One of the Abbott government's top advisers on vocational education and training has stepped aside following allegations the company he runs employed salespeople who lured vulnerable students into courses with free laptops.

On Thursday the ABC's 7.30 program reported that Careers Australia, one of the country's biggest private training providers, had been accused of using door-to-door salespeople to target disadvantaged areas and enrol students with fake entrance exams.

Careers Australia billed taxpayers for almost $110 million in VET FEE-HELP loans in the past financial year.

Patrick McKendry, the chief executive of Careers Australia, has served as deputy chair of the government's Vocational Education and Training Advisory Board, since last August.

Assistant Education Minister Simon Birmingham told Fairfax Media that Mr McKendry informed him on Friday that he would stand aside from his role on the advisory board to ensure any investigations into Careers Australia are of the highest probity. The Vocational Education and Training Advisory Board was established to strengthen industry input into vocational training.