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RTO Compliance: Useful tips to boost your training and assessment strategy

For RTO compliance, there are standards for training and assessment strategy to adhere to. Your RTO should develop a suitable strategy for training and assessment of every training product you are expected to deliver.

One of the main reasons why an RTO requires a robust training and assessment strategy is to avoid non-compliance. According to ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority), this is a significant pitfall for RTOs. The VET or vocational education and training sector is based on a predefined amount of training that is closely tied to the training package for each unit of competency and qualification. If students are graduating without the necessary training package requirements, the entire vocational education and training industry is at risk of major safety, financial, and productivity costs for employers, individuals, governments and industry.

Components of a typical TAS (Training & Skills)

Some of the components of a training and assessment strategy include:

  • target group
  • training product
  • core and elective components
  • mode of delivery
  • assessment resources
  • timing and methods
  • duration and scheduling
  • human resources
  • learning resources
  • physical resources
  • strategies for assessment
  • strategies for stand-alone units
  • …and so on.

Using your TAS to plan

Your RTO should develop and implement various approaches – by providing access to suitable facilities, resources and trainers that ensure students acquire all the relevant knowledge and skills. To help with planning for a course’s duration, AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) has outlined a learning table by qualification type.

All teaching, learning and assessments that a typical student should undertake to achieve learning outcomes are recommended by the AQF. This can be vague for some RTO compliance service providers. So, it is important to know how to be sure you are giving every student a sufficient amount of learning, teaching and assessment activities.

The range of AQF is considered a starting point for all RTOs to gauge what is required. Competency-based training is defined as the concept that people learn at different rates and through different environments and modes. Other aspects can also be taken into consideration, such as previously recognized skills.

Note

It is important to note that as part of your TAS, during the enrolment period it is important to provide your future students with a questionnaire to assess their existing knowledge, skills and experience. You can also ask them some questions about how easily they can get to a workplace or classroom to find out the best delivery mode for each student. You should also do an LLN (language, literacy & numeracy) test online as well.

When analyzing the training package to know how the assessment and training are to be delivered either online, face to face, or through blended delivery or workplace training, it is important to consider using online assessment platforms.

Built for RTO compliance companies, you can satisfy any requirements effortlessly. Practical assessment, knowledge assessment, evidence portfolio, observation checklist, 3rd party report, logbook or RPL. Gather practical evidence and knowledge evidence, materials, videos, results and assessments. These are stored and assessed from one place and the results can be transferred through a workflow to your student management system.  

Written by Mark Potter, WHIA Staff BusinessWriter.