Quality Reforms

The Standards are currently being revised with the aim of providing greater clarity for RTOs and VET regulators, strengthening the focus on quality outcomes for learners and employers, and allowing for more flexibility and innovation in training delivery.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) provides strong economic and social outcomes for Australians. All governments are working in partnership to improve the VET system through the Skills Reform Agenda.

Forming part of the Skills Reform Agenda is the revision of the Standards of Registered Training Organisations 2015.  The objective of this revision is to enhance clarity for both RTOs and regulatory bodies, reinforce the emphasis on achieving excellent outcomes for learners and employers, and facilitate increased flexibility and innovation in the delivery of training.

On 16 October 2023, the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) released a draft of the Standards. The Standards are now progressing to piloting phase ahead of their planned commencement on 1 January 2025.

A survey, developed by DEWR is now available:

Piloting the Draft Revised RTO Standards - Evidencing Survey

Input is sought from all RTOs on how they would demonstrate compliance with the Standards, drawing on existing quality practice.

In addition, DEWR will conduct external focus groups with RTOs to explore how compliance with the Standards would be evidenced across a range of RTO types. TAC and DEWR will facilitate this focus group session with interested TAC Regulated RTOs.

Development of the Draft Revised Standards for RTOs Paper

Public consultation of the draft revised Standards for RTOs was undertaken from November 2022 – January 2023. Approximately 900 people participated in online and face-to-face forums, and over 250 online submissions were received.

A summary of consultation findings is available from the Commonwealth Government’s Skills Reform website.

TAC Pilot Program

The Training Accreditation Council is working with the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relation (DEWR) and VET Regulators, to progress the revised Standards.  The Pilot will inform any feedback on the revised Standards.

The Council’s Pilot Program is voluntary and the selection process will consider RTOs from different locations, size, scale and scope of operations.  This initiative is an excellent opportunity for RTOs to help shape their understanding and guide their transition to the revised Standards.  Taking part in the Pilot presents TAC Regulated RTOs with the opportunity to test, identify unknown impacts and develop strategies to address the requirements of the revised Standards.

The Objectives of the Pilot Program are to:  

• assist RTOs to understand and manage the changes required;
• test the functionality of the Standards;
• identify the range of evidence which could be used to demonstrate compliance; and
• pinpoint areas where additional guidance may be needed.

Pilot Program Timeline:

The Pilot will run between mid October and mid December 2023.

The Pilot will consist of:

• an RTO webinar prior to the start of the program to discuss the draft revised Standards, pilot program objectives, structure and timeframes;
• The RTO will complete a self-assessment tool;
• The self-assessment tool requires RTOs to consider how and what evidence could be provided to demonstrate compliance against performance criteria and provide feedback on the areas of focus of the revised Standards; and
• A one on one evaluation session with a TAC Auditor and a TAC Secretariat staff member following completion of the self-assessment tool to discuss the outcomes of the self-assessment.

Download the latest version of the Standards for RTOs

Overview

On 25 August 2023, Skills Ministers agreed to make early changes to the current Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015. These early changes are designed to address current pressures on the VET workforce and provide more immediate benefits to the sector. The changes are in areas that had broad sector support in the early consultation process undertaken by the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

The early changes to the Standards will be in place from 1 March 2024.

Details on these changes and a copy of the early changes to the Standards can be found on Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) website and the Standards for RTOs page of TAC website.

Changes

The early changes to the Standards include:

Reflecting new and updated training products from the updated Training and Education (TAE) Training Package

• Reflecting the updated TAE Training Package by:
  • Listing the new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and Diploma of VET
  • Enabling those holding a range of new and updated skill sets to deliver training under supervision.
• Trainers and assessors who currently meet the requirements of the Standards will not be required to update their qualifications.

Enabling people who hold an education degree to be engaged as trainers and/or assessors

• Those who hold a qualification that enables registration as a secondary school teacher in any state or territory would be able to deliver training in any VET context under supervision.
• Those who hold a qualification that enables registration as a secondary school teacher in any state or territory and hold:
  • the Assessor Skill Set, or
  • the VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set
• would be able to train and assess in any VET context without supervision.
• This will be supported by adjustments to ensure consistency between requirements relating to delivery of the Assessor Skill Set and the VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set, including requiring independent validation of assessment for delivery, and requiring those delivering the skill set to hold a TAE Diploma or a higher-level qualification in adult education.

Enabling people actively working towards the Certificate IV or Diploma from the TAE Training Package to deliver training and contribute to assessment under supervision.

• To be ‘actively working towards’ an individual would need to be:
  • enrolled, and have commenced training in, an approved training and assessment credential (Cert IV or Diploma from the TAE Training Package), and
  • making satisfactory progress to enable the credential to be completed within two years from commencement.

Enabling broader use of industry experts

• Enabling industry experts to also deliver training alongside a trainer and/or assessor. Currently industry experts are able to be involved in the assessment judgement, working alongside the trainer and/or assessor to conduct the assessment.

Aligning with recent changes to the Fit and Proper Person Requirements

• Clarifying RTOs’ obligations around fit and proper persons, to ensure RTOs assure themselves that high managerial agents and executive officers are appropriate to oversee the operations of the RTO, having regard to the considerations in the Fit and Proper Person Requirements.

Make minor clarifications and amendments

• Allowing people involved in delivery of training and assessment of the training product being validated to also be involved in the validation processes, provided they are not solely responsible for determining validation outcomes
• Changing the language in clause 1.27 to ‘training products’ instead of ‘training packages’ to also capture accredited courses, and
• Expanding the definition of ‘educational and support services’ to include ‘wellbeing services’ as a type of support service an RTO may provide.

For more information please visit the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.

Fit and Proper Person Requirements (FPPR)

The changes to the Fit and Proper Person Requirements (FPPR) under Clause 7.1 were implemented in the TAC Special Bulletin, dated 15 September 2023. The changes to Clause 7.1 expand the FPPR, emphasising the need for rigorous fit and proper assessments during recruitment and continuous monitoring to ensure ongoing compliance. These additional responsibilities include:

• The RTO makes sure that anyone appointed into the position of "any persons who exercise a degree of control or influence over the management of direction of the RTO" - has been assessed as meeting the fit and proper requirements before they are appointed.
• That the RTO makes sure that anyone who is subject to the fit and proper requirements, continues to meet these requirements throughout their appointment.

Additional information on the changes to the FPPR under Clause 7.1, including the updated Fit and Proper Person Declaration, is available on TAC's Fit and Proper Person Requirements page.

Resources

Standards

Details on these changes and a copy of the early changes to the Standards can be found on DEWRs website and the Standards for RTOs page on the TAC website.

Webinars

To ssupport TAC RTOs in the transition to the early changes to the Standards the following free webinars for TAC Regulated RTOs have been developed:

• Chat with TAC - Early Changes to the Standards -  Mon 11th Mar 2024, 10:00 -10:30am AWST
• Trainer and Assessor Requirements - Mon 22nd Apr 2024, 10:00 am - 11:00 am AWST

If you are unable to attend, a recording will be mad eavailable on the TAC YouTube channel after the event. 

Fact Sheets

The following Fact Sheets have been updated to reflect the early changes to theStandards:

• Fact Sheet: Trainer and Assessor Regulatory Requirements
• Fact Sheet: Delivery of Training and Assessment Qualifications
• Fact Sheet: Vocational Competence and Industry Currency
• Fact Sheet: Assessment Validation

Mapping document

A mapping document highlighting the early changes to the Standards has been created and is available to download. 

Users' Guide to the Standards for RTOs

The Users' Guide has been updated to reflect the current version of the Standards, being Compilation No. 4 dated 5 September 2023 and incorporates the Standards for Registered Training Organisations Amendment (VET Workforce Support) Instrument 2024.

Users' Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

General

How will quality and integrity be ensured while expanding the workforce pool?

• The early changes seek to alleviate current pressures on the VET workforce through expanding the workforce pool and enabling the broader use of industry experts.
• As well as providing greater flexibility, the changes impose clear parameters to maintain the quality and integrity of training. For example:
  • A definition of industry experts has been introduced to provide greater clarity and ensure experts have relevant industry competencies, skills and knowledge and specialised industry or subject matter expertise.
  • Individuals with education degrees will be able to be engaged as trainers and/or assessors, however they will still be required to meet the other requirements imposed on trainers and assessors under the Standards, including holding relevant vocational competencies, industry skills, and current knowledge and skills in vocational teaching and learning.
  • Requirements imposed on the assessor skill set around delivery and validation will also be imposed on the VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set.
• Trainers and Assessors are still required to demonstrate vocational competence and remain up-to-date with industry standards, possess current Vocational Education and Training (VET) skills and knowledge, and continuously enhance their vocational competence through ongoing professional development

What do RTOs need to do to prepare for the changes?

RTOs should familiarise themselves with the changes and supporting guidance. As the changes are expansionist in nature and seek to provide greater flexibility, they should not impose additional regulatory burden on RTOs.

Trainers and Assessors

Will trainers and assessors be required to upgrade to the latest credentials in the Training and Education Training Package?

• Trainers and assessors who already met the requirements of the Standards will not be required to update their credentials.
• The credential-related early changes are in addition to the provisions in the current Standards.

What constitutes ‘actively working towards’ a specified training and assessment credential?

‘Actively working towards’ means an individual is enrolled in, has commenced, and is making satisfactory progress towards completing within two years of commencement, the credential. This will allow for RTOs to engage would-be trainers and assessors to learn on the job undertaking training and contributing to assessment, whilst ensuring that the training and assessment is the subject of appropriate oversight and supervision from a fully qualified trainer and assessor.

What is considered satisfactory progress?

This would need to be determined on an individual basis, but would involve checking in to ensure the individual is on track to complete within two years of commencement, and any identified issues with the individual’s progress are addressed.

The intention is to prevent cases where an individual is perpetually working towards a credential without making any progress.

What level of supervision is required for people actively working towards a credential?

Consistent with existing supervision requirements enshrined in clause 1.20 of the Standards, the RTO will need to determine an appropriate level of supervision and any conditions or restrictions considered necessary based on the individual and where they are up to, noting the level of supervision is likely to evolve as the individual progresses. The RTO will also need to ensure that trainers providing supervision monitor and are accountable for the training and assessment undertaken by the person under their supervision.

What level of supervision is required for individuals with secondary teaching qualifications?

Consistent with existing supervision requirements enshrined in clause 1.20 of the Standards, the RTO will need to determine an appropriate level of supervision and any conditions or restrictions considered necessary on the individual’s involvement in the delivery of training and collection of assessment evidence. The RTO will also need to ensure that trainers providing supervision monitor and are accountable for the training and assessment undertaken by the person under their supervision.

Do individuals have to be currently registered as a secondary school teacher to deliver training and assessment?

Individuals with a qualification that enables registration as a secondary school teacher do not need to be currently registered as a teacher, they only need to meet the academic requirements for registration as a secondary school teacher in at least one state or territory.

It is a requirement that all Trainers and Assessors, including those with secondary teaching qualifications, demonstrate vocational competence and remain up-to-date with industry standards, possess current Vocational Education and Training (VET) skills and knowledge, and continuously enhance their vocational competence through ongoing professional development.

Do individuals need to meet the academic requirements for secondary teacher registration in the state or territory in which they live or work?

The credential would need to enable the individual to satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a secondary school teacher in accordance with the registration requirements in at least one state or territory – this does not necessarily need to be the state or territory in which the individual currently lives or delivers training, recognising that many RTOs operate across multiple jurisdictions.

How current must the teaching qualification be?

As long as an individual satisfies the academic requirements for registration as a secondary school teacher in at least one state or territory, this will be considered satisfactory for the purposes of the Standards.

How are we ensuring people with education degrees understand training packages and VET delivery?

The Assessor Skill Set and VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set, one of which individuals with a secondary teaching qualification will also be required to hold in order to train and assess independently, both contain units on assessing competence, participating in assessment validation, and using nationally recognised training products to meet vocational training needs. These skill sets bridge the gap with the necessary VET knowledge, as tested with VET regulators and other stakeholders. Providers will still ultimately be responsible for ensuring that people delivering training and assessment have current knowledge and skills in vocational teaching and learning.

For those with a secondary teaching qualification only, they will need to work under the supervision of a fully qualified trainer and assessor who monitors and is accountable for the quality of training and assessment they are involved in.

As well as holding one of the above credentials, Trainers and Assessors will still be required to demonstrate vocational competence and remain up-to-date with industry standards, possess current Vocational Education and Training (VET) skills and knowledge, and continuously enhance their vocational competence through ongoing professional development.

How can RTOs evidence that trainers and assessors with eligible teaching degrees meet the academic requirements for teacher registration?

RTOs are not expected to contact teacher registration bodies to obtain evidence or to confirm an individual’s eligibility to satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a secondary school teacher. For more information see the TAC Fact Sheet: Trainers and Assessor Requirements.

Do the changes enable individuals with overseas teaching qualifications to deliver training and assessment?

No. Due to the requirement that the credential be issued by a higher education provider as defined in section 16-1 of the Higher Education Support Act, individuals who hold overseas qualifications are not able to deliver training and assessment with their teaching qualification.

More information on Trainers and Assessors is available in:

• Fact Sheet: Trainer and Assessor Regulatory Requirements
• Fact Sheet: Delivery of Training and Assessment Qualifications
• Fact Sheet: Vocational Competence and Industry Currency

Industry experts

What constitutes an industry expert?

An industry expert is an individual who has relevant specialised industry or subject matter expertise who is engaged by the RTO on the basis of that expertise. Industry experts must have relevant vocational competencies and have current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided. Industry experts can be involved in training and assessment, but only qualified assessors will be able to make assessment judgements and determine learner competency.

What does working alongside a trainer and/or assessor mean?

Working alongside means that industry experts will be able to assist fully qualified trainers and assessors to deliver training and/or assessment. This language is consistent with the previous provision in the Standards, which allowed industry experts to be involved in assessment working alongside the trainer and/or assessor. Arrangements might include an industry expert providing specialist expertise to assist in the delivery of training or providing specific feedback on a process or observation as part of the assessment process. Where industry experts are involved in training and assessment, the trainer and/or assessor they are working with must still be fully qualified, meet the thresholds required by the Standards and be responsible for making the assessment judgement.

Fit and proper persons

What do the changes to the Fit and Proper Person Requirements mean for RTOs?

These changes seek to clarify that RTOs have an ongoing obligation to ensure high managerial agents, executive officers and any persons who exercise a degree of control of influence over the management or direction of RTO are appropriate to oversee the operations of the RTO.

What constitutes persons who exercise a degree of control of influence over the management or direction of RTO?

As this will vary between organisations, it is expected that RTOs use their discretion to determine which persons exercise a degree of control of influence over the management or direction of the organisation in their particular organisational context. This includes but is not limited to managers and directors of the organisation.

More information is available on the Fit and Proper Person Requirements page of the website. 

Wellbeing

What does the inclusion of ‘wellbeing’ services as part of education and support services mean for RTOs?

Given this is a non-exhaustive definition, this does not oblige RTOs to deliver wellbeing services, but rather includes it as a type of service RTOs may offer to highlight the importance of learner wellbeing. It is envisaged that wellbeing services could include personal support services and resources to assist with learners’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Development of a VET Workforce Blueprint (the Blueprint), announced as an outcome of the Jobs and Skills Summit, will ensure the long-term sustainability of the VET sector by supporting and growing a quality VET workforce. It will aim to identify effective strategies for VET workforce issues such as attraction, retention, career development and succession planning.

More information on the Blueprint including the scope is available on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website. 

Consultation

The VET Workforce Blueprint (the Blueprint) is currently being developed to support, grow and sustain the VET workforce. The Blueprint will identify actions for workforce attraction, retention, development, and career progression.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) is seeking feedback from the current workforce through a public submissions process to test current understanding of the challenges faced by the VET workforce and identify actions that result in effective change.

A survey is also available to gather insights from those who have left the workforce within the last 5 years.

Visit the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website to find out more information. Feedback closes at 11:00 pm (AEDT) on Tuesday, 26 March 2024.