Should RTO consultants be regulated through a Government or professional body?

Training and education is a complex and vast subject. It is only prudent that we regulate this field to make sure that individuals who are part of it are providing advice and are doing what they claim they can do.

Training and education consultants seem like a dime a dozen these days. However, with the large numbers, there is less regulation of the quality of service offered by such professionals. This leads to poor consultancy services as well as individuals using this as an opportunity for exploitation.

A common misconception among consumers is that they can find out if somebody they are seeking advice from has any kind of qualification or not by searching for them online. The truth is, most unregulated individuals will not show up in searches. So it becomes even more important for Governments to regulate this profession because it serves as an opportunity for unethical individuals to prey on unsuspecting consumers.

Lack of regulation in the training and education industry has led to the exploitation of a number of clients by these so-called training and education consultants, RTO consultants, VET consultants, RTO experts or Auditors.

There are many people who work as consultants, but not all of them should be classified as “RTO experts” or “RTO consultants”. There are many people who provide services that look like training compliance support or audit support who are not qualified or experienced enough to do so.

Almost all other similar types of occupations are regulated in Australia so why not RTO experts and RTO consultants?

Benefits to regulating consultancy

The benefits of regulation are many.

Firstly, it means that businesses won’t have to worry about staying compliant with legal requirements as there will be clear guidelines and quality charters.

Secondly, this would give customers peace of mind knowing that the services provided by their consultant is legitimate, factual and compliant with industry regulatory standards and best practices.

It should also promote continued professional development for the RTO consultants.

Detailed client assistance and support charter

Regulating consultancy will protect consumers from being taken advantage of and a professionally qualified consultant will be able to provide high-quality services. The regulation would also provide a clearer and more transparent system for both clients and providers to understand how these services should be delivered.

Either a government or professional body could be the regulator and validate qualifications and enforce standards of behaviour for the consultants.