VEA History

Virtual Enterprises began in 1995 as an educational response to the introduction of competency based training in Australia and with the aim of encouraging greater participation of business and industry in the development and delivery of training programs.

Following an overseas study tour by Business and Management staff at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), the Australian Network of Practice Firms was established with support from the Federal Government. Over the next two to three years, the European model was successfully adapted by selected TAFE institutes in all Australian states and territories.

With the establishment of the Australian National Office to coordinate the development of practice firms, Australia was accepted as a member of the international organisation, EUROPEN e v, (now the Practice Enterprises Network International) based in Essen, Germany. In 1998, funding from the Federal Government enabled selected schools to trial the use of this delivery program for business, IT and retail competencies. The network expanded progressively over the next eight years.

In 2006, the not-for-profit company, Virtual Enterprise Australia Ltd (VEA) was established and successfully negotiated the transfer of the network and its resources from CIT to its current location at the Docklands, Melbourne. VEA was launched in May 2007 during the National Facilitators' Conference in Melbourne with key representatives from Federal and State government, business and industry, and education. The change of name from 'practice firm' to 'virtual enterprise' represents the growing maturity of the network and incorporates its focus on business, entrepreneurship and elearning.