More than 4200 grads have care credentials revoked by skills authority

Thousands of aged and disability care workers have been forced to prove their skills as a vocational education and training (VET) provider is deregistered by the national regulator.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has cancelled the registration of SPES Education Pty Ltd, accusing the company of providing fraudulent qualifications under an alleged ‘cash-for-diplomas’ scheme.

Diplomas including the Certificate III in Individual Support, Certificate IV in Ageing Support and Certificate IV in Disability Support have been affected. Former students who completed a course with SPES Education between 8 January 2024 and 17 May 2025 are now being hit with a formal notice of ASQA’s intention to cancel their qualification.

Those affected will have an opportunity to respond with documentation that proves SPES Education provided them with “training and assessment necessary for the qualification.”

Early childhood education, community services and IT diplomas were also named by ASQA as being void.

SPES Education was deregistered on May 17, with ASQA citing the lack of a robust assessment system, qualified staff, necessary training resources or required learning outcomes and competencies, as reasons behind the decision.

“ASQA’s decision to cancel the registration was based on findings during a compliance investigation that SPES Education Pty Ltd did not meet the conditions of registration, including Fit and Proper Person and Financial Viability Requirements; had issued qualifications without adequate assessment; and/or did not ensure impacted individuals had successfully satisfied all requirements prior to issuing VET certification,” the authority said in a statement.

“Given the significant issues identified during the compliance investigation and the potential safety risks to impacted individuals, others in the workplace, and some of the most vulnerable members of the community, urgent action is required by ASQA to consider the legitimacy of the qualifications.”  

In a similar move late last year, AQSA cancelled thousands of qualifications from other VET providers including the Australia Education & Career College (Luvium Pty Ltd), the International Institute of Education and Training, and Gills College Australia.

This latest round of deregistrations bring the count to more than 23,000 qualifications since 2024.

Skills Minister Andrew Giles said the Albanese government has invested more than $40 million into VET integrity and is “committed to strengthening the integrity and quality of the VET sector,” The Australian reports.

March’s federal budget announcement also included $4.7 million for ASQA to “undertake a surge in enforcement activity to immediately respond to large-scale fraudulent issuance of VET qualifications” in 2025-26.

The Australian reports that ASQA’s Investigations and Enforcement Team is currently managing more than 189 serious matters, in relation to the conduct of 154 education providers – about 62 per cent of which deliver training to international students.