You would have to be living (or working) under a rock to not know that the Standards for RTOs have been re-written and re-organised into three categories:

  • Outcome Standards
  • Compliance Requirements (including the Fit and Proper Person Requirements and NRT Logo Conditions of Use Policy), and
  • Credential Policy.

While the changes to the Standards still need to be formally drafted as legislative instruments and therefore some minor changes may still be made to the current drafts of the Standards as part of the legislative drafting process – with the Australian government and all States and Territories having agreed to the proposed changes, the VET sector can expect that they will take effect from July this year.

What has changed in the revised Standards?

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has published the draft text of the revised Standards and the Australian Skills Quality Authority is gradually releasing draft Practice Guides to help RTOs think through the changes they will need to make to ensure their ongoing compliance with the Standards.

Some elements of the Standards have been revised, but in a nutshell RTOs must still ensure that they:

  • provide students with information to make an informed enrolment decision
  • have a considered enrolment process
  • have qualified staff, appropriate facilities and equipment for the courses they are approved to teach
  • provide appropriate student support
  • take assessment decisions with integrity
  • maintain records and issue qualifications appropriately, and
  • run a financially sound, well governed organisation.

A stronger focus on Professional Development

Some of the changes to the Standards have a more explicit focus on professional development and on ensuring RTO staff understand the Standards, including:

Standard 3.1(b) which requires RTOs to facilitate “access to continuing professional development for staff to enable them to effectively perform their roles”. Note that this is not just the RTO’s trainers and assessors but all staff involved in the delivery of services, and that access to PD should be continuing.

Standard 4.2(b) requires RTOs to make sure that “staff are supported to understand the Standards as relevant to their role, and are informed about any changes to legislative and regulatory requirements that affect the services delivered.”

And there are other changes which will likely require more professional development for many RTOs, including:

Standard 2.5 which requires an RTO to demonstrate that:

(a) it fosters a safe and inclusive learning environment for VET students, and

(b) it fosters a culturally safe learning environment for First Nations people.

VDC can help you navigate the changes

The VDC is here to assist RTOs as they navigate these changes. Our wide array of professional learning opportunities include the following workshops, Masterclasses and Deep Dive webinars looking specifically at the changes in the revised Standards: