Fact Sheet: Assessing in the Workplace

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are responsible for certifying the competence of students against nationally recognised training products. To ensure this certification is valid, RTOs must conduct assessment in line with the Principles of Assessment and the Rules of Evidence as specified in the Outcome Standards 1.3 and 1.4.

VET competencies are derived from workplaces and are delivered and assessed to students who seek a career in those industry sectors, ­so the workplace is the natural habitat of competencies, and the natural context in which to observe and assess them.

Workplace assessment provides a valuable opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in real work environments, ensuring training outcomes are to the standard expected in the workplace and relevant to industry needs.

This Fact Sheet provides guidance for conducting workplace assessments in line with Outcome Standards 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.8 and 3.2. Further information on the Principles of Assessment and the Rules of Evidence in assessment is available in the Assessment and Assessment Judgement Fact Sheet.

What is Workplace Assessment?

Workplace assessment is an evaluation of a student’s skills and knowledge in the context of a real work environment, rather than in a simulated workplace or classroom setting. It involves observing the student performing actual tasks using authentic equipment, processes, and workplace standards.

This method provides strong, contextualised evidence that the student can transfer skills and knowledge and consistently meet the requirements of a training product. In some cases, workplace assessment is mandated by training packages or accredited courses or where performance evidence is demonstrated in a real work setting such as an apprenticeship or traineeship arrangement.

Key characteristics of workplace assessment include:

• use of ‘live’ tasks and real workplace equipment;
• collection of real work evidence (e.g. supervisor reports, work products, or observation records);
• confirmation of performance under standard workplace pressures; and
• opportunities for immediate contextualised feedback.

When is Workplace Assessment Appropriate?

In many cases, workplace assessment offers many benefits and is either the most appropriate or explicitly mandated approach.

When Workplace Assessment is Appropriate or Mandated

• Apprenticeships and Traineeships - workplace observation confirms practical skills under supervision in real conditions.
• Enterprise Specific Training - where training is tailored to meet organisational needs, workplace assessment ensures alignment with current practices. Where there are limitations to the range of activities, group training strategies can be employed so that the student can experience a range of workplaces and demonstrate the full extent of the training product.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) - on-the-job assessment can provide essential evidence to confirm skills and knowledge previously attained.
• Mandated by the Training Product - for example Aged Care, Early Childhood Education and Community Services sectors require assessment in a real workplace to meet performance evidence or assessment conditions.
• Licensing and Regulatory Requirements -  in regulated industries, workplace assessment may be required to meet safety or legal obligations before a licence can be issued.

When Workplace Assessment may not be Appropriate

• Workplace limitations or risks – the workplace may lack the variety of tasks, equipment, or client types needed to meet unit requirements. Safety, production schedules, or client wellbeing may also be adversely impacted.
• Enterprise specific training – where national competency standards are not fully addressed or are altered and limited to the enterprise requirements.
• Resource or supervision constraints – the workplace may not have the necessary resources, qualified supervisors, or allow assessors to conduct observations or interviews onsite, especially in remote or secure locations.
• Student preparedness – if a student has not yet demonstrated readiness through training or formative assessments, workplace assessment may not be safe or valid.
• Confidentiality or privacy concerns – some workplaces (e.g. healthcare, community services) have strict privacy requirements that may restrict live assessment, requiring simulation or alternative arrangements.
• Regulatory or licensing restrictions – some high-risk work licences require simulated environments to ensure safety and compliance.

Industry Engagement

Workplace assessment requires careful planning and strong collaboration between the RTO and:

• the employer to ensure they understand their role in the assessment process;
• the student to ensure they are adequately prepared and supported; and
• that the assessment/s are aligned with genuine workplace standards and expectations, fully meet the requirements of the training product and the Principles of Assessment and the Rules of Evidence.

Outcome Standard 1.2 requires RTOs to demonstrate that they actively engage with industry to ensure training and assessment practices remain current and relevant. This includes consulting employers and industry representatives when designing workplace assessment strategies, developing tools, and reviewing outcomes.

Engagement with employers may involve:

• co-designing and contextualising assessments to suit the workplace environment while meeting training product requirements;
• clarifying roles and responsibilities including who provides evidence, supervises tasks, and supports students;
• clear documentation of these arrangements to maintain transparency and consistency; and
• assessment tasks should also reflect current industry practices, legal obligations, and any specific enterprise standards.

Further information is also available in the Fact Sheet: Industry Employer and Community Engagement.

RTOs must also ensure that all facilities, equipment, and resources used for assessment, whether provided by the RTO or the workplace, are compliant with Outcome Standard 1.8. The facilities, equipment and resources must be fit for purpose, sufficient to support students in demonstrating all requirements in the training product and be safe and accessible to all students including those requiring adjustments and verified prior to use. Workplace conditions should be checked and any risks mitigated to uphold assessment integrity and student safety.   Group training opportunities should be considered where a specific workplace is too specialised.

Further information is also available in the Fact Sheet: Facilities, Resources and Equipment.

Planning and engagement require an ongoing commitment by the RTO throughout the assessment lifecycle. By partnering effectively with employers and maintaining safe, appropriate workplace conditions, RTOs uphold the integrity of assessments and support quality student outcomes.

Tools and Evidence in Workplace Assessment

Selecting the appropriate tools and gathering robust evidence are essential for the assessment of a student’s performance in authentic conditions and that it aligns fully with training product requirements.  Examples of assessment tools that may be used in the workplace include:

• Direct assessment – direct observation by a qualified assessor is one of the strongest forms of workplace evidence. This may be conducted by the RTO or a suitably qualified person under a formal third party agreement. The assessor must witness the student performing tasks in real time using actual workplace equipment and processes.
• Observer/Supervisor reports provide supplementary evidence from the workplace to inform the assessor’s judgement. They describe the tasks completed and offer detailed commentary on the student’s performance. Reports should be structured, mapped to training product outcomes and verified. Further information on observer/supervisor roles is detailed below.
• Work samples and products – completed tasks, job cards, or project reports can be strong evidence if they are verified as the student’s own work. They must demonstrate the required skills and include contextual information about how and where the work was completed.
• Questions and interviews – oral questioning or structured interviews help confirm underpinning knowledge that cannot be directly observed, clarify aspects of work samples or observed tasks and ensure all knowledge evidence requirements are addressed.
• Supplementary evidence – when direct observation isn’t possible due to scheduling or operational constraints, assessors may use simulated tasks or recent workplace activities that meet the required standards, are current and relevant.

All assessment resources that are used in the workplace need to be in a form that is readily understood by supervisors and other gathering evidence, and care needs to be taken that the assessment strategies do not incur an unreasonable burden on the enterprise.

In many workplace contexts, RTOs may use a workplace supervisor or observer to collect supplementary evidence that describes the student’s performance in the relevant tasks. The observer is not responsible for the assessment decision.

A supervisor who is gathering evidence needs to understand that as part of the assessment process they may be the subject of validation and audit, and that as a part of an assessment process that leads to certification, they are accountable for the veracity of the evidence they provide.

The assessor is ultimately responsible for ensuring the integrity of the assessment process. This includes mapping and documenting evidence appropriately, verifying the authenticity and accuracy of any supplementary evidence and integrate it with other evidence before making the final decision on student competence. These responsibilities cannot be delegated and are central to maintaining the validity and defensibility of assessment outcomes.

Third Party Evidence and Roles

In workplace assessment, an RTO may formally engage a third party, such as an employer or another RTO to form a third party arrangement to conduct an assessment on its behalf.

A third party arrangement must be governed by a written agreement that outlines responsibilities, quality assurance processes, and oversight mechanisms (Compliance Requirement 17). The third party must use qualified assessors who meet the requirements of Outcome Standard 3.2 and hold the appropriate credentials, as specified in the Credential Policy.  The qualified assessor retains full responsibility for final assessment decision and must ensure that the workplace evidence contributes to the judgement of competence.

The RTO must undertake regular monitoring and documented reviews of all third party arrangements, and the RTO remains fully accountable for compliance with all assessment requirements.

Confidentiality and Privacy

When using workplace evidence, assessors and employers must consider and respect:

• confidentiality of business processes or client information;
• privacy requirements, including secure handling of workplace records and photographs; and
• any limitations on sharing evidence, including consent requirements.

Supporting Students in Workplace Assessment

Some students may need support to adjust to workplace conditions. Providing effective support is critical for fairness and for helping students demonstrate their competence confidently.

Before assessments begin, RTOs should provide clear pre-assessment information that explains the purpose, process and criteria, and describes how the workplace information will be collected, stored and used, ensuring students understand privacy and confidentiality provisions.  Students may benefit from practical guides including checklists, examples of acceptable evidence, and instructions written in plain English.

Support for the student should continue during the assessment process. RTOs should maintain regular communication to clarify questions or address emerging issues. Flexible scheduling can help accommodate workplace demands and reduce stress including checking with supervisors for early identification of support needs and student progress.

RTOs must be responsive to individual needs including language or literacy support. Reasonable adjustments for disability, such as modified tools, additional time, or assistive technology, should be provided where required. Cultural sensitivity is also important, particularly where communication styles or workplace interactions may vary.

Students should be encouraged to reflect on their workplace tasks and assess their own progress. Acknowledging strengths and providing constructive feedback throughout the assessment process helps build confidence and supports successful outcomes.

Supporting students in workplace assessment is essential to delivering a fair, valid, and reliable assessment. A student-centered approach, underpinned by clear communication and flexibility, helps build trust and ensures students are set up for success.

Continuous Improvement

In line with continuous improvement processes, workplace assessments should be regularly reviewed and refined to ensure they remain current and relevant. RTOs should validate assessment tools and outcomes, gather feedback from students, employers, and assessors, and update processes and resources based on findings. Monitoring the quality of workplace evidence, particularly observer contributions, and embedding improvements into practice ensures assessments remain fair, rigorous, and aligned with industry needs.

More information is available in the Fact Sheet: Continuous Improvement.

Appendix:  Common Issues and Solutions in Workplace Assessment

Inconsistent Workplace Practices - different employers or worksites may have varying processes, standards, or access to certain equipment. RTOs will need to:

• clearly define assessment benchmarks and ensure they are based on training product requirements rather than individual workplace preferences; and
• provide assessors with clearly written guides to maintain consistency while respecting workplace variations.

Limited Access to Tasks or Equipment – students may not have opportunities to perform all required tasks during assessment timeframes due to workflow, safety, or seasonality. To address this, RTOs will need to:

• use supplementary evidence (e.g. simulation or hypothetical scenarios) for tasks that cannot be directly observed, ensuring these are documented and justified;
• consider rotating the student through different parts of the enterprise or to other enterprises; and
• schedule assessments flexibly to capture tasks when they naturally occur.

Supervisor Lack of Understanding – workplace supervisors may be hesitant to engage in evidence collection or unsure of what is required. To overcome this, RTOs should:

• provide clear guidance and briefings for supervisors on their role;
• provide structured observer report templates and practical examples; and
• maintain open communication and support throughout the assessment period.

Confidentiality and Privacy Concerns – workplaces may restrict sharing of client data, proprietary information, or internal documents as evidence. To manage this, RTOs may:

• use redacted or de-identified documents where possible;
• supplement with supervisor declarations, photos (with consent), or direct observation;
• ensure that information is gathered and retained about the student, not the client or the enterprise; and
• discuss and document confidentiality arrangements with the employer before assessment starts.

Student Anxiety or Unpreparedness – some students may feel intimidated or unprepared to be assessed in a live work environment. Consider some of the below strategies.

• Conduct pre-assessment briefings to set clear expectations.
• Provide comprehensive induction to the workplace and ‘settling-in’ period;
• Offer opportunities to practice or rehearse tasks beforehand.
• Provide ongoing encouragement and clear feedback to build confidence.