Hi everyone,
I hope things are ticking along nicely for you. Welcome to our newsletter for July.
This audit tool is the result of development and review over the past 4 months by lead consultants within Newbery Consulting. The criteria we have provided within each standard and clause go directly to the core of evaluating compliance and are presented in plain language. Where relevant, clauses have been combined within the tool to aid in their review and to assist RTOs to make sense of the standards which are so fragmented. Additional criteria have also been added which Newbery Consulting consider to be important in any internal audit and particularly when preparing for a regulatory audit.
You can access the new audit tool in Word format at the following pay on our website:
Newbery Consulting Audit Tool – Standards for RTOs 2015
Enjoy the news and good training!
Joe Newbery
As always we invite new subscribers at: Subscribe to VET News
If you have some news, send it to us at: news@newberyconsulting.com.au
Compliance and Regulatory News
ASQA update
ASQA Stakeholder Survey 2015. ASQA has engaged Australian Survey Research Pty Ltd (ASR) to conduct its annual survey of stakeholders. ASR will contact training providers and course owners by email and the email will contain each organisation’s unique link to the survey. The completion of the survey is voluntary.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2844/asqa-stakeholder-survey-2015.html
Invoicing update: Annual fees reminder. ASQA’s annual fees were invoiced on 1 July 2015. Annual fees are based on an RTO’s scope of registration as at close of business on 30 June 2015. ASQA’s fee schedule includes information about how fees are calculated.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2806/invoicing-update-annual-fees-reminder.html
Annual declaration on compliance. ASQA has advised that at present, no action on this declaration is required from RTOs. ASQA is currently working with a range of VET sector stakeholders to determine the content of this declaration and the timing of its collection. Further information will be published on ASQA’s website soon.
VET Reform Update
Changes effective 1 July 2015. A phase of the Australian Government’s major reforms to Australia’s vocational education and training system came into effect from 1 July 2015, through the introduction of the new Apprenticeship Network, changes to VET FEE-HELP, and funding for the Australian Skills Quality Authority.
http://www.vetreform.industry.gov.au/
USI Update
Changes effective 1 July 2015. The USI Registry System has recently been updated to include new functions for both students and training organisations.
http://www.usi.gov.au/Pages/june-2015-system-changes.aspx
TAC Update
Strategic industry audit – High risk work. The TAC is in the final stages of planning for a strategic industry audit of units that lead the high risk work licences in Western Australia. It is anticipated RTOs who have be selected as part of the audit sample will be contacted over the coming weeks, with audits being undertaken in August.The final report will be released in October 2015.
http://www.tac.wa.gov.au/newsandevent/Pages/TAC-Special-Bulletin—SIA-2015.aspx
VRQA Update
The VRQA’s latest newsletter has information about:
- The new Failure to Protect offence which comes into effect on 1 July 2015
- The launch of the SchoolMate app which is designed to help parents of school students to know more about what their children are learning under the AusVELS curriculum.
- Changes that remove the requirement for reporting CCOS data for RTOs who have submitted 2014 AVETMISS data.
http://www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/enews/pages/Edition-46/default.htm
Proposed ESOS changes
On 7 July 2015 the Australian Government released drafts of the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment Bills 2015 for public consultation. Minister for Education and Training, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said that “The proposals in these Bills simplify and streamline the regulation of international education. They follow extensive consultations with stakeholders on ways to improve the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework”.
https://www.pyneonline.com.au/media-centre/media-releases/streamlined-regulation-to-reduce-red-tape-for-australias-international-education-providers
Training Package News
TGA Updates
Training package changes. There are new releases of the following training packages:
- BSB Release 1.2: 19 June 2015
- SIF Release 2.1: 9 July 2015
TGA now showing Skill Sets. The new Standards for VET Regulators requires that Skill Sets form an official part of an RTO’s scope. As a result, RTO scopes have now been automatically updated to reflect the capacity to deliver Skill Sets. The Skill Sets have been determined based on an RTO’s implicit and explicit scope items.
Events, Resources & Funding News
Australian apprenticeship update
Click on the link below to view the Training Package qualifications recently implemented in States and Territories.
http://newberyconsulting.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38fe6335425568c3089975c08&id=e39e428f76&e=937034a34e
Qld funding boost
The Queensland government has allocated $337.2 million over 4 years for training initiatives in its budget delivered on 15 July 2015, with a focus on improving employment prospects and rebuilding the TAFE network.
http://the-scan.com/2015/07/21/queensland-budget-skills-and-training/
Victorian VET funding review issues paper
Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert, announced the release of the independent VET Funding Review’s Issues Paper – the first step in developing a new funding model to keep TAFEs financially secure.
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/issues-paper-first-step-to-stronger-training-system
Training package implementation workshops
The Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council (CS&HISC) is running a series of professional development workshops in August and September 2015 to assist stakeholders to implement the new CHC and HLT Training Packages.
http://www.cshisc.com.au/develop/industry-qualifications-training-packages/national-training-packages-implementation-workshops/
Australian Training Awards
Registrations are now open for the Australian Training Awards event to be held in Hobart on Thursday, 19 November 2015.
http://www.australiantrainingawards.gov.au/event
Recent VET publications
Government-funded students and courses, 2014 – final
The number of people enrolled in government-funded training nationally declined to 1.79 million last year compared with the previous year, returning to a level similar to 2010. Government-funded enrolments at TAFE and other government providers and community education providers declined 8.8% and 12.2% respectively, but increased 8.4% at other registered training providers.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent/
Refereed papers from the 23rd NCVER ‘No Frills’ conference
A select few speakers at the NCVER conference were offered the opportunity to have their papers peer-reviewed, and these nine refereed papers have been compiled into a book of conference proceedings. The papers span a broad range of topics, and include pathways and student mobility between VET and higher education, student aspirations, access to education and training, and issues involved with VET reform.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent
Vocations: the link between post-compulsory education and the labour market
The NCVER has published summaries for different stakeholder groups highlighting the main findings arising from this 3-year research program.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent
Building the capabilities of the travel, tourism and hospitality workforce
This paper identifies issues to be considered in ensuring the education and training system can respond to emerging skills demand in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent
Mitchell Institute report
Feasibility and design of a tertiary education entitlement in Australia. In this Mitchell Institute publication, two of the key architects of the original HECS, Dr Tim Higgins and Professor Bruce Chapman, have produced a new report that argues for significant reform to the income contingent loan scheme that would extend it to more VET students while making it affordable.
http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/feasibility-and-design-of-a-tertiary-education-entitlement-in-australia/
Other News of Interest
Victorian Government targeting ‘dodgy’ training providers
Skills minister Steve Herbert said that since November 2014, the government has had to restore funding eligibility for more than 10,000 students who gained inadequate qualifications. The Government will spend $9 million on initiatives to crack down on poor practices with a priority on providers who are doing short course delivery.
http://the-scan.com/2015/06/29/vic-to-blitz-dodgy-vet-providers/
Australia and China strengthen quality assurance of training
Australia and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration on quality assurance for vocational education and training.
https://ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/australia-and-china-strengthen-quality-assurance-training
Industry Skills Fund Skills Adviser Network
Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, has announced the six organisations that will make up the new Industry Skills Fund Skills Adviser Network. An investment of $43 million over the next three years will provide intensive support to businesses that are looking to grow and develop their workforce.
https://ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/isf-skills-adviser-network-announced
MySkills update
Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, has announced the latest round of enhancements to the MySkills website. New features allow students to search and compare VET courses and training providers, with more information including student satisfaction and employment outcomes by course.
https://ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/myskills-update-helps-inform-vet-consumers-0
The news articles presented in this edition of VET News have been researched and prepared by Anne Maree Newbery.
Copyright © 2014 Newbery Consulting