Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well. Are you attending the 2015 National VET Conference in Adelaide 17-18 Sep? We are and am really looking forward to it. We are a Silver Sponsor this year and are proud to be associated with Velg Training who delivers this important event each year. We will have a booth in the trade area (No 35) so make sure you come by and say hello. Attending the conference from Newbery Consulting will be myself, Sarah our Operations Manager, Casey our Business Development Manager and Anne Maree. I am presenting the following sessions at the conference:
- Thu, 17th Sep, 1:45pm – 2:30pm – The Think Grey Line of Compliance, and
- Fri, 18th Sep, 3:20pm – 3:55pm – Top Tips for Developing Compliant Assessment Tools.
Both of these sessions will be very solution orientated and valuable for those attending. As you may know we are celebrating our 10th year in business this year and are using the conference as a focus for those celebrations. We are having a little birthday party at our booth between 10 -11 am on day two of the conference. I think we have even organised a birthday cake! It would be great if you could join us for this. You can find out more information about the 2015 National VET Conference at this Velg Training webpage: https://www.velgtraining.com/national-conference. Early bird registration closes on the 30th June 2015.
Enjoy the news and good training!
Joe Newbery
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If you have some news, send it to us at: news@newberyconsulting.com.au
Compliance and Regulatory News
ASQA update
Letter from ASQA Chief Commissioner. On 29 May 2015 ASQA’s Chief Commissioner, Chris Robinson, wrote to all ASQA RTOs in response to recent allegations about a Chinese business that was charging students for forged degrees and diplomas. Mr Robinson took the opportunity to remind RTOs of their responsibility to authenticate and verify a graduate’s qualification documentation.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2823/a-message-from-asqas-chief-commissioner-about-qualification-documentation.html
New fact sheet: Conducting validation. This new fact sheet provides guidance to RTOs on how to comply with assessment validation requirements in Clauses 1.9, 1.10 and 1.11 of the Standards. ASQA has also developed a validation sample size calculator tool to help RTOs determine appropriate sample sizes.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2814/new-fact-sheet-conducting-validation.html
VET Accredited Course template. ASQA’s VET accredited course template has been revised to enable prospective and existing course owners to develop units of competency in-line with the new Training Package Standards. All units developed for inclusion in an accredited course after 1 July 2015 must be developed to meet these requirements.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2821/revision-to-vet-accredited-course-template.html
VET registration period ASQA has implemented the new maximum registration period of 7 years that was included in changes to the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act. Registration applications on or after 3 April 2015 may result in a 7-year registration period. ASQA will continue to exercise its discretion when determining an RTO’s registration period.
http://asqa.gov.au/news/2822/maximum-vet-registration-period-increased-to-seven-years.html
VET Reform Update
2015 Post Budget Update from Senator Birmingham. On 15 May 2015 Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, issued an E-Newsletter providing a wrap-up of the 2015 Budget and how the Government’s $6 billion investment in the VET sector will be spent.
http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Enewsletter
COAG Industry and Skills Council meeting. The Council of Australia Governments (COAG) Industry and Skills Council met in Melbourne on 8 May 2015. The skills session was chaired by the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham and included a forum with VET stakeholders on consumer information, and a meeting of the Skills Ministers focusing on VET reform priorities.
http://www.vetreform.industry.gov.au/files/cisc-communique-080515.pdf
Global Skills Training Forum. On Tuesday 19 May 2015 Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, hosted a Global Skills Training Forum in Melbourne to focus on how to support the internationalisation of the Australian VET system and contribute to the Draft National Strategy for International Education. Further forums are planned for Adelaide and Sydney in the second half of 2015.
https://internationaleducation.gov.au/International-network/Australia/InternationalStrategy/Pages/National-Strategy.aspx
TAC Update
The latest update from the Training Accreditation Council (TAC) has information relating to:
- Learner transition from superseded training products
- RTO reporting requirements
- ACPET Tuition Assurance Scheme approved by TAC
- Advice on scope maintenance.
http://www.tac.wa.gov.au/newsandevent/Pages/TAC-Update—Issue-32—May-2015.aspx
Training Package News
Changes to the TGA notification system
TGA has released changes to its change notification system. The changes include:
- Automatic RTO subscription
- Improvements to the notification management process
- Improvements to the notification email content.
http://training.gov.au/Home/Tga
IBSA training package FAQs
IBSA is compiling a list of frequently asked questions about its training packages and is publishing them on its website.
https://www.ibsa.org.au/training-package-faqs
Events, Resources & Funding News
Australian apprenticeship update
Click on the links below to view the Training Package qualifications recently implemented in States and Territories.
- 6th May 2015 – http://www.aatinfo.com.au/getattachment/cfd42bdd-7dfb-425d-bf9c-5e763538706e/file.aspx
- 20th May 2015 – http://www.aatinfo.com.au/getattachment/cac7cc49-120e-4174-b24b-4a7fcc1c0831/file.aspx
- 3rd June 2015 – http://www.aatinfo.com.au/getattachment/530408b8-08c5-4b02-a6e4-5d74d059a1e9/file.aspx
South Australia’s Subsidised Training List
On 21 May 2015 the South Australian Government released the Subsidised Training List (STL) which includes subsidised training places for the period July to December 2015. This is the first implementation of WorkReady, the new policy for training, employment and skills activity and investment, announced on 1 April 2015.
http://workready.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/latest-updates/new-list-of-subsidised-training-courses-focuses-on-jobs
ACPET’s response to SA’s WorkReady program
The Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET), called on the federal government to withdraw $65 million in federal training funds to South Australia over the decision to “effectively ignore private training providers”.
http://www.acpet.edu.au/article/9379/emerging-issues/
VET Practitioner Capability Framework Tool
Released for desktop, iPad and Android devices, IBSA’s VET Practitioner Capability Framework Tool allows users to measure their skills using the domains within the Capability Framework. This information can be used to assess workplace skills, create career plans or help to develop position descriptions.
https://www.ibsa.org.au/news/new-vet-practitioner-capability-framework-tool?utm_source=Innovation+%26+Business+Skills+Australia+Stakeholders&utm_campaign=0f8cf056ff-IBSA_E_news_27_May_20155_27_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8648e7cdc3-0f8cf056ff-290107781
Endeavour Mobility Grants
ASIC’s Be MoneySmart is an online training resource to help students develop money management skills which support their future careers in small business or as contractors. It has been designed to support the delivery of the unit of competency FNSFLT301.
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/50-million-for-tafes-to-get-victoria-back-to-work
FSK Foundation Skills Training Package User Guide
Released as a free ePub for both Apple and Android devices, the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package User Guide is designed to assist assessors, trainers, RTOs and enterprises to deliver the qualifications and units within the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package.
https://www.ibsa.org.au/news/free-fsk-foundation-skills-training-package-user-guide-epub-now-available
Service Skills NSW RTO workshops
Service Skills NSW has two free workshops on the critical areas of industry engagement and assessment validation, facilitated by Workforce Planning and Development and VET expert, Wendy Perry. These workshops have been designed specifically for RTOs delivering in the service industries.
http://www.serviceskills.com.au/event/rto-workshop-future-models-assessment-validation
Recent VET publications
IBSA: Environment Scan 2015
IBSA’s Escan combines direct industry intelligence with data on training and industry workforces, and presents detailed analysis of the influencers on workforce development and skills demand. IBSA’s Escan 2015 Predicting change – skills for the future, identifies the high level priorities that impact across all IBSA industries.
http://www.skillsdmc.com.au/files/Resources/EnvironmentalScans_PDF/2015EnvironmentalScan.pdf
Agrifoods: Environmental Scan 2015
The Environmental Scan is an ‘early warning system’ for Australia’s VET sector and governments on industry’s skill and workforce development needs. It sets out the factors impacting on the shape and capability of Agrifood’s workforce, and how well the VET system, its products and services are responding – and importantly, what needs to happen.
http://www.agrifoodskills.net.au/?page=EScan15
Government-funded students and courses, 2014 – preliminary
This publication presents preliminary figures for the number of students, subject enrolments, hours of delivery and full-year training equivalents for the government-funded (public) VET system for 2014. This preliminary data shows the number of students fell 3.5% in 2014, on the back of a 3.6% fall in 2013.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent/!
The outcomes of education and training: what the Australian research is telling us, 2011-14 (Francesca Beddie)
During 2011 to 2014, a set of five national research priorities directed research into Australia’s tertiary education and training sector. Over this time NCVER’s research has focused on delivering some clear messages about many of the challenges facing the sector. The outcomes of the research have also pointed to some of the solutions.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/publicationContent/!
Other News of Interest
Qld government plans to halt TAFE asset sell-off
The Queensland government has introduced a Bill to repeal the former government’s plan to sell TAFE assets and lease them out to third parties, as the first step in its $34 million Rescuing TAFE package.
http://the-scan.com/2015/05/28/qld-govt-turns-back-tafe-asset-sell-off/
TDA’s comment on the 2015 Budget
See the TAFE Directors Australia Newsletter dated 18 May 2015 for TDA’s perspective on the Budget.
http://www.tda.edu.au/cb_pages/newsletter_18_may_2015.php
ACPET’s comment on the 2015 Budget
See ACPET’s National Monday Update dated 18 May 2015 for its perspective on the Budget.
http://www.acpet.edu.au/article/9360/in-focus/
Vocation revokes 1,100 qualifications
Vocation announced on 18 May 2015 that it had revoked the qualifications of students who undertook four programs during 2014 in aged care, children’s services, business administration and competitive systems and practices. Vocation will also repay about $8 million in funding to the Victorian Department of Education and Training over the next 18 months.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/vocation-to-tear-up-1100-student-qualifications-including-first-aid-aged-care-20150518-gh4bd8.html
NCVER announces new Executive team
Dr Craig Fowler has announced the appointments of Ms Jodieann Dawe and Dr Mette Creaser as National Managers Research and Business Development, and Statistics and Analytics respectively.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/wps/portal/vetdataportal/restricted/media/!
The news articles presented in this edition of VET News have been researched and prepared by Anne Maree Newbery.
Copyright © 2014 Newbery Consulting