News Archives - Page 12 of 20

Part 1- Contextualising of assessment resources

Contextualisation of training packages, accredited curricula and learning resources can be achieved without compromising the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015. Contextualisation is the addition of industry-specific information to tailor the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 to reflect the immediate operating context and thereby increase its relevance for the learner. Contextualisation is ultimately defined as; the activity undertaken by a Trainer/Assessor to make units of competency, accredited curricula or learning resources meaningful to the learner.

WHAT is contextualisation?

Contextualisation means adjusting units of competency or packaging certain units of competency together to meet the needs of the enterprise or the learner.

WHY is contextualisation so important?

Contextualisation gives VET providers the flexibility to create a meaningful program for learners whilst ensuring standards are met, and an accredited AQF qualification is obtainable. Contextualisation can make learning more realistic by providing real life and actual workplace examples. Contextualisation also accommodates specific industry needs.

WHAT are the rules for contextualisation?

Contextualisation must comply with the guidelines for contextualisation. Contextualisation must not change the unit of competency’s elements or performance criteria. It can only provide additional information to the range of assessment conditions and assessment requirements in a unit of competency. You must meet the requirements of foundation skills provided under the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) which places mandatory facilitation and assessment compliance requirements associated with: Learning, Reading, Writing, Oral Communication, Numeracy and Digital Technology.

It must not limit the breadth or portability of the unit/s.

HOW do you contextualise?

There are two ways in which contextualisation occurs:

Delivery of units of competency to reflect a local need by providing additional options or contextualizing assessment to meet the needs of the learner group being assessed.
Packaging units together using elective options to achieve particular outcomes

WHY do you need to contextualise assessments?

Contextualising assessment resources ensures that candidates are able to apply their skills and knowledge in a work setting and can be assessed as competent for a particular work context.

WHO is responsible for contextualising assessments?

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are responsible for:

identifying the target audience/ or client group for whom use of the assessment resources will be relevant
adapting and contextualising learning resources and, in particular, assessments, to address group and individual needs, relevant to industry and local conditions It is advisable that trainer/ assessors consider each assessment in the context of the specific industry sector and/or organisation and make adjustments or contextualise as necessary.

RTOs should contextualise in line with reasonable adjustment practices, ensuring that contextualisation will result in consistent assessment practices throughout the organisation.

Change of Registered Training Organisation Ownership – What is required?

In this ever changing world, we are seeing many RTO’s change ownership for a variety of reasons. So what is involved? How do you know you are ready and prepared? What evidence do you need?

Anyone involved in the transfer of ownership of registered training organisations (RTOs) and Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is subject to a number of requirements.

It is not permitted for RTOs and CRICOS providers to move their registration from one legal entity to another. That being said, if there is a change in company shareholdings but no change in the ABN/ACN of the organisation registered with ASQA, the provider can continue as long as they inform ASQA of the change in ownership. This is referred to as a change of ownership by ASQA.

Change of ownership is considered high risk and can lead to a full-fledged audit on the RTO’s registration to ensure the RTO is transferred to fit and proper persons. The individuals thinking about buying a training provider must be aware of their responsibilities under the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Quality Framework and to ASQA, the national regulator.

Changes in company shareholding of 50% or more are considered significant. ASQA aims to ensure that buying into a training provider does not enable a buyer to avoid the scrutiny that is applied to initial applications.

Registration requirements include:

Demonstrating compliance with Standards for Registered Training Organisations (SRTOs) 2015 (the Standards)
Demonstrating compliance with Fit and Proper Person Requirements 2011
Demonstrating compliance with Financial Viability Risk Assessment Requirements 2011
Demonstrating compliance with Data Provision Requirements 2012
Demonstrating compliance with Australian Qualifications Framework

Along with meeting your legislative requirements under the VET Quality Framework, you must also:

cooperate with ASQA’s General Directions and compliance monitoring activities
pay all required fees and charges associated with your registration
comply with any additional licensing requirements imposed on particular VET courses.

In addition, if providing training to overseas students, you will also be subject to the requirements of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Quality Framework.

The ESOS Framework is comprised of the:

Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act)
National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (the National Code)
Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2019
English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) Standards 2018 (if applicable)

Evidence required from new owners

The following evidence is required from the new owners of the training organisation:

Fit and proper person requirements declaration: Click here.

Financial viability risk assessment tool: Click here.

The Financial Viability Risk Assessment tool guides through the process of considering the key expenses faced by an RTO/CRICOS provider and revenue forecasts. It assesses financial viability risk by evaluating the likelihood of business continuity, and capacity to achieve quality outcomes.

The assessment informs a judgement about whether the organisation has the financial resources necessary to:

acquire and maintain the requisite assets and physical resources to deliver all qualifications on its scope of registration
employ sufficient appropriately qualified staff to cover the courses for which it takes enrolments
provide appropriate levels of student services to students
remain in business to ensure that each student can achieve completion
meet the above requirements, even in an unsure environment.

The Financial Viability Risk Assessment tool should be completed by the new owners of the legal entity once the change is/will be completed. A registered accountant who is external and independent to the training provider is required to certify the tool.

Other records, such as previous financial statements and a business plan, must also be included with the tool. You must confirm that your financial statements are in order and up to date, and that you have considered the future of your RTO.

Self-assessment tool for change of ownership: Click here.

The self-assessment tool is a document that covers the standards and clauses as a brand-new RTO registration.

The tools are separated into Section A and Section B

Section A is to be completed
Section B of these tools is only to be completed if 100% of shareholdings have changed over 12 months and the provider has:
- no ongoing students, or
- has not had more than 10 students complete the training product in which they were enrolled within the previous 12 months.

Entity records required include:

ASIC company certificate
ASIC company historical extract
ASIC business name registration
ABN certificate
ASIC company historical extract of parent entities (showing the change of ownership)

Notification requirements:

If your provider is a VET-only training provider, you may notify ASQA of the change after it occurs. As the new owner, notification is your responsibility.

If your training provider is CRICOS registered, you will need to inform ASQA of the change in shareholdings before it occurs. You must also make sure the current owner has also notified ASQA of the impending change of ownership. This is a requirement under s17A (3) of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

In line with Standard 8.1 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, ASQA must receive this notification as soon as practicable, with 90 days after the event the latest it can be received.

Any of the above-mentioned changes should be reported to ASQA using the Notification of Material Change form. This form is available on ASQA’s online site, asqanet.

Audits for compliance monitoring

ASQA will perform a compliance audit to review factual information where substantial changes in ownership are subject to additional evidentiary criteria. The performance evaluation (audit) will look at the training provider’s compliance with:

the applicable regulatory framework (VET Quality or ESOS legislative) the clauses and requirements in the Change of Ownership Self-Assessment Tool

This performance evaluation would look at whether or not the training company has enough resources to provide quality training and assessment, reliable information, and appropriate support to students.

If non-compliance is discovered during a compliance audit, regulatory action will be taken in a proportionate manner. For the next 12 months, there will be increased scrutiny.

Training providers that have undergone a substantial change of ownership may face increased scrutiny in the 12 months following the completion of the enforcement exercise.

This scrutiny will be extended to any proposals for changes to the scope of registration from training providers during this time, as well as during a provider review at the end of the period. Both of these actions can result in regulatory action, which may require further compliance audits.

New owners of a training provider are responsible for any existing and outstanding non-compliances, as well as any necessary rectification measures. New owners are also responsible for any potential disciplinary action taken by ASQA against the organisation in case of any non-compliance issues.

Charges

Notification of material change is free of charge; however, a compliance audit operation triggered by notification may result in compliance audit charges for any RTO operated under the NVR Act.

Obligations for RTOs

Annual declaration on compliance
Submit Total VET activity AVETMISS data
Submit quality indicator data
Annual registration charge
Ensure compliance with the VET quality
framework at all times
Submit a renewal application at least 90 days prior to expiry

Obligations on CRICOS providers

ASQA annual registration charge. Separate charges apply for RTO and CRICOS registration.
If registered as a CRICOS provider, you’ll also need to pay the Department of Education:
an annual registration charge
an annual Tuition Protection Service (TPS) Levy.
Ensure compliance with the ESOS framework at all times
Submit a renewal application at least 90 days prior to expiry

Note:

Once the application and supporting evidence are submitted, there is no other opportunity to include new or revised evidence. This is the same as when you first registered as a new training provider with ASQA.
If the audit shows noncompliance, the regulator can issue a written directive to correct the problem, impose conditions on the registration, issue a notice of intent to impose sanctions, or cancel the registration. In other words, the sale of the RTO can trigger a complete regulatory audit, exposing the organisation to regulatory risks. This means that the evidence provided in the self-assessment must be 100% compliant. The same as when you first registered as a new training provider with ASQA.
The regulator has also established that an RTO that has a change of ownership will face greater scrutiny in the twelve months following the completion of the compliance activity by the regulatory body.

May 5, 2021 rtogroupsuperadmin News, RTO Comments Off

Building a strong workplace culture in your RTO

In every workplace, the culture of the company is imperative to the organisation’s success. The company culture has an impact on nearly every aspect of the business.

So why is it so important for your RTO to have a positive workplace culture?

Having a positive workplace culture equals a happy workforce. A happy workforce means higher productivity and higher retention. It is an integral part of the organisation, as it creates your identity. Having values and goals that everyone understands and align with is an important first step to creating a positive culture.

It is important to also understand that you cannot enforce a strong workplace culture. It has to be something that everyone buys into and believes in. An organisation is a team and not a hierarchy. So how do we start? What do we need to do? What are the benefits?

Think of your workplace as a family. We spend a great deal of time together at work, several days a week. Sometimes these days can be long and busy and being part of a team that supports each other is a great way for everyone to love what they do and not feel like work.

‘The only way to do great work is to love what you do’ – Steve Jobs

And this stems from an organisation having a culture that supports this. Think why so many people loved working for Steve Jobs. He worked hard, respected everyone’s voices in the company, listened to everything (even if he didn’t want to hear it!), encouraged honesty and openness, and gave the same back.

So what are some tips for building a positive and strong workplace culture:

Grow off your current culture: Ask everyone what they like and, more importantly, what they do not like about their current workplace culture and workplace environment. Use these suggestions to help create a positive culture.

Emphasise employee wellness: This can be a foundation for a strong positive workplace culture. If employees are not at their best – mentally, emotionally, and physically – then it can be hard for them to contribute to a positive culture. Ensure you have the tools and resources required to enable them to have a healthy outlook, both at work and home.

Having meaning: Imagine coming to work, every day, and not having meaning to the work you do. You need to provide a purpose and meaning for employees to have job satisfaction. Have a positive mission statement. A set of values that are relatable and achievable. Ensure employees understand how their role contributes to the organisation and how they positively have an impact to the company and clients (or students).

Encourage positivity: Simple gestures can make a world of difference. Saying ‘thank you’ to an employee can go a long way. Having a positive attitude, even when situations are tough, can encourage others to stay with you throughout it. Smiling, positive body language and positive expression all play vital roles in encouraging positivity in the workplace.

Create goals: How can we achieve something if we do not know the end goal? How do we start if we do not know what we need to achieve? This is something that many leaders know but struggle to communicate. It can leave others feeling unsettled, unsure where to begin or end and the road they need to take to get there. Having clear goals and paths allow employees to feel confident and positive in achieving them.

Social connections: As we said earlier, we spend a considerable amount of time together at work. How do you grow a strong, positive workplace culture if there is no interaction between them? We need to provide opportunities for social interactions in the workplace. Simple things like having a team meal once a week, social get-togethers outside of work hours, or just encouraging communication in the workplace can all be simple ways to get things started.

Listen: And we mean really listen, not just hear what an employee has to say. You may not always like it but having an open and honest relationship with employees encourages a positive workplace. And who knows, even the negative can turn into a positive. If we listen to what our employees have to say, it provides us the opportunity to continue to mould and grow a workplace where everyone wants to come and work.

These are just some of the basic things we can do in our organisation to create a strong, more positive workplace culture. A place where everyone wants to come to work, and a place everyone wants to work.

With so many challenges thrown at us in this age, being an organisation that provides a strong and positive culture enables you to handle any situation thrown your way.

April 30, 2021 rtogroupsuperadmin News, RTO Comments Off

‘Energising Tasmania’ agreement signed

The Australian and Tasmanian Governments have signed an agreement that will support thousands of Tasmanians through the delivery of fee-free training to develop a skilled workforce for the renewable energy and related sectors.
The Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the $17 million Energising Tasmania project will equip Tasmanians with the skills to support the Battery of the Nation initiative.
“The Morrison Government is removing the barriers that inhibit people in Tasmania from taking up further skilling through the vocational education and training (VET) sector such as upfront costs of training,” Minister Cash said.
“In addition, we are supporting Tasmania to establish a local industry advisory group, build capacity in the training market and undertake dedicated workforce planning activities – all aimed at building the skills needed for the critically important Battery of the Nation initiative.
“The advisory group will engage with employers and registered training organisations to support the development of the workforce needed for the renewable energy and related sectors more broadly.”
Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said Energising Tasmania will support the delivery of high-quality training in priority areas.
“Energising Tasmania will deliver up to 2,500 fully subsidised training places, including traineeships, apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, in areas of identified skills need, Assistant Minister Irons said.
Assistance of up to $1,000 per learner will also be available to cover costs associated with training, such as books and materials, and student amenity fees.
Energising Tasmania is part of the Australian Government’s $585 million Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package.

May 12, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, Others Comments Off

Interview with The RTO Doctor’s Founding Director – Raelene Bartlett

Raelene is the author of two best-selling books, CRICOS CPR: Top 5 Tips to Rescue Your RTO and Legal Decision-Making under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cth): An investigation into merits review. As one of Australia’s leading sanction management specialists in VET and international education, she is well known for her outspoken and informed contributions to discussion around VET reform, calling out negligence and keeping the sector accountable. As an ex-regulator, she was an integral to the CRICOS national re-registration project in 2009-2010 which saw the closure of a number of high-profile providers around the country. An outspoken advocate for the sector, Raelene often provides informed discussions on topics that are critical to the future of VET in Australia.

Q1: For those who do not know you, what is your background?
I completed a Bachelor of Education majoring in law and health, completed a Master of Education (Research) in youth suicide prevention, a Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare, as well as a range of VET qualifications in auditing and TAE. I started a Doctor of Philosophy at Monash University in Melbourne on international student safety several years ago but withdrew when I moved to WA. I completed a Graduate Diploma in Australian Migration Law and Practice last year and am currently completing a Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry).
From a career perspective, I’ve been a mainstream high school teacher, I worked in prison education, with non-mainstream youth at risk (homeless teens, pregnant teens, kids whose parents were in and out of jail, kids with dual diagnosis issues). I’ve been a VET Trainer and assessor (health and community services), set up health and community services portfolios in large RTOs, managed RTOs, been a regulator with the Department of Education Services in International and Higher Education Regulation and established RTO Doctor in February 2011.
I’ve always been involved in advocacy issues within the VET sector, probably my first real issue that I advocated heavily for in VET was a long time ago in Victoria with ACPET in relation to the issue of work based training for international students. The issues were two-fold. The first was around the requirement of some skills assessment bodies that required certain qualifications and work based training for successful completion or recognition. This really only impacted international students seeking permanent residency at the time because Australian employees did not (and still do not) have to meet the same criteria to be eligible to work in those industries. The second issue was related to how completing the mandatory work placement in these courses impacted international students and their right to work in Australia while their course was in session. There were many courses at the time which required a certain number of work placement hours for recognition of the qualification for international students (domestic students didn’t need to have their qualification recognised) but the training package didn’t require it so, under the National Code at the time, these work based training hours could not be registered n CRICOS causing conflict with the right of international students to work.
Q2: What motivated you to work in an industry which includes a lot of auditing, compliance and many regulations?
Initially, I was motivated by the work I was doing in my PhD. It was on international student safety and how the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program victimises international students, also focussing on how their own desire to study in Australia contributed to their future victimisation (not so much focussing on the physical violence being experienced at the time ut how systems were exploiting international students and how they willingly engaged with those exploitative systems knowing the inherent risks). I was concerned that if these international students were coming to Australia to study in a country so far from home and where everything is foreign and unknown to them prior to their arrival, then I could at least contribute to the quality of that experience by ensuring that providers were consistently compliant and met their obligations. I’ve always been interested in victimology and supporting the weak, this was just another example.
One day I realised that I could only ever have a small impact by challenging the system in this manner and that if I was to have a bigger impact, I needed to come at it from a different perspective and so came my time as a regulator. The idea was that if I could show providers how to do the right thing, my impact would be greater. I realised though that there was a far greater impact that could be made by assisting providers to respond to allegations of non-compliant behaviour and that perhaps there were secondary victims of the GSM program – providers themselves. As time has gone by and the regulatory framework has changed, my passion for justice and the law has meant that I quite naturally came to specialise in AAT work, giving hope to providers who have risked everything to leave a legacy for our future generations and who, in this process, have become oppressed with very options for survival.
Q3: In the current environment what do you think are the main threats to training organisations?
I think there are a number of threats to RTOs including a lack of leadership and policy direction, financial viability, the inability to exist and operate as a viable long-term business, a rogue regulator, no real industry association that is truly representative of the private sector, the race to the bottom for survival, the lack of regulation around VET service providers (consultants, accountants, website developers, AVETMISS suppliers – there are more and more establishing themselves all the time, most who do not have the qualifications or experience to provide the services that they do; this is a consistent threat to providers in what has become one of the most poorly and highly regulated sectors in the international economy. Australian politics is also a major threat to not just training organisations but Australia’s education and training industry. Australian politics has for decades just put bandaids on a system that it has never understood and the bandaids just keep falling off. If the government is to truly reform Australia’s VET sector, it needs to have a better understanding of it and engage with experts who do.
Q4: What are your views on how we can improve the vocational education and training sector in Australia?
See the previous question, I could turn this into another book otherwise!
Q5: What is your message to organisations that do not spend money or time on improving their systems, processes and staff?
My views are a bit unconventional really. I think there are 2 categories of providers here. I think many providers do spend time and money on these things but they don’t know what they don’t know and are often misguided and exploited by unethical and/or unqualified or poor quality VET service providers. Some of these providers offer these services willingly and intentionally knowing they don’t meet the mark, others are just too naive (or ego-driven) to step aside when they are out of their depth. What makes it worse is the regulator is incredibly poor at providing any guidance on their expectations; it operates in a context of you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent. In this context, it’s impossible to pre-empt what the regulator expects, especially when they are so inconsistent and secondly, despite the many iterations of the legislative framework RTOs operate under, there is still so much grey. This leads me to my second group of providers who, understand that we operate in a legislative framework and sometimes, all you can do is meet the minimum requirements and do what you think. If you have the unfortunate experience of coming face to face with ASQA in its current state, you adjust your systems at that point in time to suit their expectations where it is reasonable. Ultimately, a provider can send themselves into bankruptcy these days trying to pre-empt what ASQA wants and still not get there. Given that they have to make legal decisions based on the legislative framework we all have to operate under, sometimes, it is more time and cost-effective to wait for the legal decision to be made and take action from there. With there being so much subjectivity that prevails in ASQA’s intentions, interpretations, poor quality and approaches to regulation that are not robust, accountable or transparent, it wouldn’t matter how much time or money a provider spent on improving their systems, processes and staff, it would, in today’s regulatory climate, still not be enough.
Q6: What are your views on the comparison between public and private training providers?
I think that if public providers were held to account as much or even close to private providers, there would be no public providers. Having been involved with numerous public providers over the years, I can honestly say that they have far more compliance issues than the majority of private RTOs. I’ve seen some truly horrific accounts of non-compliance in public RTOs that the public would be horrified about but it often gets swept under the carpet. Then there’s those public providers who have connections…
Ultimately, one government body will never shut down another government body – there’s a lot in that if you read between the lines.
Q7: What message would you like to convey to people who plan to work in the VET Sector or are in the industry but do not know where to find help and support?
When people come to me asking for assistance or advice on entering into the VET sector or becoming an RTO, I am ashamed to say that I often ask them ‘Are you mad’? ‘Are you really sure you want to do this’? I actually try to talk them out of it. When you see the horror stories that I have in this industry, the lives that ASQA has ruined, the number of people who have lost everything – their homes, their car, their family, their health, you really start to question the future of this industry and what lies ahead as long as we have the corruption, lack of leadership, transparency, honesty and lack of policy direction that we do. I am fearful for Australia’s VET sector; I’m fearful for the mess that these governments (both Labour and Liberal) have created, neglected and failed. I’m afraid for our future generations and their ability to access the skills that they need to survive in a world that is demanding more and more technical and vocational education. I’m afraid for Australia’s services, suffering immense skills shortages because it’s just too hard to train people to fill those roles or remuneration is not commensurate with what it takes to even graduate one person to fill that gap. As for finding help and support, I have always said ‘Buyer Beware’. There’s a lot of inexperience out there and you don’t know what you don’t know. Don’t be fooled, the mistakes are often life-changing but never in the way you expected.

May 12, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, RTO Comments Off

Annual declaration on compliance

Are you confident that your RTO meets current compliance requirements with RTO standards? Or do you need help?
All Australian Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are required to submit an annual declaration on compliance with the RTO standards applicable to their organisation on or before 31st March 2018.
The CEO Declaration
The declaration is a legal document and the CEO must be truthful and completely open and transparent in making the declaration. The CEO is making the declaration to ensure that the RTO complies with all requirements of the VET Quality Framework as relevant to the training products on the RTO’s scope. There are a number of penalties under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 that all CEOs should be aware of.
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00245
Failure to submit this annual declaration is a breach of conditions of registration as an RTO.
Annual declaration requirements
An annual declaration confirms the CEO has systematically monitored the RTO’s compliance with the Standards and whether any issues identified they have been rectified or otherwise appropriately risk-managed. The declaration must be signed by the RTO’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is responsible for the RTO’s operations.
The declaration requires the CEO to testify that:
all information about the RTO on training.gov.au is accurate (or, if it is inaccurate, that ASQA has been notified of necessary changes
to the best of the CEO’s knowledge, all owners and high managerial agents meet the Fit and Proper Person Requirements.
Demonstrating compliance includes, but is not limited to, showing how the RTO complies with (if applicable):

the NVR Act and the legislative instruments it enables
the VET Quality Framework
legislation, regulations and standards related to delivery of training to overseas students
VET Student Loans legislation and rules
workplace health and safety legislation and regulation
santi-discrimination legislation and regulations

consumer protection requirements
The CEO needs to ensure that the RTO currently complies with each national standard and if not, what actions are being taken to remedy non-compliance, especially but not limited to, the following compliance areas:
1. Training and assessment strategies
The RTO has a compliant Training and Assessment Strategy (TAS) for each course delivery type (such as online, classroom, workplace, distance, blended) and cohort of student (domestic, International).
2. Industry consultation
The RTO has conducted a ‘range of Industry consultations’ and systematically used the outcome of the Industry engagement to ensure the Industry relevance of the training and assessment strategies, practices and resources and current industry skills of the trainers and assessors.
3. Trainers and assessors
The RTO has sufficient trainers to deliver each training product on the scope. The trainers/assessors have demonstrated their vocational competency and Industry currency at each unit level and meet VET knowledge and currency requirements. The trainer and assessor files contain signed copies of their annually updated resumes, certified qualifications and skills matrixes.
4. Pre-enrolment information
Information, whether disseminated directly by the RTO or on its behalf, is both accurate and factual and provides students with sufficient information to make an informed decision to enrol in the course with your RTO.
5. Validation schedule
The RTO has implemented a plan for ongoing systematic validation of assessment practices and judgements for each training product on the RTO’s scope of registration including;
when assessment validation will occur;
which training products will be the focus of the validation;
who will lead and participate in validation activities;
how the outcomes of these activities will be documented and acted upon.
As per ASQA’s Standards for RTOs 2015, the RTO’s validation plan must ensure that:
All training product on the RTO’s scope of registration undergoes validation at least once every five years.
The RTO must validate at least 50 per cent of the training products in the first three years of the cycle.
You may need to validate certain training products more often where specific risks have been identified, for example, if your RTO’s industry consultation identifies areas of particular risk. ASQA may from time to time determine specific training products that must have particular attention paid to them and this advice is published to www.asqa.gov.au.
You can read more about validation schedule and conducting validation at https://www.caqa.com.au/validation-and-moderation-services.
6. Training and assessment materials
The RTO has sufficient, industry-relevant, compliant resources and materials to train and assess all training products on your RTO’s scope. The training and assessment materials meet the training package requirements and Industry expectations.
7. Language, literacy and numeracy and support requirements
The RTO can demonstrate how it identifies language, literacy, numeracy and learning requirements for each and every student in every course and how the RTO will provide adequate support for them.
8. Transition planning
The RTO has prepared a compliant transition plan to demonstrate that:
the commencement of a new learner in a training product which is no longer current (i.e. the training product has been superseded, removed or deleted from the National Register); and
the time-frame in which an RTO must complete the training, assessment and AQF certification documentation issuance for learners enrolled in a training product which is, or becomes, no longer current.
9. RTO Policies and Procedures, Forms and Manuals, Records management system and Practices
The RTO has compliant policies, procedures, forms, manuals, records management systems for effective retrieval, retention and protection of records, complaints management, regulatory compliance, minimising litigation risks, safeguarding important information, better management decision making, version control and RTO practices to ensure the organisation follow a compliant framework to maintain its registration with the regulatory bodies.
10. AVETMISS compliant database
The RTO has collected and reported ‘Total VET Activity’ data. This includes full Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) data, in accordance with the National VET Provider Collection Data Requirements Policy.
11. Compliant testamurs, statement of attainment and record of results
The RTO must ensure it is issuing compliant testamurs, statement of attainment and record of results to all eligible students
12. Collection and reporting of Quality Indicators and Total VET activity data
The Data Provision Requirements 2012 requires all registered training organisations (RTOs) registered with ASQA to provide an annual summary report of their performance against the learner engagement and employer satisfaction quality indicators to ASQA. You must also make sure, your organisation has recording and reporting Total VET activity data according to the requirements of NCVER and regulatory bodies. Your RTO is required to meet these data provision requirements as a condition of registration. Regulatory body may impose regulatory penalties if your RTO does not meet these data provision requirements.

May 11, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin ASQA, Audits, News, RTO, VET Sector Comments Off

We hear loud & clear message from business-VET sector is not meeting your workforce needs-PM Scott

Strong comments regarding the Australian VET system were made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in his speech to the Business Council of Australia (BCA).

“We hear loud and clear the message from the business – that our Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector is not meeting your workforce needs.

I’m not going to throw more money into a system that is not working, we are going to fix the system so we can invest better in it.

Informed by the outstanding report delivered by Steven Joyce, Commonwealth and state and territory governments are working constructively, they are working together to develop and implement our reform road-map. And Minister Cash will be meeting with her state and territory counterparts this Friday to advance that agenda.”

We would also like to share the comments of our VET industry leaders on this report:

“Nothing will change if the money is thrown at the same groups who caused, and continue to cause, the problems that the VET system experiences today.

I am certain that, had they known how to create and maintain a world-leading VET system, the groups with the most sway over our system would have done so by now. The evidence before us shows, however, that either there was no desire to do so, or there was no idea how to.

It is beyond comprehension that anybody, armed with the skills and desire to do so, would deliberately ignore the massive opportunities we have had in the past to once more be at the forefront of global VET. But that our system is amongst the worst suggests that it was not the strength to do so that was – and remains – missing, but the ability. It is incomprehensible, therefore, that they would receive any more taxpayers money to keep us near the bottom.

Sadly, I feel that this is exactly what will happen.”

“ASQA is responsible for the failure of the VET system in Australia”

“How on earth can a small business take on apprentices and trainees with all the complexity involved these days?

Navigating through entitlements, superannuation, the different types of leave, insurance, pay rates, compliance etc could take hours and hours of research and when you are under the pump trying to keep your business afloat, I can imagine it would be a nightmare – and that’s even before you manage your own business affairs – such as BAS, your own records and requirements and getting work in the door.

It’s not a case now of just paying someone a wage and that’s it. All employers have to be HR experts, Superannuation experts, Payroll experts, Insurance experts, Compliance experts. For many people, it’s all just too hard.”

We as an industry representative and stakeholders are seeking answers to the following questions:

If our VET system is not meeting the needs of the learners or industry then who is it serving? A few Government bureaucrats who keep creating chaos and complete disorder in the industry.
Are there deliberate efforts by these bureaucrats to derail the VET system? What is the background of these bureaucrats working in the vocational education and training sector?
What initiatives are the Government implementing to change the unpredictable, inconsistent and highly toxic culture of our current vocational education and training regulator?
Why has a regulator been allowed to destroy hundreds of Australian businesses by using unqualified and inexperienced auditors?

May 9, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, VET Industry News, VET Sector Comments Off

Are you looking for a VET professional to join your team? Or perhaps you are looking for your next career opportunity?

Specialising in recruitment Australia wide, Career Calling Jobs work with a large number of qualified and passionate candidates searching for the next challenge in their career within the VET sector.
Our platform receives an extraordinary number of applications from candidates who are specifically seeking employment in the industry.
We are currently working with professionals who are looking for new career opportunities in the following positions:
– Training Coordinators
– Trainers & Assessors
– Compliance Managers
– Administration Officers
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– CEO & Other Executive Positions
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We are dedicated to providing a quality service to both employers and candidates to ensure the outcome is long-lasting and successful. Allow us to help you find outstanding talent for your company so you can continue focusing on the success of your business.
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To have a chat with our Recruitment Coordinator about our services please contact Claudia Simeone on 1800 266 160 or email jobs@careercalling.com.au

February 20, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, VET Sector Comments Off

I paid for it – why don’t I own it? – the copyright trap, article by Margaret Ryan, Lawyer and Trade Marks Attorney

If your business commissions a graphic artist to create a logo and brand collateral for the business, who owns the copyright in the artwork? Have you thought about this?

It is important that businesses do think about this when commissioning third parties to create artistic works and literary works. These works can include:

logos;
artwork and wording on product packaging and brand collateral;
product information such as manuals;
photographs;
advertising; and
social media.

This is because the default position in Australia is that the author or his/her employer will own the copyright, not the commissioning party. This usually comes as a shock to most businesses because they assume that “if I pay for it, I own it”. In order to own the copyright, it is normally necessary to obtain a written copyright assignment from the author or his/her employer, such as the graphic design company or advertising agency.

It is best that this be done at the start of the engagement, when the business can exercise the maximum leverage over the author/employer. If the author is not prepared to assign the copyright, the business can go elsewhere.

If there has not been a copyright assignment, the business can still use the copyright material for the purpose for which it was prepared. However, problems can arise if the business wishes to use the material for a different purpose – for instance, instead of just using artwork on shopping bags, caps and T-shirts promoting the products, the business wants to use the artwork on a wide range of merchandise to be sold separately. Without a copyright assignment or an agreement from the author to use the artwork in such a broad way, the business would need to go back to the author and ask for permission to do this – and possibly pay an additional fee.

The question of ownership of copyright often comes up when someone else is copying the logo or collateral of the business. This may amount to a copyright infringement, which can be a useful claim for the business to be able to make to stop the infringing conduct. However, unless the business owns the copyright (or at least has a written exclusive licence to use the copyright) the business cannot make this claim. It is often at this time that a lawyer will suggest that the business try and get an assignment of the copyright. However, this may not be so easy if there is no ongoing relationship with the author or the author is difficult to locate. Alternatively, the author may be prepared to assign the copyright but only for a (sometimes substantial) fee.

It is recommended that a business think about copyright ownership at the outset of commissioning artistic or literary works so that they can agree in writing on who owns the copyright. This is best practice for businesses who understand that copyright is an important business asset.

29 January 2020

This article provides general information only, and is not intended as legal advice specific to your circumstances. Please seek the advice of a lawyer if you have any particular questions.

For more information, please contact Margaret Ryan at

Margaret Ryan

Lawyer and Trade Marks Attorney

IP by Margaret™

E: margaret@ipbymargaret.com.au

W: www.ipbymargaret.com.au

PH: 03 9402 0778

February 20, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, VET Sector Comments Off

Understanding the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2019

In 2017, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, the Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, commissioned a review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVETR Act) and its associated legislative framework. The review was part of the Australian Government’s commitment to ensure the quality of the national vocational education and training (VET) sector into the future.

Professor Valerie Braithwaite from Australian National University conducted the review to determine the legislative capacity of the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to efficiently and effectively regulate the sector, evaluate if ASQA’s functions and powers are consistent with best regulatory practice and assess the ability of the system to meet industry and student needs. Professor Braithwaite was also asked to investigate reforms that could improve outcomes for students.

The review report is available here.

Another expert review of Australia’s vocational education and training sector was conducted by the Honourable Steven Joyce.

The review report is available here.

The National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2019, suggested by the minister and VET stakeholders, is the result of the recommendations of Professor Valerie Braithwaite and Steven Joyce. We did our research and have identified that this bill is highly influenced by the Australian Skills Quality Authority’s submission to the Review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011. The copy of the ASQA’s submission is available via the following link here:

This bill was introduced and read for the first time in the senate on 4th Dec 2019. The second reading debate occurred on the 5th February 2020. No proposed amendments have been suggested and/or made in the Amendment bill in the first or second debate. The bill is now almost ready to be introduced to the second house and the final text of the bill will be passed with or without any amendments by both the House of Representatives and the Senate which is presented to the Governor-General for assent.

It is important to understand this bill as it will be bringing a number of substantial changes to ASQA’s regulation of the vocational education and training sector.

It remains unclear how the proposed amendments will help the Australian Government and training and education sector to have a more transparent and balanced regulator that builds quality and capacity in the VET sector.

The suggested amendments are in relation to:

Training organisation’s registration requirements,

It appears under the amendment act the entry into the training market will be stringent. The total number of RTOs are already reasonably stable in recent years but these new changes will significantly reduce the number of organisations applying to become a registered training organisation (RTO). The proposed reform numbers one and two of ASQA’s submission are considered in full to make this change.

The organisations will be required to demonstrate a genuine purpose of a commitment to providing high-quality VET and capability to do so to be a training organisation. The training organisation will also be responsible to demonstrate the establishment of a sustainable business model, with a focus on ensuring adequate resources are readily available for the proposed scope of registration.

Conditions and decision timings relating to National VET Regulator (NVR) registered training organisations (NVR RTOs);

The amendment bill includes information about the period for which the condition will be imposed and how organisations should be notified.

Notification requirements for NVR RTOs in relation to changes to the operation of an NVR RTO or events likely to significantly affect an NVR RTO’s ability to comply with the VET Quality Framework;

The stringent notification requirements are suggested to be made mandatory. The legislation enforces a policy of continuous disclosure on an RTO, notifying ASQA when there are likely to be significant changes to an RTO or when an event occurs that is likely to significantly affect an organisation’s ability to be compliant.

Reviewable decisions made by the delegate of the NVR;

Section 203 includes information about the reviewable decisions made by the delegate of the NVR.

Compliance standards and conditions for accredited courses;

There are a number of compliance standards and conditions suggested for accredited courses. Such as section 47:

A person in respect of whom a VET accredited course is accredited must:

comply with the conditions set out in sections 47A, 47B and 47C; and
comply with any conditions imposed on the accreditation of the VET accredited course under subsection 48(1).

Preparation and publication of audit reports by the NVR;

ASQA will be required to publish audit reports to its own website. The format and timings of publication of these reports are not clear yet. The amendment bill states the following after section 17A:

17A Requirements for audits conducted in relation to applications for registration

1. 1. 1. The National VET Regulator must prepare a report of an audit conducted under subsection 17(3) in relation to an application for registration.
    2. The report must:
      - (a) be in a form (if any) approved by the Minister; and
      - (b) comply with the requirements (if any) prescribed by the audit report rules for the purposes of this paragraph.
    3. The report must not include personal information , unless the personal information is the name of:
      - (a) the applicant; or
      - (b) an N VR registered training organisation.
    4. The National VET Regulator must comply with the requirements (if any) prescribed by the audit report rules relating to the publication of the report.

Electronic sharing and publication of information authorised by the NVR;

The proposed changes suggest that no personal information should be made available through publication of the audit reports or electronic sharing. This change is to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (or APPs). For more information, please refer here.

The other changes include the following:

information that the NVR is required to enter on the National Register;
the NVR’s powers to request documents in electronic form, use of enforceable undertakings and to allow for regulatory decisions to be stayed while under reconsideration;
cancellation of VET qualifications and statements of attainment;
the minister’s powers to issue directions to, and determine certain fees charged by, the NVR;
certain offence provisions relating to the delivery of a VET course;
processes for the appointment of acting Commissioners, the Deputy Chief Commissioner and the Chief Commissioner of the NVR; and the NVR’s annual operational and corporate plans; and to make a number of technical amendments; and National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Transitional Provisions) Act 2011 to provide for transitional arrangements.

For more information regarding the changes and how they will affect you, contact us at info@caqa.com.au.

February 20, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin ASQA, News, VET Industry News Comments Off

The pillars of Quality Assurance – Part 1 of Part 3

Quality Assurance (QA) is a way of preventing mistakes and defects in manufactured products and avoiding problems when delivering products or services to customers; which ISO 9000 defines as “part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled”. QA is, therefore, the process of quality planning plus quality control.

The quality assurance process in education and training

Quality assurance involves the systematic review of educational provisions to maintain and improve quality, equity and efficiency. It encompasses organisational self-evaluation (internal audits), external evaluation (including inspection), the evaluation of staff (trainers, support staff and management), and evaluation of learner training and assessments. Developing and implementing a strong quality assurance systems is crucial to building and supporting high-quality, inclusive education and training.

The difference between QA and QC

Quality Assurance and Quality Control are two terms that are often used interchangeably. Although similar, there are distinct differences between the two concepts.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance can be defined as “part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.” The confidence provided by quality assurance is twofold—internally to management and externally to customers, government agencies, regulators, certifiers, and third parties. An alternate definition is “all the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system that can be demonstrated to provide confidence that a product or service will fulfill requirements for quality.”

Quality Control

Quality control can be defined as “part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements.” While quality assurance relates to how a process is performed or how a product is made, quality control is more the inspection aspect of quality management. An alternate definition is “the operational techniques and activities used to fulfill requirements for quality.”

Conceptualising quality in education and training

Harvey and Green (1993) explore the nature and usage of quality in relation to higher education and point out that quality is a relative concept. Harvey (2004–12) provides definitions that are summarised below.

The exceptional view sees quality as something special.
Quality as perfection sees quality as a consistent or flawless outcome.
Quality as fitness for purpose sees quality in terms of fulfilling a customer’s requirements,needs or desires.
Quality as value for money sees quality in terms of return on investment.
Quality as transformation is a classic notion of quality that sees it in terms of change from one state to another. In educational terms, transformation refers to the enhancement and empowerment of students or the development of new knowledge.

Another perspective on the concept is offered by Cheng (2001), who states that the worldwide education reforms have experienced three waves since the 1970s. He proceeds to identify three paradigm shifts in quality improvement in education:

internal quality assurance,which ‘makes an effort to improve internal school performance,particularly the methods and processes of teaching and learning’;
interface quality assurance, which emphasises ‘organisational effectiveness, stakeholders satisfaction and market competitiveness and makes an effort to ensure satisfaction and accountability to the internal and external stakeholder’;
future quality assurance,which is defined ‘in terms of relevance to the new school functions in the new century as well as relevance to the new paradigm of education concerning contextualised multiple intelligences, globalisation, localisation and individualisation’.

Quality assurance in a training organisation

In a training organisation, quality assurance is part of almost everything from industry engagement, development of training and assessment strategies, advertisements and marketing, student enrolment and admission, identifying and categorising individual student needs, provision of assistance and support, developing and delivering quality training and assessment, recording and awarding of certification to data archival processes.

We will focus on the main pillars of Quality Assurance in our coming series of articles and include the following three pillars:

Responsibility and accountability
Documents and records control
Continuous improvement

February 20, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin ASQA, News Comments Off

The VET Sector News- February 2020

Coronavirus travel ban sees Chinese students miss start of university, Australia’s tertiary education sector scrambling

More than 100,000 Chinese students will not be able to start their university and TAFE classes in Australia because of the travel ban put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus.

On Saturday, the Federal Government banned anyone arriving from, or transiting through, mainland China from coming to Australia.

With most university classes due to start next week, the ban has thrown Australia’s higher education sector into chaos.

For more Information, please visit here.

SA Govt invests in vocational education and training

More young South Australians are in training and on the pathway to new jobs due in part to strong investment and reforms in South Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) system.

The latest data from the Productivity Commission’s annual Report on Government Services (ROGS) reports that the Marshall Liberal Government delivered the highest boost to skills training and funding in the nation in percentage terms in VET in 2018, boosted non-government training providers, and delivered improved employment outcomes for students.

Highlights for South Australia include:

An additional $54.3 million in State Government recurrent funding, or a 38.1 percent increase in 2018.
Non-government providers were supported by an additional $11 million or a 28 percent increase from 2017, the largest increase in the nation in percentage terms.
5 percent of government funded VET graduates aged 20 to 64 improved their employment status after training in 2019 -above the national figure of 64.7 per cent.

For more Information, please visit here.

ACT has highest student participation and employment

The ACT has the highest participation in education across early childhood, tertiary, vocational and graduate training, according to the 2020 Report on Government Services, enabling Canberrans to secure good jobs and valuable skills.

“The ACT is the knowledge capital of the nation and these results show the ACT Government’s is successfully supporting Canberra students to reach their full potential,” said Chief Minister and Minister for Tertiary Education Andrew Barr.

Vocational education and training

“For the sixth year in a row, the ACT had the highest number of government-funded vocational education and training students participating in courses at Certificate III to Diploma level or above,” said Minister for Tertiary Education Andrew Barr.

“We also continue to have the nation’s highest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students employed and/or undertaking further study after completing a course.

“The ACT Government remains committed to investing in high-quality vocational education and training programs.”

“We are investing in a new state-of-the art ICT campus to be built in Woden. CIT Woden will provide a modern, purpose built campus that’s expected to bring an extra 6,500 students to the Woden town centre each year to support local business and industry.”

For more Information, please visit here.

Report on Government Services 2020

The Australian, State and Territory governments’ recurrent expenditure (including user cost of capital) on VET totalled $6.0 billion in 2018 — a real decrease of 4.0 per cent from 2017.

Nationally in 2018:

an estimated 4.1 million students participated in total VET, and around 1.1 million students participated in government‑funded VET
there were 3830 registered VET training organisations delivering nationally recognised training in Australia. Around 1747 government funded VET providers delivered nationally recognised, locally developed and non-nationally recognised training, at 30 485 locations in Australia
around 722 200 qualifications were completed by total VET students aged 15—64 years — equivalent to 44.1 qualifications per 1000 people. Around 346 800 qualifications were completed by government-funded VET students aged 15—64 years — equivalent to 21.2 qualifications per 1000 people.

Nationally in 2019:

88.6 per cent of all government-funded 2018 VET graduates were satisfied with the overall quality of their training
67.0 percent of 20—64 year old total VET graduates from 2018 improved their employment status after training.

The VET system aims to deliver a productive and highly skilled workforce through enabling all working age Australians to develop and use the skills required to effectively participate in the labour market and contribute to Australia’s economic future. To achieve this, the Australian, State and Territory governments aim to create a national training system that:

is accessible to all working age Australians
meets the needs of students, employers and industries
is high quality.

Governments aim for a national training system that meets these objectives in an equitable and efficient manner.

For more Information, please visit here.

‘Energising Tasmania’ agreement signed

The Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the $17 million Energising Tasmania project will equip Tasmanians with the skills to support the Battery of the Nation initiative.

“The Morrison Government is removing the barriers that inhibit people in Tasmania from taking up further skilling through the vocational education and training (VET) sector such as upfront costs of training,” Minister Cash said.

“In addition, we are supporting Tasmania to establish a local industry advisory group, build capacity in the training market and undertake dedicated workforce planning activities – all aimed at building the skills needed for the critically important Battery of the Nation initiative.

“The advisory group will engage with employers and registered training organisations to support the development of the workforce needed for the renewable energy and related sectors more broadly.”

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said Energising Tasmania will support the delivery of high-quality training in priority areas.

“Energising Tasmania will deliver up to 2,500 fully subsidised training places, including traineeships, apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, in areas of identified skills need, Assistant Minister Irons said.

Assistance of up to $1,000 per learner will also be available to cover costs associated with training, such as books and materials, and student amenity fees.

Energising Tasmania is part of the Australian Government’s $585 million Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package.

For more Information, please visit here.

Malaysian university seeks partner for short-term study abroad program in Australia

A Malaysian public research university seeks an Australian university partner for a study abroad program for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts.

For more Information, please visit here.

Singapore’s first undergraduate health degree in speech and language therapy

Australian universities will now face intense competition for allied health enrolments as a Singapore institute launches the market’s first degree program in speech and language therapy. Australia has long been a top destination for Singaporean students seeking speech therapy qualifications.

For more Information, please visit here.

Mitchell Institute releases new report and sounds VET funding alarm

The Mitchell Institute recently shared the results from the Australian Investment in Education: Vocational Education and Training report, showing that funding for vocational education and training (VET) is at its lowest level in more than a decade, leaving Australia at risk of failing to properly provide high-quality training for the estimated 45 per cent of new jobs needing VET qualifications in the next five years.

The findings will be of particular interest to the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector in light of publicised workforce shortages which fall at a time when state governments are rolling out initiatives which will require more qualified educators to meet initiative demands.

Every state and territory government, the report found, had cut VET funding over the past decade, with overall funding falling to 15 per cent below levels in 2006. New South Wales has experienced one of the largest declines, report authors said, with a decline in recurrent funding of 21 per cent in real terms compared to 2006, while Victoria has seen its funding almost halve since 2012.

Mitchell Institute Education Policy Fellow Peter Hurley warned that the funding crisis was “making it especially difficult for quality VET providers to sustain high course standards”.

Ensuring a quality education for VET students, and meeting the growing demand for skilled workers is only possible, Mr Hurley said, when governments increase funding for VET courses.

For more Information, please visit here.

VET Student Loan Caps Lifted

The Australian Government has announced that the VET Student Loan limits have been increased for a number of courses, with the changes scheduled to come into effect from today, 29 January 2020. More than one hundred courses have seen the VET Student Loan cap increase, reflecting advocacy undertaken by ITECA and other stakeholders to ensure students have access to loans that more closely reflect the cost of delivery.

For more Information, please visit here.

Coronavirus advice for RTOs

The Department of Health has released updated advice to RTOs in relation to the coronavirus outbreak.

If a student or staff member has travelled to Hubei Province, China, within the past 14 days, isolation is recommended for 14 days after leaving Hubei Province.

If a student or staff member has been in close contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus, isolation is recommended for 14 days after last contact with the confirmed case. Students and staff in these circumstances should not attend college and must avoid contact with other students and staff.

If a student or staff member travelled to mainland China in general but not Hubei Province, the Department does not currently recommend self-isolation. The development of cases outside of Hubei Province is being closely monitored and this advice will be updated if necessary.

For more Information, please visit here.

Five things RTOs need to know in 2020

Every ASQA registered provider needs to stay on top of the basics of registration.

Here is how you can keep track of some of your key obligations this year.

For more Information, please visit here.

The new ASQA website

If you’ve visited asqa.gov.au before, you will probably notice that the page layout looks a little different. Here are some changes to be aware of:

Simplified main menu labelling and added ‘Students’ tab.
Relocated information about making a complaint under the ‘About’ heading.
Both the Users’ guide to the Standards for RTOs 2015 and Users’ guide to the Standards for VET Accredited Courses can be accessed from any page on the site, via links in the top left of the page header. In addition, the Users’ guide to the Standards for RTOs 2015 can now be browsed by either subject chapter or standard—whichever you prefer.
The FAQs are now grouped by popular topics. You can now also browse FAQs alphabetically by topic.
Search results can now be filtered by content type.
An Upcoming events page, it’s now easier to find out details of the next webinar or presentation.
Edited website content to be easier to read and reorganised information to follow logical user pathways.

For more Information, please visit here.

Australian visas exploited by “criminal people smuggling syndicates”

In her speech to the annual John Curtin Lecture, Labor’s immigration spokesperson, Kristina Keneally, spoke about the surge in bridging visas under the Coalition’s term in office, which has been fuelled by “criminal people smuggling syndicates… running a work scam”:

For more Information, please visit here.

These are the 15 most in-demand skills in Australia right now, according to LinkedIn

Whether you’re looking to get a new gig, a promotion or a pay rise, what you can do for an employer will always be the most important thing you can bring to the table.

“Learning not only helps Australians build skills and improve in their roles, it has a strong correlation to a change in mindset, boost confidence and open doors to new opportunities,” LinkedIn Learning Asia-Pacific senior director Jason Laufer said in a release.

It’s in this vein that LinkedIn has revealed the 15 most sought-after skills in the country right now, and made some of its own courses free for the rest of January.

“By sharing insights about the most valuable skills in the workplace today, our goal is to help more professionals own their careers, cultivating the essential soft skills and most current hard skills.”

For more Information, please visit here.

February 20, 2020 rtogroupsuperadmin News, VET Industry News Comments Off

Currently browsing: News

Part 1- Contextualising of assessment resources

WHAT is contextualisation?

WHY is contextualisation so important?

WHAT are the rules for contextualisation?

HOW do you contextualise?

WHY do you need to contextualise assessments?

WHO is responsible for contextualising assessments?

Change of Registered Training Organisation Ownership – What is required?

Building a strong workplace culture in your RTO

‘Energising Tasmania’ agreement signed

Interview with The RTO Doctor’s Founding Director – Raelene Bartlett

Annual declaration on compliance

We hear loud & clear message from business-VET sector is not meeting your workforce needs-PM Scott

Are you looking for a VET professional to join your team? Or perhaps you are looking for your next career opportunity?

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Advertising & Screening

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Advertising & Recruitment

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I paid for it – why don’t I own it? – the copyright trap, article by Margaret Ryan, Lawyer and Trade Marks Attorney

Understanding the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2019

The pillars of Quality Assurance – Part 1 of Part 3

The VET Sector News- February 2020

Coronavirus travel ban sees Chinese students miss start of university, Australia’s tertiary…

SA Govt invests in vocational education and training

ACT has highest student participation and employment

Report on Government Services 2020

Malaysian university seeks partner for short-term study abroad program in Australia

Singapore’s first undergraduate health degree in speech and language therapy

Vocational education and training

Mitchell Institute releases new report and sounds VET funding alarm

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