Hi Everyone
Hope you are all well and returned from Christmas ready for a big year. Lots in this month of VET News.
We are pleased to welcome Cathy Fisher as new member to the Newbery Consulting team. Cathy commenced in late January and has been appointed as the Applications Manager. Cathy will be managing the preparation and progress of our many application related projects and is based in Brisbane. Cathy has a long work history in the health care sector as a respected Intensive Care Registered Nurse. Over the last few years, Cathy has worked remotely in the training industry performing admissions and completions administration. We welcome Cathy and are excited to have a person with such organisation and communication skills join our team on a permanent basis.
Good training!
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If you have some news, send it to us at: news@newberyconsulting.com.au
Kind regards,
Joe Newbery
Compliance and Regulatory News
ASQA update
Self-assessment checklist for continuing registration. A new form is available that can be used as part of an internal audit process to monitor compliance with the NVR essential standards for continuing registration. The link below will take you to the Forms page on the ASQA website. You’ll find the new form under the section headed RTO registration forms.
A third strategic review is underway. ASQA has launched a strategic review of inappropriate marketing practices within the VET sector. This adds to the previously announced strategic reviews of aged and community care training and the construction industry white card training. Click on the link below to find out more about ASQA’s current strategic reviews.
http://asqa.gov.au/about-asqa/regulatory-approach/strategic-reviews.html
Site audit survey results. ASQA has reported the results from its survey of RTOs who underwent a site audit between 1 June and 31 August 2012. Click on the link below to find out more.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/1593/asqa-audit-survey-round-2.html
NSSC update
Training package standards implementation update. In a news item posted on its website on 16 January 2013, the NSSC advised that communication and engagement with stakeholders regarding the implementation of the Standards for Training Packages will begin in February. Industry Skills Councils, state and territory governments and VET regulators will be first, followed by training providers and peak bodies throughout the year. You can keep up to date with progress at the following link:
http://www.nssc.natese.gov.au/training_packages
NSSC Meeting – 5 December 2012. The following topics were the main focus for the NSSC meeting:
- The development of the ‘Position Paper – Review of the Standards for the Regulation of VET’. This document will put forward the changes the NSSC considers to be necessary to the standards for the regulation of VET. It is anticipated that the Position Paper will be released in March 2013 for public comment.
- Discussion regarding supplementing the AQF Qualification Issuance Policy with information specific to the VET sector.
- Training package cases for endorsement.
Click on the link below to read the December Communiqué.
http://www.nssc.natese.gov.au/news
Expansion of the VRQA’s functions and area of responsibility
The Education Legislation Amendment (VET Sector, Universities and Other Matters) Act 2012 has amended the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 transferring the regulation of apprenticeships and traineeships in Victoria from the Victorian Skills Commission to the VRQA. From 1 January 2013 the VRQA website will have information for employers and apprentices about training contracts, Apprenticeship Field Officers and advice about how to deal with disputes.
AQF Second Edition January 2013
The Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013 incorporates the changes approved by the AQF Council to the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma and the changed regulatory arrangements for the AQF. It also includes changes to the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy and the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy and corrections to minor editorial errors or omissions. The first link below will take you to the new edition of the AQF. The second link will provide further information on what has changed.
http://aqf.edu.au/Portals/0/Documents/2013 docs/AQF 2nd Edition January 2013.pdf
http://aqf.edu.au/Portals/0/Documents/2013 docs/Summary of changes to the AQF 2013.pdf
Training Package News
Recent Training Package endorsements/ updates
- ACM10 Animal Care and Management, version 3.0, released 7/12/2012
- FNS10 Financial Services, version 4.0, released 18/12/2012
- BSB07 Business Services, version 7.0, released 18/12/2012
- MSL09 Laboratory Operations, version 2.2, released 19/12/2012
- MEM05 Metal and Engineering, version 9.0, released 20/12/2012
- MTM11 Australian Meat Industry, version 3.1, released 21/12/2012
- FDF10 Food Processing, version 4.1, released 4/01/2013
- AUR12 Automotive Industry Retail, Service and Repair, version 1.0, released 17/01/2013
- SIT12 Tourism, Travel and Hospitality, version 1.0, released 18/01/2013
- SIR07 Retail Services, version 3.2, released 21/01/2013
- DEF12 Defence, version 2.0, released 24/01/2013
- SIS10 Sport, Fitness and Recreation, version 2.0, released TBA
- UEP12 Electricity Supply Industry Generation Sector, version 2.0, released TBA
- UET12 Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) – Transmission, Distribution and Rail Sector, version 2.0, released TBA
- CPP07 Property Services, version 13.0, released TBA
- CPC08 Construction, Plumbing and Services, version 8.0, released TBA
For details of release information go to http://training.gov.au/
Events, Resources & Funding News
AQF implementation workshops
The Office of the AQF Council is hosting a series of workshops during February and March 2013 in each capital city. The focus of the workshops will be the implementation of the AQF and an interactive structure will provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on all aspects of the AQF. Find out more at the following link.
http://www.aqf.edu.au/Portals/0/Documents/Newsletters/AQF Newsletter 25 January 2013.pdf
Australian apprenticeship & traineeship updates
Click on the links below to view the Australian Apprenticeship Updates for December & January, showing qualifications recently implemented in QLD, WA, NSW, VIC and TAS:
http://aatinfo.com.au/getattachment/a4d13827-a08a-49a7-bb6c-3dd3d397a675/file.aspx
http://aatinfo.com.au/getattachment/0324817a-0d75-4e67-aded-cf14a50f1265/file.aspx
Federal government renews funding for group training scheme
The Federal Government has announced it will maintain funding for the Joint Group Training Program (JGTP) for 2012-13. Federal Skills Minister, Senator the Hon Chris Evans, said the government would invest $14 million to continue the JGTP, despite the NSW government pulling its share of funding from the scheme in July. Click the link below to read Group Training Australia’s media release in response to the announcement.
http://www.tda.edu.au/cb_pages/files/GTA JGTP.pdf
Revised NSW Training Plan Applies From 1 January 2013
The NSW Training Plan has been revised to encourage greater communication between RTOs, employers and trainees/apprentices, and to promote the improved reporting of completions. The new Training Plan template is now available on the STS website (see link below) and will be implemented from 1 January 2013.
DFEEST funded training list
Release 4.1 of the Funded Training List was published on 19 December 2012 and comprises a change to the list of qualifications approved for the Training Guarantee for SACE Students (TGSS), changes to Skill Sets coding and adding a condition on each Skill Set regarding the Subsidy for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) result codes. Visit the Skills for All website at the following link for more details.
http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/for-training-providers/funding/skills-for-all-funded-training
Recent VET publications
Australian vocational education and training statistics: young people in education and training 2011
This publication provides a summary of statistics relating to young people aged 15 to 19 years who participated in an education and training activity during 2011.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2580.html
Continuing education and training models and strategies: an initial appraisal
Stephen Billett et al.
This report comes out of a three-year program of research that aims to investigate how best the tertiary education and training system might be organised to maintain the employability of Australian workers across their working lives.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2571.html
Entry to vocations: the efficacy of VET in School
Kira Clarke
This report explores the relationship between vocational education and training in (VET) in schools and the labour market.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2567.html
Does 1 = 1? Mapping measures of adult literacy and numeracy
Michelle Circelli, Shelley Gillis, Mark Dulhunty, Margaret Wu, Leanne Calvitto
This report explores the Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALLS) survey and Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and finds that while it is broadly possible to translate the five ACSF performance levels to the ALLS scales there is not an exact match between the two, especially at the higher levels.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2581.html
Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in developing Asia-Pacific
Asia Development Bank
This publication examines trends and prospects in technical and vocational education and training in the Asia-Pacific region, with particular focus on achieving inclusive growth and the greening of economies.
Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations 2012
A new version of the Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations has been released. There are no substantial changes as this was more of a technical update. References to the National Quality Council have been replaced with the National Skills Standards Council. Also notes for users that references to the NRT logo conditions have been removed. You can obtain a copy of the revised standards here:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013L00167
Other News of Interest
Launch of the Victorian Skills Gateway
The Victorian Skills Gateway is the one-stop-shop for information about jobs, courses and vocational training providers in Victoria. Access the site at the following link:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/victorianskillsgateway/Pages/home.aspx
Pow Wow wins reprieve
As reported in The Australian on 25 January 2013 Pow Wow Training, a Melbourne RTO which was deregistered by ASQA after being found to be “critically non-compliant” with national standards, has won a reprieve in the Federal Court. Read more at the following link:
http://the-scan.com/2013/01/25/pow-wow-wins-reprieve/
Victoria culls eligible private providers
As reported in The Australian on 21 January 2013 Victoria has slashed the number of private training colleges eligible for government funds by more than half, in a renewed effort to drive out shonky providers. Read more at the following link:
http://www.tda.edu.au/cb_pages/files/Victorian colleges lose approval.pdf
Central Queensland merger in doubt
As reported in The Australian on 19 January 2013 the planned merger between the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE and the Central Queensland University is in doubt due to the government allegedly pulling funding from the scheme. Read more at the following link:
http://www.tda.edu.au/cb_pages/files/Central Queensland merger.pdf
This news letter was researched and prepared by Anne Maree Newbery
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