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Thursday 23rd August 2023
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Hello and welcome to VET News,
I hope you are doing well. Can you believe there are just only three months to Christmas!! Far out, where has the year gone? Anyway, we have a jam-packed VET News in this edition.
Firstly, I am pleased to release that our next edition of Speaking ASQAneese – Part 2 is available at our website Click. In the last article we looked at questions relating to training and assessment strategies, resourcing training and assessment, industry engagement and lastly assessment. In this article, we will focus on the following topics on which questions will be asked relating to Trainers / Assessors, Continuous Improvement, and Governance. I how this is helpful to you.
Before you jump to the news, there are two current issues that I want to alert you to. These will not apply to everyone but for those that they are applicable to, this will be valuable information:
International Student – Concurrent Enrolments
The first is the emerging issue relating to CRICOS providers and their acceptance and management of concurrent enrolments. This is a big and complex issue, so I am going to explain it in brief. In our current work with clients, we are observing outcomes from audits relating to the regulators focus on the provider’s acceptance of concurrent enrolments. This is particularly problematic where the provider receives an application from student who is on-shore and the student is still within the first six months of their principal course. Standard 7 of the national code imposes some restrictions on allowing students to transfer between courses within the first six months. Students and some agents are attempting to circumnavigate this restriction by instead obtaining a concurrent enrollment with a different provider as a bridge before they then cancel their principal course. Where the provider has accepted these enrolments, they are being found non-compliant by the regulator for the “practice of the provider avoiding their responsibility to comply with Standard 7″.
All CRICSO providers need to have a look at their enrolment arrangements specifically of onshore enrolments. In most cases that I have observed, the problem is that the student has provided false information and the provider has not taken steps to verify this information. It is also the case that providers are not taking steps to verify the arrangements for the student’s principal course and determining the suitability of the student entering another parallel qualification commitment. There is a lot more to this issue than this editorial allows me the space to unpack but, I would recommend that all CRICOS providers consider the following suggestions:
- Make a blanket policy that you will not accept any application for concurrent enrolment when a student is still within their restricted period. Which is the first six months of their principal course.
- Verify all the information that an onshore student provides in their application including whether they have any current COE, the institution they are studying with, the start and end date of the current enrolment, the location of this institution, their timetable of study and reasons why there previous COE was ended.
- Don’t rely on any information that either the students or the education agents provide as all this information must be independently verified using a combination of PRISMS and contact with other institution that the student is or was enrolled with.
- If you do accept a concurrent enrollment after verifying all the information which is after the restricted period, implement an arrangement to monitor closely the students’ progress and how they are maintaining both significant study commitments.
- As a general observation I would observe that as the international education market ramps back up, you need to decide if you are in this for the long term or the short term. There are many unscrupulous operators in this market particularly in the education agent market. You need to put in place protections to ensure that you are enrolling genuine students.
Smart and Skilled Contract Compliance
This final issue is relevant to those with a Smart and Skilled contract. There are many new providers that have recently joined this contract and many existing providers that have been on this contract for a long time. Like all funding contracts, they have complex requirements that need to be complied with. These requirements are significantly more than simply complying with the RTO standards. Many of you know this and have highly developed systems to comply with those requirements. For all new providers, I can’t stress enough the importance of taking the time to read the contract terms and conditions and operating guidelines very carefully and make sure that you have put in place appropriate improvements to your operating arrangements to comply with these requirements. You can access these documents along with all other policies and supporting documents at the following link:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/vocational/funding/policies-smart-skilled.
I am routinely being asked to provide support to RTOs who have received a breach notification following a Training Services NSW performance assessment. It’s important to note that responding to a breach notice is not the same as responding to a non-compliance with the national regulator. ASQA is a statutory authority that is bound by legislation to apply procedural fairness. Funding authorities like Training Services NSW are not bound by the same requirements. You enter into a legally enforceable contract with them which essentially gives them all of the power. You don’t have the same rights of appeal based on their assessment findings and are essentially required to provide information and comply with their directions in accordance with the contract. So, I am providing this heads-up so that you can get informed about your obligations under this contract and make sure that you are complying because trying to put the genie back in the bottle after you have operated for some time and not complied with the contract is highly detrimental to your business and your students.
For instance, it seems to be the current practice of Training Services NSW where they identify non-compliance with your training and assessment, to require you to update the USI office to withdraw training products that have been previously issued. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the non-compliance with the assessment was either major or minor, they request you as the issuing authority to withdraw these previously issued training products. Of course, you will need to make a business decision on whether you follow this direction or not. Withdrawing the previously issued training products clearly poses a significant negative outcome for your students. If the student was issued a licence based on the issued training products, then the licence would need to be rescinded. If the student obtained employment particularly in occupations where the qualification is mandatory, this can have the effect of negatively impacting their employment. Even when these highly negative consequences have been explained to Training Services NSW, they don’t seem to care. They don’t seem to care about what impact it has on the student or industry as they are only focused on the fact that they paid for the training and the training and assessment was not delivered according to the required standard. This is just one example of the punitive actions that Training Services NSW will take against your RTO if you don’t comply with the contract. So, please, access the link provided above and get organised. You need to make sure that your training and assessment delivered under these contracts is spot on.
Good training,
Joe Newbery
Check out our most recent article on: Speaking ASQAneese – Part 2
Check out our last article on: Guide to ASQA Audit Process
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Compliance & Regulatory News
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New Guidance Material
ASQA has released a new set of guidance material as guidance on how to manage your response to them and return to compliance after a performance assessment, if you’re non-compliant. This will be very helpful guidance for those dealing with the non-compliant outcomes of an audit. This is mantitory reading for all RTO owners and anyone working in the compliance management space.
Read More
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Extended transition:
ASQA has approved an extended transition period for the following training products between 24 Jul – 1 Aug 2023:
- HLT Qualifications – Read More
- SIS20115 – Certificate II in Sport and Recreation – Read More
- AHC qualifications – Read More
- CHC qualifications – Read More
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Other VET News
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Nixon Report – Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia visa System
An in-depth review has been conducted on the exploitation of the Australian Visa system by Former Victorian chief police commissioner Christine Nixon for the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister Claire O’Neil MP. The report highlights some implications for the international education sector and includes the following specific recomendation relevant to the VET sector:
- Consideration be given to regulating onshore and offshore education agents used by Australian education providers.
- Conduct I targeted compliance operation for three months focusing on assessing private VET providers.
- Conduct a targeted data matching activity to compare information holdings across
- Commonwealth agencies and private VET providers.
- Education regulators to develop a broader set of systemic risk indicators for CRICOS registered education providers.
- Education providers compliance with reporting non-attendance by international students through PRISMS should be closely monitored.
- Australia’s student visa policy should be reviewed with a view to removing CRICOS eligibility for low level private VET and non-award courses.
At this stage, these are just recommendations and the Minister has not yet released any statement on the report. You can access the complete report at the link below.
Read More
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Skills Tasmania – Industry Partnerships Program
The Industry Partnerships Program is a Skills Tasmania grant program that encourages partnerships, collaboration and innovation between endorsed registered training organisations (RTOs) and Tasmanian employers, businesses and industry groups to deliver better quality training experiences for Tasmanian learners, and improved responsiveness of the training system to meet industry and business needs.
There are two grant streams:
- Stream 1: Small grants of up to $50,000
- Stream 2: Large grants of between $50,000 and $250,000
Applications can be submitted at any time before 1 May 2024, or until funds are fully allocated. Get on it!
Read More
You can also access the 2023-24 Grant Program Release Schedule now available:
Read More
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Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships Qualifications Update
Get the latest information from the The Australian Apprenticeships & Traineeships Information Service. This update is from AATis Newsletter 92 released 27 July 2023 and details a full list of endorsed Apprenticeships & Traineeships Qualification including their availability in each State and nominal duration.
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Articles, Papers and Research
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Shaping Digital Education: Enabling Factors for Quality, Equity and Efficiency
This report seeks to guide governments in shaping digital education. Offering a range of perspectives for governments and education stakeholders, it analyses enabling factors that can support quality, equity and efficiency in the use of digital technologies in education systems. It provides a comprehensive review of current trends and emerging policies, covering school education, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education, highlighting pathways to support a cohesive and holistic policy framework for digital education. You can access the report at the OECD iLibrary at the link below.
Read More
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VET in Schools Report 2022
Fewer students undertake VET in schools in 2022.
The latest data from NCVER shows that there were 242 945 students undertaking VET in Schools in 2022, a decrease of 3.3% when compared to 2021. Whilst Certificate II level programs continue to be the most popular amongst students, there has been a gradual rise in students undertaking Certificate III level programs between 2012 and 2022. Certificate I enrolments have had a significant drop of 74.1% over the same period.
There has also been a notable decline of program enrolments in Foundation Skills, which dropped by 38.5% between 2021 and 2022.
Read More
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Apprentices and trainees Report 2022: December quarter
The latest data from NCVER shows that there has been an 18.8% growth in apprentice and trainee completions in the December 2022 quarter, when compared with the December 2021 quarter. Apprentices and trainees 2022: December quarter provides a national picture of apprenticeship and traineeship activity, including both quarterly and annual figures that can be broken down by state and territory. As at 31 December 2022, there were 377 665 apprentices and trainees in-training, an increase of 8.1% when compared with 31 December 2021.
Notably, the December 2022 quarter marks the first sizeable decline of apprentice and trainee cancellations and withdrawals since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read More
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Who Really Cares about Using Education Research in Policy and Practice?
Developing a Culture of Research Engagement
In today’s dynamic and rapidly evolving world, evidence-informed decision-making has emerged as a cornerstone in guiding effective education policy and practice. In particular, creating a culture of research engagement is often highlighted as a key ingredient to strengthening the impact of research. However, it is not always clear how that works in practice.
The publication provides analyses of data collected from more than 30 education systems. It delves into how systemic and organisational capacity for thoughtful engagement with research can be built into policy and practice. It also contains concrete examples of building a culture of research engagement by presenting diverse case studies, analyses, tools and processes. It is intended as a practical resource for policy makers, educational leaders, teachers and the research community to stimulate reflection and guide their efforts to developing a culture of research engagement in education.
Read More
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Research – Students seek support services at RTOs
Recent research has found that students are more likely to consider registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer student support services than those without when choosing a training provider. The recent Drivers of student training choices – a focus on student support services report found that that the availability of student support services is just as important for all students as they are for students in equity groups. Students stated that they would also be willing to spend more to access student support services.
Although the availability of student support services is important for students when choosing RTOs, the most influential factor was found to be course cost, followed by travel time and course delivery mode.
Read More
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Building Better Formal TVET Systems – Principles and Practice in Low- and Middle-income Countries
This report offers guidance to policymakers designing and implementing TVET reforms, emphasizing core principles and practical considerations for L/MICs. There is much to be learned from recent L/MIC reform experiences like those in Bangladesh, El Salvador, and Mongolia, about identifying effective reform strategies and the likely impact of megatrends on future demand for TVET. The report focuses on secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary formal TVET, defined as TVET obtained within the formal education system that leads to diplomas, degrees, or other formal certifications. This overview, summarizing the main messages from the report, has three parts.
The first, the TVET Promise, looks at the potential of TVET systems to deliver access to equitable, quality, and relevant training and contribute to employment and productivity. The second, the TVET Challenge, articulates the main limitations in practice for L/MIC TVET systems. The third, the Way Forward to Better TVET, proposes three interrelated transformations (three E’s) and six policy priorities to help TVET deliver on its promise in L/MICs.
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New IBM study reveals how AI is changing work and what HR leaders should do about it
The rise of generative AI has surfaced many new questions about how the technology will impact the workforce. Even as AI becomes more pervasive in business, people are still a core competitive advantage. But business leaders are facing a host of talent-related challenges, as a new global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) reveals, from the skills gap to shifting employee expectations to the need for new operating models.
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Upcoming Events
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2023 National VET Conference
Gold Coast – 2nd and 3rd November 2023
The 2023 National VET Conference hosted by Velg Training will be delivered over two days on the 2nd and 3rd November 2023 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. It will include an exciting range of presentations, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of plenary and elective sessions.
This is our 16th annual National VET Conference, and promises to provide a fantastic opportunity for delegates to undertake professional development that is meaningful to them, to meet with product and service providers, and network with peers from across Australia.
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Podcast – Vocational Voices S8/E2
Reimagining the tertiary education system
New podcast on the way we think about the tertiary education system. In this episode of Vocational Voices, we explore if the time is right to challenge the way we think about tertiary education in Australia.
Steve Davis interviews Professor Tom Karmel, adjunct professor at the Future of Employment and Skills at University of Adelaide and director of the McKenzie Research Institute at Holmesglen Institute, along with Jenny Dodd, Chief Executive Officer of TAFE Directors Australia and NCVER’s Simon Walker about potential reforms to institutes, institutional missions and structures, especially the notion of developing a dual system of practice-based professional universities.
Read More
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WEBINAR: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on VET and its transition to digital delivery
Thursday 14 September at 1:30pm – 2:30pm (ACST)
Join the team at NCVER on Thursday 14 September at 1:30pm – 2:30pm (ACST) for a webinar hosted by Phil Loveder, Executive Manager, Inform & Engage and Melinda Lees, Team Leader, Research & Data Analytics.
The webinar will discuss impacts of the COVID pandemic on the VET sector during both the initial crisis period and the subsequent recovery, and how training providers, employers, and specific student cohorts adjusted to the changed circumstances, and the extent to which this has led to more permanent changes in delivery for the future.
Register Here
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Newbery Consulting has been supplying student management software for over 10 years. A cloud based RTO student and learning management system that provides RTOs the capability to manage their training operation and meet all national and State reporting and compliance obligations. It would be our pleasure to offer you access as a trial user and you can evaluate the system capabilities for yourself.
Don’t continue to pay too much for cloud based AVETMISS software. Have the flexibility to only paying for your additional users as you need them. Set up your online enrolments and customise your certificates at no extra cost. Need to manage your CRICOS and State funded enrolments, no problems. Get in contact with the team at Newbery Consulting today and request to be set up as a trial user.
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Webinar – Assessment Quality Control
This webinar is a pre-recorded video that is accessed by purchasing a registration. The webinar can be viewed at your convenience in the next seven days following your purchase.
Assessment is the core business of an RTO. This webinar will explain the obligation for an RTO to conduct quality control of assessment before any assessment results are accepted. The webinar unpacks the responsibilities of the assessor and the admin team to ensure assessment documentation is accurately and sufficiently completed and in participating in the assessment quality control process.
Duration: 25 minutes
Cost: $25.00
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