Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Diploma of Leadership and Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or front-line management roles, or who are already in one and want formal recognition of what they do. It sits at the diploma level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it's practical and job-focused rather than academic. You'll spend the year on the day-to-day work of managing people: planning and organising a team's workload, leading and motivating staff, managing performance, dealing with conflict, budgeting and financial reporting, and making sure workplace operations run to plan. There's a strong emphasis on communication, decision-making and problem-solving, because those are the things that separate a competent manager from a struggling one.

Australian diplomas are usually delivered over two semesters, or three trimesters if the provider runs a trimester calendar. You'll complete a set of units of study, each worth credit points, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. The course is structured around demonstrated competency, so assessment is typically a mix of written tasks, case studies, role plays and projects based on real workplace scenarios. Where the provider arranges it, you may also complete a work placement or simulated workplace tasks that count towards your assessment. The exact unit list, credit point values and any placement requirements are set by the provider, so check the official course page and the CRICOS register for the current details.

By the end of the diploma you should be able to write an operational plan and see it through, manage a budget, lead a team through change, handle grievances and performance issues properly, and report to senior management on what your area has achieved. You'll also build the softer skills that managers lean on every day: giving feedback that lands, running a meeting that finishes on time, and making a call when the information isn't perfect.

This course suits two groups in particular. First, people already working in retail, hospitality, administration, logistics, aged care or community services who've been given responsibility for a team and want a qualification behind them. Second, international students who want an Australian qualification in management without committing to a three-year bachelor degree. If you're an international applicant, you'll need to meet the English requirement, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the provider's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. Keep in mind the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While you study, a Student visa generally allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight. After you finish, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and the course carries CRICOS code 104255A.

• Team leader or supervisor, retail, hospitality, warehousing, call centres and community services organisations across Australia.
• Office or administration manager, small and medium businesses, professional services firms, government departments.
• Operations coordinator, logistics, manufacturing, health services and not-for-profit organisations.
• Front-line manager, aged care, disability services, childcare and other regulated care settings.
• Project support officer, construction, IT and infrastructure teams that need someone to keep schedules and budgets on track.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own operation and needing the planning, finance and people skills to keep it viable.