All too often we get asked what resources are required to become a RTO and if these resources need to be arranged prior to lodging the application. For example, do I need to start employment for trainers now? Do I need to get a lease and start paying for it right away?
ASQA explicitly states that, “an Applicant at the initial stage of seeking registration or change to scope as a provider of VET under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVR) or the Education for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS), is expected to have access to all the necessary resources for each and every training product in their application at the time of submission of said applications.”
In simple words, you must have all resources ready that you will need to start training and assessment for qualifications you have applied for.
The Resources that a provider must possess include, but are not limited to:
- Trainers and Assessors
- Trainers and Assessors are qualified and skilled persons who are competent to be employed and meet the requirements of Clauses 1.13 to 1.16 of the Standards for RTOs 2015 (SRTOs).[1]
- Sufficient trainers and assessors must be employed to provide training and conduct assessment of the initial learner cohort/s. This must be done keeping in mind the trainers / assessors to learner ratio.
- The ‘Initial cohort” means the number of learners / students a provider intends to enrol at the commencement of delivery of a training product. With regard to CRICOS applications, where ‘initial cohort’ is referred to, this is taken to mean the learner capacity requested as part of the application.
- Trainers and Assessors not yet employed by the applicant must have been offered employment and subsequently expressed their acceptance once registration is granted.
- Examples of acceptable evidence: Employment contract signed and accepted by the trainers and assessors
- Examples of unacceptable evidence: a CV for a potential trainer/assessor, or a job description/hiring policy
- Educational and Support Services
- An applicant or provider must ensure that they have the required educational and support services and in sufficient capacity to meet the identified needs of its learner cohort and desired goals.
- These educational and support services include, but are not limited to:
- pre-enrolment materials
- study support and study skills programs
- language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) programs or referrals to these programs
- equipment, resources and/or programs to increase access for learners with disabilities and other learners in accordance with access and equity
- learning resource centres
- mediation services or referrals to these services
- flexible scheduling and delivery of training and assessment
- counselling services or referrals to these services
- information and communications technology (ICT) support
- learning materials in alternative formats – for example, in large print
- learning and assessment programs contextualised to the workplace
- any other services that the RTO considers necessary to support learners to achieve competency
3. Learning Resources
- The Learning resources are the necessary and essential “learning and training resources and materials’ that are used by trainers or other parties that enable leaners gain required knowledge and skills.
- The applicants must possess all the learning resources for each and every training product and their respective qualifications and units of competencies highlighted in the strategies of training and assessment.
- These learning resources must be set up and developed by the applicant in a way that is accessible and suitable to learners, location and mode of delivery.
- Learning resources include, but are not limited to:
- Workbooks
- Learning plans and handouts
- PowerPoint presentations
- Videos
- Content appropriate to learning management system for online learning, etc.
- Textbooks
- Examples of acceptable evidence: License agreement, access to the LMS where all learning materials are setup, access to a drive where all learning materials are stored.
- Examples of unacceptable evidence: Quotes or invoices for the proposed purchase of learning resources
- Facilities and Equipment
- “Facilities” refer to the venue or place where the training and assessment of learner will be conducted. This includes your training rooms, computer labs, separate training facilities (for eg. Kitchen or automotive workshop) as required.
- Facilities can be physical or virtual. Where delivery or assessment is partially or fully online, a suitable learning management system needs to be installed, configured and populated with all relevant learning and/or assessment materials.
- In case of face-to-face learning and assessment, the provider must have access to a venue that is large enough to accommodate learners containing facilities like rooms to conduct training, area to build labs, toilets, etc. You must also supply evidence of have appropriate approval from the local government authority for educational use (class 9B Certificate if applying for CRICOS).
- The applicant must provide necessary valid documentation corroborating the above access to a venue such as, written agreement to rent, current lease, purchased premise, or plans by the applicant to hire premises as required, and as appropriate to the training product and strategies for training and assessment.
- “Equipment” are any equipment or instruments needed to deliver training and assessment. These equipment must be in enough quantity aligning with training products or units of competency mentioned in the strategies of training and assessment. For example, equipment required for simulated environment and practical training such as computers, first aid kits, access to commercial hand wash facilities etc. as required by the training package requirements.
- Assessment Systems
- As per the SRTOs:
- Assessment means the process of collecting evidence and making judgements on whether competency has been achieved, to confirm that an individual can perform to the standard required in the workplace, as specified in a training package or a vocational education and training (VET) accredited course.
- Assessment System is a coordinated set of documented policies and procedures (including assessment materials and tools) that ensure assessments are consistent and are based on the Principles of Assessment and the Rules of Evidence (Clause 1.8 of the SRTOs)[2].
- The applicant must ensure that their Assessment system is developed and all set to be implemented if registration is granted.
- Example of acceptable evidence: License agreement, access to the LMS where all assessment materials are setup, access to a drive where all learning materials are stored.
- Example of unacceptable evidence: Quotes or invoices for the proposed purchase of assessment systems or materials
- An Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) compliant student management system or data entry tool
- The applicants intending to get registered as an RTO need to have already purchased or created, installed and configured an AVETMISS-compliant student management system or data entry tool that is appropriate and capable enough to meet the requirements of the National VET Provider Collection Data Requirements Policy (Clause 7.5 of the SRTOs)[3].
We can help you understand your resourcing requirements and assist you in ensuring you meet these requirements prior to your lodging your application. Book a meeting now to discuss.
[1] https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/users-guide-standards-rtos-2015/chapter-4-training-and-assessment/clauses-113-116-employ-skilled-trainers-and-assessors
[2] Clause 1.8 of the SRTOs
[3] Clause 7.5 of the SRTOs
