CUA51020 is the nationally recognised Diploma behind film, television, radio and stage directors work. It has been the current version on the national register since 2021, when it replaced CUA51015. About 58 film, television, radio and stage directors jobs were advertised in June 2026, down 23.2% on a year earlier.
The signals behind this qualification are mixed, and both sides are worth weighing. Specifically: its main occupation is rated in national shortage, employment in its occupations is projected to grow through 2035 and national enrolments are falling. These are official statistics, not a promise about any individual's result.
Employers are advertising fewer of these roles than a year ago. Across Film, Television, Radio And Stage Directors, about 58 jobs were advertised online in June 2026 (down 23.2% on a year earlier). Roughly 933 openings were advertised over the last 12 months, while 3,570 people enrolled in the qualification nationally in 2024. Enrolment counts people in training, not completions, so the two figures describe the pipeline and the market, not a job guarantee.
At least one occupation this qualification leads to is officially rated as in national shortage. In the 2025 Occupation Shortage List assessment, Film and Video Editor is rated in national shortage; Art Director (Film, Television or Stage), Director (Film, Television, Radio or Stage), Director of Photography, Program Director (Television or Radio), Stage Manager, Technical Director, Video Producer and Film, Television, Radio and Stage Directors nec are rated not in shortage.
Employment in these occupations is projected to grow. Government projections put them at 15,500 workers in May 2025, 17,000 by May 2030 (up 9.7%) and 18,400 by May 2035 (up 19.1%).
Outcomes for this qualification run below what is typical for a Diploma. In the latest national outcomes survey (2025), 73.6% were employed or in further study after training, against a Diploma median of 92% across 34 qualifications. Median income after training was $52,000, compared with $63,250 typical at this level. 83.6% were satisfied with the training, against 89% typical.
Fewer people are training in this qualification than a year earlier. National enrolments fell from 4,050 in 2023, to 3,570 in 2024 (down 11.9%).
The register and the national framework set some of this. Providers set the rest.
State funding for CUA51020 is being verified against official program lists.
Eligibility and student contributions vary by program and provider. The official state listing is the source of truth. In a subsidised place the government pays most of the tuition and you pay a co-contribution set by the program and provider.
No Get Course partner currently lists this qualification. Check the national register for organisations approved to deliver it, and remember that approval to deliver is a regulatory fact, not a recommendation. You can browse live courses from our partners and enquire today.
Browse coursesGet Course maps CUA51020 to its occupations using the register’s own outcome wording, shown with ANZSCO codes (here, 2123) so the mapping can be checked. Job advertisement counts come from the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index and count online ads, not vacancies filled. Enrolment counts come from NCVER Total VET Activity and count people in training, not completions. Outcome benchmarks marked “typical” are medians computed by Get Course across all qualifications at the same level in the same NCVER collection; they are derived figures, not official NCVER benchmarks. Funding rows appear only after verification against the official state program list. Source vintages: NCVER Total VET Activity 2024 collection; NCVER Student Outcomes survey 2025 survey; register training.gov.au, synced 23 August 2026; Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index latest month June 2026; Occupation Shortage List 2025 assessment; employment projections May 2025 to May 2035 release; register synced 29 Aug 2026. Page last updated 30 Aug 2026.