The Roundtable discussed feedback on ASQA’s implementation of regulatory reforms and the ASQA Performance Framework. The overall Performance Framework is being redeveloped to reflect its newly articulated purpose, strategic deliverables and planning for the next four years. The Performance Framework, featured in ASQA’s annual Corporate Plan, guides the agency’s performance measurement, assessment and reporting against its purpose. Roundtable Members discussed the current Performance Framework and an associated set of survey questions intended for completion by providers and course owners.

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Quality Assessors have been asked about the new process of information collection during a performance assessment (audit). ASQA is seeking to consider a broader range of evidence about how the provider’s systems and practices ensure delivery of high-quality VET informed by feedback from students and industry and in line with relevant policies and legislative obligations. ASQA will request information about your organisation in a staged approach, to properly assess the information as it comes in and determine what additional material may be required.

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The National Skills Commission (NSC) has responsibility for regularly reviewing the national skills needs of Australia and producing a Skills Priority List (SPL). The SPL provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for occupations nationally. Launched this week, the SPL includes nearly 800 occupations and aims to help governments, industry and education providers understand Australia’s skills needs and shortages now and into the future.

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The Energising Tasmania Training Fund is now supporting more than 100 qualifications that will provide key staff to support Tasmania’s clean, green energy future. The fund supports workers to access fee-free qualifications and apprenticeships/traineeships with an additional $1 000 per learner also available to pay for non-tuition costs associated with their learning. The current round of applications remains open to Endorsed Registered Training Organisations until Friday, 27 August 2021 or until all funds are fully allocated.

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The most recent data on apprentice and trainee training activity shows that commencements for the December quarter 2020 increased by 141.5% compared with the December quarter 2019. The total number of apprentices and trainees in-training as at 31 December 2020 was 297 920, an increase of 13.9% from 31 December 2019. The steep increase coincides with the introduction of the Australian Government’s Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy, which reimburses 50 per cent of the wages employers pay a new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for a 12-month period from the date of commencement, to a maximum of $7000 per quarter. The subsidy is available to employers who meet eligibility requirements.

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Job advertisements fell 0.5% (or 1,200 job advertisements) in June 2021 to stand at 241,900. This is the first month-on-month fall in national recruitment activity since job advertisements started recovering from the COVID-19 low point observed in April 2020. Despite the decline observed over the month, recruitment activity in June 2021 remains well above the levels observed at the same time last year, up by 96.3% (118,700 job advertisements).

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In June 2021, some 49% of employers were recruiting or had recruited in the past month. This is a two percentage point drop from the proportion recorded in May 2021 (51%). The proportion of recruiting employers who reported recruitment difficulty continued to fall, to 50% in June 2021, down from 53% in May 2021 and 54% in April 2021. In June 2021, 20% of employers expected to increase their staffing levels over the next 3 months, slightly lower than the 21% recorded in May 2021.

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

• CUA: Creative Arts and Culture
  Revised 9th July 2021.
• FNS: Financial Services
  Revised 9th July 2021.
• HLT: Health
  Revised 2nd July 2021.

ASQA has recently approved an extended transition period for BSB42315 Certificate IV in Environmental Management and Sustainability. The extended training, assessment and certification issuance period for this qualification ends on 1 December 2022.

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TM ID: ATMMAPSTF02
Agency: Department of Finance
Category: 86000000 – Education and Training Services

Description: The Review of the Parliamentary Workplace: Responding to Serious Incidents has been completed and a consultation copy report released. The review proposed a new framework for dealing with serious incidents. The three key areas are a trauma informed support system, an independent complaints mechanism and a face-to-face tailored workplace education program.

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AusTender materials are released by the Department of Finance. AusTender materials are subject to change and should be verified on the AusTender website to ensure the information is up to date and correct: www.tenders.gov.au.