Trainer and Assessor Competencies: Standards 3.2, 3.3

Standard

Training and assessment is delivered to VET students by credentialled people with current skills and knowledge in training and assessment.

Performance Indicator

An RTO demonstrates:

1. training and assessment is only delivered by persons who hold the appropriate credentials for the delivery of training and assessment as specified in the Credential Policy;
2. where the Credential Policy permits a person to deliver any training or assessment under direction – the organisation has systems in place that ensure the person does not make assessment judgements and is delivering quality training and assessment; and
3. how it ensures all trainers and assessors undertake continuing professional development to maintain current skills and knowledge in training and assessment, including skills and knowledge relating to engaging and supporting VET students.

Intent of Standard 3.2

To uphold the integrity of VET, it is important that only appropriately credentialled people with current relevant skills and knowledge deliver training and assessment.

Relevant to Standard 3.2, the Credential Policy sets out:

Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment (Section 1)

• the credentials a person must hold to deliver training and assessment or conduct assessment only (including making assessment judgements)
• requirements for people who can deliver training and contribute to assessment under the direction of a trainer or assessor (but are not permitted to make assessment judgements)
• requirements for people who can provide direction to others delivering training and assessment

Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment for training products from the TAE Training Package (Section 2) 

• the credentials a person must hold to deliver training and assessment for a qualification or skill set in the TAE Training Package
• requirements for people who can deliver training and contribute to assessment for certain credentials from the TAE Training Package under the direction of a trainer or assessor (but are not permitted to make assessment judgements)
• requirements for people who can provide direction to others delivering training and assessment for a training product from the TAE Training Package.

This recognises the specialised skills and knowledge required to deliver quality training and assessment and seeks to uphold the quality of training and protect the integrity of assessment practices.

The Standards require RTOs to meet the Credential Policy. As such, RTOs are responsible for complying with the Credential Policy and should establish mechanisms for ensuring people do not perform training and assessment tasks beyond the scope of their credentials.   

The Standards also require trainer and assessor skills to remain up to date through continuing professional development in training and assessment. This ensures students have the benefit of contemporary learning practices and styles and that training is engaging for students.

Self-Assurance Considerations

In self-assuring against this Standard, consider (among other things):

• how you determine the scope of each trainer and assessor’s role and responsibilities in line with these Standards and the Credential Policy
• how you monitor compliance with the Credential Policy and oversee the quality of training and assessment delivered by people working under direction
• how you monitor and regularly review the performance of trainers and assessors to identify opportunities for professional development
• the ways in which you support staff to access continuing professional development to maintain their current skills and knowledge in training and assessment
• how you ensure people working under direction are provided with feedback that allows them to develop their training and assessment practice

Standard

Training and assessment is delivered by persons with current industry skills and knowledge relevant to the training product.

Performance Indicator

An RTO demonstrates:

1. all persons delivering training or assessment for, or on behalf of the organisation:
   1. have industry competencies, skills and knowledge that are relevant to, and at least to the level of, the training product being delivered or assessed by the person; and
   2. maintains an understanding of current industry practices relevant to the training or assessment being delivered by the person; 
2. where it engages an expert for the purposes of delivering training, it does so: 
   1. by reference to the requirements of the training product or the specific VET student cohort; and  
   2. in response to a specific need for the expert to be engaged;  
3. it has a system in place for ensuring:
   1. experts have industry competencies, skills, knowledge and specialised industry or subject matter expertise that is directly relevant to the training product they are delivering; 
   2. experts are only authorised to work under the direction of a person with the appropriate credentials to provide direction on the delivery of training and assessment, as specified in the Credential Policy;
   3. where the expert is involved in assessment judgement - they conduct the assessment alongside the trainer or assessor; and
   4. the training or assessment the expert is involved in delivering is subject to oversight by the organisation.

Intent of Standard 3.3

VET seeks to equip students with current and practical industry skills and knowledge so they can readily apply these in the workplace. As such, it is critical that trainers and assessors have real, current and comprehensive understanding of industry practice and understand how skills and competencies will be applied in practice. This may occur through continuing professional development, ongoing industry engagement, industry work placements, etc.

While  Standard 1.2 requires RTOs to ensure that the training itself reflects current industry practice, Standard 3.3 focuses on ensuring trainers and assessors maintain current industry skills and knowledge. Industry engagement should be a key input in determining whether trainers and assessors have current industry competencies and in identifying any gaps.

In most situations trainers and assessors will hold the training product (and/or units of competency) that they deliver or assess. Where this is not the case, they are expected to have equivalent knowledge and skills and depth of experience. The requirement under Standard 3.3 is that all trainers and assessors must have industry competencies, skills and knowledge that are relevant to, and at least to the level of, the training product being delivered and assessed. ‘At least to the level of’ refers to the level of skills and knowledge required for each training product, rather than equivalence of the AQF level.

The Standard does not specify that trainers and assessors must hold the training product they are delivering or assessing. While this is the most direct way of evidencing the relevant industry competencies, skills and knowledge, this could also be demonstrated through a combination of formal and informal learning and skills and knowledge gained through paid or volunteer work.  RTOs will be responsible for demonstrating how they ensure the appropriateness, relevance and currency of each trainer and assessor’s industry competencies, skills and knowledge (in line with these Standards and the requirements of the training package).

Engaging industry experts to support training and assessment and provide practical insight into real workplace settings can add value, variety and interest into the training program. Industry experts can play an important role in training and assessment; however, it is important to note that many industry representatives will not have a VET training and assessment background. As such, RTOs must have systems in place to oversee and assure the quality of training and assessment where industry experts are engaged. Experts are only authorised to work under the direction of a person who meets the requirements of the Credential Policy. 

Self-Assurance Considerations

In self-assuring against this Standard, consider (among other things):

• how you determine the industry skills and knowledge required for trainers and assessors, as relevant to each training product
• how you identify and address any gaps in trainer and assessor industry skills and competencies
• how you identify relevant industry experts and define their roles and responsibilities in relation to training and assessment
• how you oversee the quality of training and assessment delivered by industry experts

In considering the reflective questions, consider the extent to which your current practices are working and what if any, changes you could make to improve these. It may be helpful to think about examples.

1. How do you assure yourself that each person delivering training and assessment is appropriately credentialled?
2. How do you know that your practice for monitoring those working under direction (including industry experts) is effective?
3. How do you monitor and regularly review the performance of trainers and assessors to identify opportunities for professional development?
4. How do you identify the types of industry competencies, skills and knowledge relevant to each training product on your scope of registration?
5. How do you identify and address gaps in your trainers and assessors’ industry competencies, skills and knowledge?
6. How do you ensure your use of industry experts adds value to training and assessment?

Standard

• Standard 3.1 - VET workforce management
• Standard 4.1 - leadership and accountability
• Standard 4.4 - continuous improvement

Credential Policy

• Section 2: Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment
• Section 3: Credential requirements for the delivery of training and assessment for training products from the TAE Training Package

FAQs

• How is the draft Credential Policy different to Schedule 1 in the current Standards?
• How do the revised Standards retain protections to ensure that training and assessment is only delivered by people with the right credentials?
• Will individuals who hold the 2010 version of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) be able to deliver training and assessment without obtaining additional units of competency?
• Where are the requirements relating to use of industry expert outlined?
• Where is “industry expert” defined?
• Will qualified secondary school teachers be required to deliver training under direction?
• Why have some skill sets from the Training and Education (TAE) Training Package not been included in the draft Credential Policy, to enable delivery of training under supervision?