ASQA has released the first in a series of Insights papers as part of the Strategic Review of Online Learning in the VET sector. The paper includes findings from webinars held over the last six months, which outline the current landscape of online learning and provide key insights into issues providers are grappling with when it comes to compliance and quality. The series is designed to build on the success of the innovative ‘feedback loop’ approach of collaboratively sharing learnings and building understanding.

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ASQA has advised all providers to maintain accurate and up-to-date information on asqanet. The information you provide in asqanet will be reflected on training.gov.au. If you haven’t already done so this year, please check and update your provider delivery locations in asqanet. This will ensure you meet your obligation to keep ASQA up-to-date under section 25 of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act (2011).

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Course developers and owners are advised that following an amendment to the Vocational Education and Training (General) Regulations 2009, the commencement date for the new standards for course accreditation with the Council came into effect on 10 September 2021, replacing the AQTF2007 Standards for Accredited Courses. The changes do not impact on courses already accredited by the Council. Applications submitted after 10 September 2021 must meet the AQTF2021 Standards for Accredited Course​s. Application forms and templates aligning to the new Standards are available on the Council’s website.

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In August 2021, 39% of employers surveyed as part of the Survey were recruiting or had recruited in the past month, a 4 percentage point decrease on July 2021.Around one in four (24%) employers in New South Wales had staff stood down (i.e. they had staff who remain employed but are currently not working any hours) in August 2021, while 30% of employers in the state had staff on reduced hours. Victoria also had a high proportion of employers with staff on reduced hours (25%), and while the proportion with staff stood down (8%) was substantially lower than New South Wales, it was higher than all the other states.

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This paper is the first publication from a project focused on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia. The paper draws on the Australian and international literature to explore how the quality of delivery is understood and applied in different contexts and to investigate how it is currently measured. It is the first product of a larger project seeking to determine the views of RTOs and educators on what good-quality delivery involves and how it might be better measured, sustained and improved.

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New data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian (LSAY) explores how young people have been affected during the coronavirus pandemic, including their employment and engagement with education. Changes to engagement with education included 5% putting their studies on hold due to the pandemic and a dramatic decrease in the percentage of students who spent time on campus (37% in 2020, compared with 97% in 2019).

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Job advertisements decreased by a further 5.6% (or 12,800 job advertisements) in August 2021 to stand at 216,000. The level of recruitment activity nationally remains significantly elevated compared to preCOVID-19 levels, up by 28.4% (or 47,800 job advertisements).

New South Wales recorded the strongest fall in recruitment activity over the month, down by 9.2% (6,400 job advertisements). As at August 2021, the fall in recruitment activity in New South Wales has been more significant than the total downturn in recruitment in Victoria, following that state’s ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 infection last year (June 2020).

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The preliminary National Skills Commission Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) release shows online job advertisements fell by 5.6% (12,800 job advertisements) in August 2021, to stand at 216,000. The IVI has now recorded three consecutive months of declining recruitment activity after reaching a 12-year high in May 2021. The sharpest declines in job ads over the month were recorded in New South Wales down by 9.2% (6,400 job ads), followed by the ACT 9.0% (610 job ads) and Victoria 5.9% (3,700 job ads).

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The following training packages have been updated on training.gov.au:

• RII: Resources and Infrastructure Industry
  Revised 21st September 2021.

ASQA has recently approved an extended transition period for the following qualifications from the HLT Health Training Package until 24th December 2022.

• HLT21015 Certificate II in Medical Service First Response
• HLT31015 Certificate III in Ambulance Communication (Call Taking)
• HLT31115 Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport
• HLT41015 Certificate IV in Ambulance Communications (Dispatch)
• HLT41115 Certificate IV in Health Care
• HLT51015 Diploma of Paramedical Science

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ASQA has recently approved an extended transition period of the following BSB qualifications until 30th June 2022.

• BSB52415 – Diploma of Marketing and Communication
• BSB52215 – Diploma of Legal Services
• BSB50815 – Diploma of International Business
• BSB50618 – Diploma of Human Resources Management
• BSB50415 – Diploma of Business Administration
• BSB50215 – Diploma of Business
• BSB40515 – Certificate IV in Business Administration
• BSB40215 – Certificate IV in Business
• BSB31215 – Certificate III in Library and Information Services
• BSB31115 – Certificate III in Business Administration (Medical)
• BSB31015 – Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal)
• BSB30415 – Certificate III in Business Administration
• BSB30115 – Certificate III in Business

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ASQA has recently approved an extended transition period ACM30317 Certificate III in Captive Animals for existing learners. The extended training, assessment and certification issuance period for this qualification ends on 30 December 2022.

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