While clubs say they do training, in NSW there seems to be a fairly loose interpretation of what that means. Simply tagging along on a club trip, where your providing the regulars with the entertainment ( if you catch my drift) is the "throwing them in the deep end" approach and can scare people off who are not confident or worried about damaging their vehicles.
The Victorian Clubs, at least those that are affliated with the Association seem to take a more systemic approach and clearly set out what will be learned, and effectively are certification bodies. Sometimes large clubs that promote the informal tag-along approach, while well meaning, can be avoiding liability issues and costs by staying away from a certification approach.
Which ever club you choose, simply ask a few questions in advance:
What is the club's training policy? They should have one.
Is there a club training officer? Is he/she a qualified training officer?
Does the club support the 4WD training certification standards?
This is probably where the bureacrats see it all heading:
http://www.anfwdc.asn.au/driver_training.php
