Diploma of Enterprise Resource Planning

The Diploma of Enterprise Resource Planning is a one-year qualification that teaches you how businesses run their core systems, finance, procurement, inventory, production, sales and reporting, inside an ERP platform. You study how to map a business process, configure the system to match it, move data across modules, and support the people who use it every day. It suits school leavers who want a practical business-technology start, career changers moving into IT or operations, and admin or finance staff whose workplace has moved onto an ERP and who want formal recognition of what they already do.

How the qualification is structured

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. This one runs for one year full time, and the College may offer it across two or three study periods rather than the two semesters of a standard academic year, so you should check the intake pattern on the official page. You complete a set of units of study, each carrying credit points, and you need to pass every required unit to graduate. Assessment is usually a mix of assignments, practical configuration tasks, group work and exams. Some providers build in a capstone unit where you work through a full ERP implementation scenario from scoping to go-live, which is the closest thing to a final project at this level.

What you actually learn

Expect to spend time in the system, not just reading about it. Typical content covers ERP architecture and how modules talk to each other, business process modelling, master data and data integrity, system configuration, user training and support, and the reporting tools managers rely on. You also pick up the soft side of ERP work: gathering requirements from people who do not speak in technical terms, documenting processes, testing changes before they go live, and handling the disruption that comes with a new system. Group projects are common because ERP work is almost never done alone.

Where it fits in Australia

ERP skills are in steady demand across Australian mining, logistics, retail, healthcare, government and professional services, and many organisations run large ERP programmes with contractors and internal teams. The diploma can stand alone as a job-ready qualification, or you can use it as a pathway into a bachelor degree in business, information systems or a related field, often with credit for the units you have already completed. International students should note that the Student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Confirm the current requirements, tuition and intake dates on the official CRICOS listing and the College's own page before you apply.

• ERP support officer, first-line help for staff using finance, procurement or inventory modules in large organisations.
• Business systems analyst (entry level), gathering requirements and documenting processes for system changes.
• Master data administrator, keeping customer, supplier and product records accurate across the ERP.
• Procurement or inventory officer, using ERP tools to raise orders, track stock and reconcile deliveries.
• ERP implementation assistant, supporting consultants and project teams during rollouts and upgrades.
• Reporting and analytics assistant, pulling data out of the ERP to build routine management reports.

Hiring industries include mining and resources, manufacturing, transport and logistics, retail and wholesale, healthcare administration, government agencies, and the IT consulting firms that implement and support ERP systems for them.