ASQA has started to change the way regulatory decisions are recorded, reported and published, as part of  the reform. The way information is published on the National Register (training.gov.au) will change to comply with new legislative requirements from 1 March 2021.

The National Register will display:

• the status of decisions, which will be updated throughout review processes
• some overview information
• decision details
• a history of events associated with the decision, as well as related decisions.

Providers will also see some changes to their asqanet portal information from 1 March 2021. The ‘Registration Conditions’ sections for both RTO and CRICOS registrations will be temporarily removed while this section is enhanced to align with the new regulatory decisions structure. 

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ASQA has launched their Spotlight On series which is a new program focusing on compliance that offers providers an ongoing, sector-specific resource about key VET and CRICOS compliance requirements.
Each Spotlight On series will run for about six weeks with chapters released weekly on a Thursday.
The series overall will look at a dedicated compliance topic, outlining the requirements providers need to consider in the context of delivering quality outcomes. Among the topics are:

• measuring and maintaining competence of trainers and assessors
• creating successful assessment systems
• validating assessment practices to support those assessment systems.

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The Standards for Registered Training Organisations require RTOs to submit an annual declaration on compliance. Recently, CEOs of RTOs received an email with a unique link to their organisation’s annual declaration on compliance. Before completing, providers need to review their operations to assess your RTO’s full compliance with the Standards. ASQA has provided a self-assessment tool.

RTOs have until midnight on 31 March 2021 to complete their annual declaration form.

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The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report into aged care has laid out an extensive plan to overhaul Australia’s aged-care system. The four major recommendations are:

1. Australia needs a rights-based aged care system
The new Act should set out the rights of older people, including their entitlement to care and support based on their needs and preferences.

2. The system needs stronger governance
A much stronger governance, regulation of the quality of care, prudential regulation, and an independent mechanism to set prices is needed. This change would require all aged care providers to be accredited against the new standards.

3. Need to improve workforce conditions and capability
Numerous important recommendations were made to enhance the capability and work conditions of formal carers. Calling for better wages and a new national registration scheme for all personal care workers, who would be required to have a minimum Certificate III training.

4. Funding
The final report makes a series of complex recommendations about fees and funding, with the commissioners diverging in view as to the specific arrangements. Essentially, the proposed new funding model would provide universal funding for care services, such as nursing. 

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The Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) has recently formed a panel of national associations chosen to deliver the PaTH Business Placements Partnerships Trial, which will be looking at new ways for young people to find employment. 

The panel consists of twelve expert industry groups, that forms part of a two-year $10million trial supporting the design and delivery of tailored pre-employment pathways.

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The new Policy 12: Training contracts for school aged learners, along with a new School Endorsement Form, is now in operation. 
The TTAC has developed policies and guidelines for the purpose of the uniform administration of training contracts, and the fair and equitable treatment of parties to those contracts. 

The revised TTAC Policy 12 Training Contracts for School Aged Learners will be effective from 1 February 2021. Training contracts signed after the 1 February 2021 will not be registered without completion of the new School Aged Learner Endorsement Form.

For further information, click here.

The Automotive industry is estimated to contribute $37 billion to the Australian economy, and as at May 2018 the industry employed over 356,000 Australians. Program enrolments for Automotive-related qualifications have increased from around 58,000 in 2015 to 68,600 in 2019, and were predominately in the Automotive Industry Retail, Service and Repair Training Package.

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Market demand has shifted away from print newspapers and magazines. As such, employment in this industry has fallen by over 50% between 2000 and 2020, with this downward trend predicted to continue. To combat this, workers are transitioning into multidisciplinary communications teams, rather than remaining employed by businesses that focus solely on Printing and Graphic Arts-related activities.

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In seasonally adjusted terms, job advertisements increased by 1.6% (or 2,800 job advertisements) in January 2021 to stand at 175,100.

Job advertisements increased across seven of the eight broad occupational groups during January 2021. The strongest gains were recorded for Technicians and Trades Workers, with recruitment activity up by 4.5% (or 1,100 job advertisements), followed by Machinery Operators and Drivers (4.1% or 410 job advertisements) and Community and Personal Service Workers (2.9% or 520 job advertisements). 
Professionals were the only occupational group to record a decline in recruitment activity over the month, with job advertisements down slightly (by 0.1% or 50 job advertisements).

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The first Spotlight On webinar will discuss a focus on compliance when recruiting and developing quality trainers and assessors.

Register here.

This webinar will provide a discussion of how Australia’s VET sector can be instrumental in driving Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 with the training it provides to thousands of apprentices and trainees. 

Register here.