New Standards for Training
Organisations
and VET Regulators
Stephanie Trestrail
Executive Officer TAC
Key Themes
• The new standards introduce important changes such as
strengthening requirements for registered training
organisations (RTOs) to engage with industry and to use that
engagement to inform their training and assessment
strategies and a greater focus on delivery.
• Reducing costs and regulatory burden for RTOs is a key theme
of the VET reform agenda. The new standards represent a first
step towards establishing a transparent VET system that
rewards high quality providers.
Key Themes
• The standards also focus on providing clarity to RTOs so they
have a clear understanding of what it means to be compliant
while allowing VET regulators to better deal with poor
providers.
• The standards introduce stronger requirements around
information provision and marketing of training courses to
consumers to enable them to make informed decisions about
their training.
Regulator Standards
• Greater clarity around the role and responsibility of
regulators.
• Recognition that a one size fits all approach is not
working.
• Requirement for regulators to provide general
education and guidance materials to providers to
assist them to comply with the standards.
Changes to the Standards
• The new standards introduce greater clarity
to regulatory requirements and
expectations. This is in conjunction with the
VET regulator standards which will require
regulators to provide general education and
guidance materials to assist RTOs to
understand what they need to do in order
to be compliant.
Standards for Registered Training
Organisations (RTOs) 2015
• These Standards consist of eight Standards. Under each
Standard is a set of Clauses of the Standard.
• To comply with a Standard, the RTO must meet each of the
Clauses. A person applying to register as a new RTO must
demonstrate the capacity to meet these Standards for all of
the person’s intended scope of registration.
• For each Standard a context statement is also included. The
context does not form part of the Standard itself, and has
been included to provide background information to help
readers understand the Standard.
Changes to the Standards
• Industry engagement and relevance
• Strengthening the link between
training packages and delivery
• Minimum requirements for trainers
and assessors
• Delivery of the Certificate IV in
Training and Assessment
• Validation
Changes to the Standards
• Example Standard 1.3
• The RTO has, for all of its scope of registration, and consistent with its training
and assessment strategies, sufficient:
• trainers and assessors to deliver the training and assessment;
• educational and support services to meet the needs of the learner
cohort/s undertaking the training and assessment;
• learning resources to enable learners to meet the requirements for each
unit of competency, and which are accessible to the learner regardless of
location or mode of delivery; and
• facilities, whether physical or virtual, and equipment to accommodate
and support the number of learners undertaking the training and
assessment.
Changes to the Standards
• Example Standard 1.3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Educational and support services may include, but are not limited to:
pre-enrolment materials;
study support and study skills programs;
language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) programs or referrals to these programs;
equipment, resources and/or programs to increase access for learners with
disabilities and other learners in accordance with access and equity;
learning resource centres;
mediation services or referrals to these services;
flexible scheduling and delivery of training and assessment;
counselling services or referrals to these services;
information and communications technology (ICT) support;
learning materials in alternative formats, for example, in large print;
learning and assessment programs contextualised to the workplace; and
any other services that the RTO considers necessary to support learners to achieve
competency.
Standards 1.21,1.22,1.23,1.24
•
Trainer & Assessor Requirements - To deliver AQF qualifications or skill sets from the Training
and Education Training Package (or its successor)
Prior to 1 January 2016
Hold the training and assessment qualification at least to the level being delivered; or
Have demonstrated equivalence of competencies
From 1 January 2016
Hold the training and assessment qualification at least to the level being delivered
From 1 January 2017 – To deliver the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor
Hold the TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or its successor; or
TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development or its successor; or
A higher level qualification in adult education; or
Work under supervision of a trainer who holds the above qualifications
Standard changes
• Amount of training required (Standard 1.2)
It is now the responsibility of the RTO to determine the amount of training required by each learner
to enable them to meet the requirements for each unit of competency or module in which they are
enrolled.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Validation (Standard 1.9 – 1.11)
The RTO must ensure that validation is conducted by persons with a degree of independence at
specified intervals. Additionally, the validation process for each training product must be
documented in regards to:
when validation will occur;
for which products;
by whom; and
how the outcomes will be documented and acted upon.
Standard changes
• RPL (Standard 1.12)
Whereas previously there was only a requirement to recognise Qualifications and Statements of
Attainment issued by other RTOs, there is now a specific requirement for RPL to be recognised.
• Units, skills sets or qualifications that are no longer current (Standard 1.26 – 1.27)
The RTO is now required to meet specified time frames in relation to the issuing of qualifications for
units, skills sets or qualifications that are no longer current, although an exception exists for the
transfer or issuing of certification where a training package requires the delivery of a superseded
unit of competency.
• Third party providers (Standard 2.3)
In instances where RTOs engage a third party to provide services on its behalf, there is now a
requirement for the RTO to ensure that those services are subject of a written agreement.
Standard changes
• Certification documentation (Standard 3.3 – 3.5)
RTOs are now required to issue a learner with AQF certification documentation within 30 days of
them being assessed as meeting the training product’s requirements, providing all fees have been
paid. In the case of prior learning, where authenticated VET transcripts are presented as evidence,
these must be accepted and used as a basis for providing credit.
• Marketing Material (Standard 4.1)
The new Standards have far more prescriptive regulation surrounding information that must or must
not be disclosed in promotional material and the products that may be marketed.
• Informing learners (Standard 5.1 – 5.4)
It is the responsibility of the RTO to advise the prospective learner as to which training product
meets their needs. Where there are to be any changes to the agreed services, the RTO must
communicate these to the learner.
Implementation and transition
• TAC recognise that training providers will need time
to develop systems to support the new requirements
and have therefore decided that the transition date
to the new standards will be 1 April 2015 for all RTOs,
both prospective and existing.
• The new Standards can be accessed on the
Department of Industry website or through the
following link http://www.industry.gov.au/
Implementation and transition
•
•
•
•
•
TAC will be developing a User Guide
Mapping between Standards
Frequently asked questions
Workshops
Minimise impact on risk rating