year. Australian vocational qualifications are built from units of competency, and each unit carries credit points. You complete a set number of core units plus electives, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. Delivery is typically face-to-face on campus, with some providers offering blended study. Some units include a work placement or a simulated workplace project, which lets you apply what you learn in an actual business setting. Confirm the exact unit list, delivery mode and any placement requirement on the official page or with Hilltop College directly.

What you learn

You come out knowing how to write a business plan, manage a team's performance, delegate work, run a meeting that achieves something, and read a profit and loss statement without panic. You also learn to manage your own workload and priorities, which matters once you are responsible for other people. The focus is on skills you can use immediately at work, not abstract theory.

Who it suits

This diploma suits people already working in a supervisory role who want formal recognition, career changers moving into management, and school leavers or international students who want a practical business qualification before deciding whether to continue to a bachelor degree. The Australian Qualifications Framework places the diploma below a bachelor degree, so if you later want to study further, you may be able to get credit towards a bachelor programme. Check with the receiving institution about credit transfer. International students should note that the Student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register under course code 117463H.

• Team leader or supervisor, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics and community services organisations across Australia.
• Office or administration manager, small and medium businesses, professional services firms and government departments.
• Project coordinator, construction, events, IT and marketing teams.
• Operations coordinator, transport, warehousing and facilities management companies.
• Customer service manager, banks, insurance companies, call centres and utilities.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own operation or a franchise.

These roles exist in nearly every Australian industry, and the diploma is recognised by employers as evidence you can manage people and processes. It also gives you a pathway into further study, such as a bachelor degree in business or management, with credit possible depending on the institution.