Industry Skills Australia is highlighting an important milestone for the livestock transport industry, following the endorsement of a new nationally recognised training pathway for livestock transport drivers. 

The endorsement of the TLISS00242 Livestock Transport Driver Skill Set marks an important step forward for a sector that moves more than 14.9 million tonnes of livestock across Australia each year. Throughout the production cycle, animals may be transported multiple times, making safe, compliant and efficient transport critical to animal welfare, supply chain productivity and industry sustainability. 

The new skill set provides a nationally consistent approach to developing the specialised skills required for livestock transport, supporting both new and existing drivers to build the capabilities needed for this highly technical role. 

The skill set is the result of extensive collaboration between industry, training and workforce stakeholders, with the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) providing critical industry expertise and insight throughout the development process, it brings together the key competencies required for livestock transport into a single nationally recognised training product. 

Ben Maguire, Executive Director of the ALRTA, said the skill set is an important investment in the capability and resilience of Australia’s livestock supply chain: “Australia’s food security depends on being able to move livestock safely and reliably between farms, saleyards, feedlots and processors. Skilled livestock transporters are essential to keeping that system working.” 

“We need people to see livestock transport as a skilled career with a future. A recognised pathway can help new entrants understand what the job requires, give employers greater confidence in developing their people and support experienced drivers to have their capabilities recognised.” 

Addressing a Critical Skills Need 

Transporting livestock is a highly specialised occupation that requires more than heavy vehicle driving capability. Drivers must understand animal welfare requirements, livestock handling techniques, biosecurity obligations, workplace health and safety practices, and the unique challenges associated with transporting live animals. 

Until now, industry training has often been fragmented, with required competencies spread across multiple training products and varying levels of accessibility across different regions. 

The new Livestock Transport Driver Skill Set addresses these challenges by providing a nationally consistent benchmark for training and industry best practice. 

By consolidating key competencies into a single, recognised skill set, it creates a clearer pathway for employers, drivers and training providers to develop and validate the specialist capabilities required for livestock transport. 

The skill set includes four units of competency covering: 

  • Handling livestock using basic techniques 
  • Caring for livestock in transit 
  • Applying low-risk heavy vehicle driving behaviours 
  • Following work health and safety procedures 

The result is a focused package of targeted training that supports workforce development while helping industry maintain high standards of safety, animal welfare and operational performance. 

Industry-Led Development 

The development of the skill set was driven by extensive industry consultation and research to ensure the training reflects current operational practices, regulatory requirements and workforce needs. 

A dedicated Technical Committee comprising subject matter experts from across the livestock transport sector guided the project, while feedback from transport operators, industry associations, training providers, government representatives and other stakeholders helped shape the final product. 

This collaborative approach ensured the skill set addresses real-world industry challenges and provides practical outcomes for businesses and workers. 

Supporting the Future Workforce 

The new skill set is expected to improve the availability and accessibility of livestock transport training across Australia, helping businesses develop skilled workers and providing drivers with a recognised pathway to specialise in the sector. 

For registered training organisations (RTOs), the endorsement provides a clear framework for delivering nationally recognised livestock transport training and assessing competency against consistent industry standards. 

Importantly, the project demonstrates how industry, government and workforce stakeholders can work together to develop practical training solutions that respond to evolving workforce challenges. 

Next Steps 

Industry Skills Australia has proposed a second phase project in consultation with industry to support implementation of the new Skill Set. This project may include: 

  • Development of training and assessment resources 
  • Exploring innovative and flexible training and assessment methods, and better utilisation of industry experts, that support delivery in remote areas 
  • Building RTO capacity and capability to deliver the Skill Set 

By creating a nationally recognised pathway for livestock transport drivers, the project strengthens workforce capability, supports animal welfare outcomes, and helps ensure the livestock supply chain has access to the skilled workforce it needs now and into the future. 

To learn more about the project, see our website: https://industryskillsaustralia.org.au/project/livestock-transport-training/