Welcome to the May TAC Update
The Council recognises the importance of an educative approach to assist with the smooth transition for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to the revised Standards for RTOs. The Council is currently developing the TAC Education Program for 2024-2025 which will be a key strategy to equip TAC RTOs with the necessary tools and information for successful implementation.
The TAC Education Program will prioritise areas of focus from the revised Standards that may require additional guidance and support which may include clarifying specific performance indicators or addressing emerging issues. The program will aim to offer a range of resources to ensure a clear understanding and implementation such as:
- Updated Fact Sheets: the Fact Sheets will be reviewed to provide guidance in line with the revised Standards.
- Webinars and Podcasts: A series of webinars and podcasts tackling key topics related to the revised Standards will be provided.
- Regular Communication: Stay informed through updates on the TAC website, LinkedIn, the TAC Update and Special Bulletins.
To ensure the Education Program effectively addresses your needs, please complete a short, 2-minute survey on topics you believe will be beneficial. Your feedback will assist in identifying program priorities and content, ensuring the Education Program offers valuable support during this transition.
TAC Education Program
Upcoming Events
Register now for our upcoming event. You can also be alerted to new events by following TAC’s Event Page on Humanitix.
Webinar Recordings:
View the TAC Education Program to access professional development opportunities, support and guidance materials and access previous webinar recordings and resources. Catch up now on the following recent webinar:
Trainer and Assessor Requirements Webinar
The early changes to the Standards for RTOs were designed to ease pressure on the VET workforce. This webinar focuses on qualifications, industry experience, and compliance expectations for trainers and assessors in line with these changes.
Focus on Quality: What happens when the same unit appears in qualifications at different AQF levels?
There are many instances in the VET sector where a Unit of Competency is included in a number of qualifications at different AQF levels.
One of the best examples of this is the unit HLTAID011 Provide First Aid. This unit is included as a core or elective unit in 294 qualifications ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma, 23 Skill Sets and 51 Accredited Courses. It can be imported into many more as an unnamed elective.
Question: Do I make the training and the assessment harder or easier to suit the AQF level of the qualification in which the unit is packaged?
Answer: NO!
What should you do?
You deliver and assess the unit as it is written. This applies whether you deliver a stand-alone unit, as part of a cluster in a skill set, or as part of a full qualification. To do otherwise compromises the principles of assessment and rules of evidence, specifically:
- You compromise validity – because the changes you make mean that the assessment is not reflective of the nationally agreed unit requirements.
- You compromise reliability – because there is not a consistent outcome for the unit.
- You compromise fairness – because the same unit has been made harder or easier for students in different qualifications.
- You compromise sufficiency – because not all required evidence has been collected (particularly if you make the assessment easier).
This will cause non-compliance in Clause 1.8 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015.
More information on this topic is available in the TAC Fact Sheet: The Australian Qualifications Framework and Units of Competency.
Catch up now on TAC’s latest podcast
TAC's Podcasts can be listened to on most podcast apps, YouTube or on the TAC Website.
TAC Talks Ep 19 - Amplifying Excellence in WA VET Through Award Winner Stories – Anthony Georgeff
This episode is part of a series dedicated to amplifying excellence in WA VET through award winner stories. In this instalment, we speak with Anthony Georgeff, finalist for the Australian Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award at the Australian Training Awards. Anthony encourages listeners to consider literacy and language skills beyond immediate applications – highlighting the wider community issues that may impact student learning.
Other important updates
Pathways to Post-School Success Review - draft report
On 16 May 2024, the Western Australian Government released the Expert Panel Report: Consultation Draft which considers improvements to senior secondary school pathways to ensure all students are prepared for further education, training, or employment after graduation. The draft report proposes a suite of 35 draft recommendations including making vocational qualifications count towards university entrance scores, providing a more comprehensive student achievement report, and strengthening career guidance for students particularly those in disadvantaged areas.
Public feedback on the draft report can be made before 16 August 2024 via the Pathways to Post-School Success Review website.
$195 Million Skills Development Package in WA State Budget
The Western Australian State Budget allocated $195 million to workforce development initiatives. This budget focuses on addressing skill shortages and equipping Western Australians with qualifications for jobs in key industries including:
- Construction Workforce: $85 million will be directed towards initiatives to grow the construction industry workforce.
- Fee-Free: The budget allocates $8 million to continue the Fee-Free program, providing affordable vocational education opportunities
- Clean Energy & Defence Sectors: Funding will increase to support skills development in these growing sectors.
- Skilled Migration: Programs will receive additional funding to connect skilled migrants with WA employers.
- Training Program Extensions: Heavy Vehicle Driver training and industry taster programs for high school students will be extended.
For more information, visit the State Budget website.
Australian Apprenticeship Support Services RFT outcomes announced
The Australian Department of Employment and Workplace Relations announced nine organisations will deliver a revamped Australian Apprenticeship Support Services model from July 2024. This new model offers broader support through a wider range of providers, with a focus on apprentices facing challenges and those in clean energy, female-dominated trades, and First Nations backgrounds. Apprentices can expect initial assessments, targeted mentoring, and employer support, while specialists will provide expertise in specific areas.
Further details can be found on the Australian Apprenticeships website.
Cost-of-living support for teaching, nursing and social work students
The Australian Government will establish a Commonwealth Prac Payment to support students undertaking mandatory workplace placements in teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work. This is to ease cost-of-living pressures and help them complete their studies.
- Eligible students will receive $319.50 per week during their placements.
- The payment will start from July 2025 and be means-tested.
- This is expected to benefit around 68,000 higher education students and over 5,000 VET students each year.
- The initiative aims to address workforce shortages in these critical fields and make these professions more accessible.
More information is available on the Ministers’ Media Centre website.
Cutting student debt for more than three million Australians
In its upcoming Budget, the Australian Government will target financial relief for over three million Australians by reducing student debt by around $3 billion. This aims to ease pressure on workers and students while tackling inflation and promoting economic growth. By lowering financial hurdles to education and training, these reforms will empower individuals to acquire skills for fulfilling careers.
More information is available on the Ministers’ Media Centre website.
Jobs and Skills Australia
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released the following:
Reports
Consultations
- Food Supply Chain Discussion Paper (closes 24 May)
Latest NCVER Reports
NCVER has released the following new reports:
- International onshore VET qualification completer outcomes 2023 - 2 May
- Driving towards a green economy - 1 May
