Standard
Effective workforce management ensures appropriate staffing to deliver the services.
Performance Indicator
The RTO demonstrates:
- how it ensures the number of trainers, assessors and other staff is appropriate for the delivery of services
- it facilitates access to continuing professional development for staff to enable them to effectively perform their roles.
Intent of Standard 3.1
Standard 3.1 requires an RTO to plan and manage its workforce so it has the right people, with the right skills, in the right positions, at the right time to deliver quality training and assessment.
The number and mix of staff needed to enable an RTO to operate effectively will differ based on the RTO’s service model, mode of delivery, location, size, the number and diversity of training products on its scope of registration, the size and characteristics of its student cohort and any third party arrangements.
Workforce planning typically involves:
Identifying the number and mix of staff required to deliver quality services
- RTOs need to consider the staffing profile needed to deliver services – for example enrolment officers, administration and IT staff, HR and finance, training support and wellbeing services staff, the management and executive team, industry experts as well as training and assessment staff. All staff play a part in how the organisation runs and the quality of services delivered to students.
- The right number and mix of staff will vary between organisations, but RTOs should be cognisant of whether there is enough staff to support students through their training, from enrolment to exit. Where RTOs operate with an insufficient number of staff, students often experience adverse impacts (such as challenges accessing trainers and assessors, delayed responses to queries, poor access to support, etc.), which can impact progress and result in disengagement.
Engaging and developing skilled and qualified staff
- RTOs need to identify the skills, competencies and qualifications required for various roles / teams and develop strategies for recruiting, retaining and facilitating the professional development of staff to suit these roles. RTOs should consider how they can attract and retain high quality staff, including through providing flexible working models, facilitating professional development and supporting career progression.
Forecasting staffing needs and preparing for the unexpected
- RTOs need to plan ahead by forecasting / projecting enrolments to ensure there will be a sufficient number of staff to meet demand. Where an RTO is planning to expand (for example, into a new location or by diversifying the scope of training products it delivers), it will need to plan ahead as to what this means for its staffing profile.
- It can be challenging to anticipate the factors that may impact an RTO’s workforce. Skills shortages across Australia will continue to impact on the VET workforce – driving increased demand for VET and impacting on the availability of skilled staff.
Self-Assurance Considerations
In self-assuring against this Standard, consider (among other things):
- the different roles (including for example administrators, support staff, trainers and assessors and management) within your RTO and the skills and knowledge needed for each role
- any changes your RTO (or the sector more broadly) is likely to experience over the next five years and how these might impact on your staffing profile / needs / access to skilled staff
- your strategies for attracting, recruiting and retaining high quality staff
- how you support staff to continue their professional development and career progression
- how you ensure the professional development meets the current and future workforce needs of your RTO
Standard 3.1 – Reflective Questions
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.
- In reviewing your workforce (for example administrators, support staff, trainers and assessors and management), how do you ensure you have the correct number and mix of staff to deliver quality training, assessment and support services?
- What are the keys risks to your workforce over the next five years and what strategies do you have in place to mitigate these risks?
- How do you identify and address gaps in the number and/or capability of your staff?
- How do you monitor and review the performance of your staff to identify opportunities for improvement / professional development?
- How do you facilitate access to continuing professional development for your staff?
Related Standards
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