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RTO update 30 June 2007

Communiqué

Australia’s highly regarded national system of vocational education and training takes another step forward on 1 July when the streamlined, outcomes-focussed quality assurance of AQTF 2007 comes into place.

AQTF 2007 is a significant change for vocational education and training, a change that will bring benefits to us all. It will give Australia a truly national training system; it will give training organisations the opportunity to show the quality of their training and assessment and to have their quality judged through the quality of skills outcomes their learners achieve; and it gives Australian employers and industry increased confidence in the quality of training outcomes.

Transition into AQTF 2007

Despite the seeming magnitude of this change, it will be business as usual for training organisations on 1 July. AQTF has given us a solid base for quality assurance – organisations meeting the requirements of AQTF on the 30 June will move smoothly into meeting the requirements of AQTF 2007. Over the coming years RTOs can increase the quality of their business through using the continuous improvement approach embedded in AQTF 2007 and enjoy the benefits that will be available to good quality providers in reduced regulatory intervention through the proportional and outcomes focussed style of audit.

Registering bodies recognise the challenges that any changes in requirements mean for RTOs and their clients and they will be working with RTOs to ensure that the changes to AQTF 2007 are managed in the least disruptive ways possible. On 1 July 2007 all existing registrations will continue. Although all new registration applications and any associated audits will use the requirements of AQTF 2007 from 1 July, most RTOs will have plenty of time to settle into any changes they choose to make to meet the requirements of AQTF 2007.

All registering bodies will work with RTOs to assist in the move to AQTF 2007. RTO workshops held in all States and Territories in May and June have shown the need for the ongoing workshops to assist RTOs in their move to AQTF 2007. Further workshops will be offered to RTOs in coming months.

Components under development

Two components of AQTF 2007 remain under development. These are the Quality Indicators for the Essential Standards and the voluntary Excellence Criteria for RTOs that might want to apply for Quality Committed or Outstanding status after 1 January 2008. First drafts of the Excellence Criteria and an RTO Guide are on training.com.au. Further consultation is planned during the next two months, with information sessions and workshops scheduled for October 2007.

The Quality Indicators are being developed and trialled over the remainder of 2007 to ensure that their collection and reporting will be undertaken in ways which best fit with the existing business practices of RTOs. A wide range of training organisations will take part in trialling, and no decisions will be made until December 2007 when the results of trials are available. Arrangements for collection and reporting of data will not be put into place until 2008.

Introduction of VET quality arrangements

To signal the introduction of the new VET quality arrangements (AQTF 2007) your training organisation will have recently received a request from their registering body to sign a declaration that that they will operate in accordance with the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration. The letter included a copy of the Conditions of Registration which are a component of the Essential Standards covering administrative processes which are not a key focus of audit activity and continuous improvement. The letter referred RTOs to training.com.au to obtain a copy of the Essential Standards for Registration. The Essential Standards will also be provided to RTOs in hard copy, and these will be mailed out to all RTOs along with a copy of the Users Guide to the Essential Standards, to mark the implementation of AQTF 2007 during the first week of July. Organisations not receiving their copies by mid July should contact their registering body or email the AQTF information Hotline.

Keep in contact

Significant change requires careful communication and careful monitoring. Information about AQTF 2007 will continue to be provided on training.com.au and will be distributed through a wide range of VET and industry networks.

AQTF 2007 will be continuously monitored particularly during the first months of its implementation. Both the National Quality Council and registering bodies will be keen to receive feedback from RTOs about their experience in working to implement AQTF 2007. This feedback will be gathered in a range of ways including regular reports from stakeholder groups about their progress with AQTF 2007 and opportunities for representatives from stakeholder organisations, including providers, in all jurisdictions to discuss any concerns that may arise regarding the implementation of AQTF 2007. Information about feedback opportunities will be published regularly on training.com.au.

the following information is required for metadata purposes, please ignore. [title]RTO update 30 June 2007[/title] [summary]

Communiqué

Australia’s highly regarded national system of vocational education and training takes another step forward on 1 July when the streamlined, outcomes-focussed quality assurance of AQTF 2007 comes into place.

AQTF 2007 is a significant change for vocational education and training, a change that will bring benefits to us all. It will give Australia a truly national training system; it will give training organisations the opportunity to show the quality of their training and assessment and to have their quality judged through the quality of skills outcomes their learners achieve; and it gives Australian employers and industry increased confidence in the quality of training outcomes.

Transition into AQTF 2007

Despite the seeming magnitude of this change, it will be business as usual for training organisations on 1 July. AQTF has given us a solid base for quality assurance – organisations meeting the requirements of AQTF on the 30 June will move smoothly into meeting the requirements of AQTF 2007. Over the coming years RTOs can increase the quality of their business through using the continuous improvement approach embedded in AQTF 2007 and enjoy the benefits that will be available to good quality providers in reduced regulatory intervention through the proportional and outcomes focussed style of audit.

Registering bodies recognise the challenges that any changes in requirements mean for RTOs and their clients and they will be working with RTOs to ensure that the changes to AQTF 2007 are managed in the least disruptive ways possible. On 1 July 2007 all existing registrations will continue. Although all new registration applications and any associated audits will use the requirements of AQTF 2007 from 1 July, most RTOs will have plenty of time to settle into any changes they choose to make to meet the requirements of AQTF 2007.

All registering bodies will work with RTOs to assist in the move to AQTF 2007. RTO workshops held in all States and Territories in May and June have shown the need for the ongoing workshops to assist RTOs in their move to AQTF 2007. Further workshops will be offered to RTOs in coming months.

Components under development

Two components of AQTF 2007 remain under development. These are the Quality Indicators for the Essential Standards and the voluntary Excellence Criteria for RTOs that might want to apply for Quality Committed or Outstanding status after 1 January 2008. First drafts of the Excellence Criteria and an RTO Guide are on training.com.au. Further consultation is planned during the next two months, with information sessions and workshops scheduled for October 2007.

The Quality Indicators are being developed and trialled over the remainder of 2007 to ensure that their collection and reporting will be undertaken in ways which best fit with the existing business practices of RTOs. A wide range of training organisations will take part in trialling, and no decisions will be made until December 2007 when the results of trials are available. Arrangements for collection and reporting of data will not be put into place until 2008.

Introduction of VET quality arrangements

To signal the introduction of the new VET quality arrangements (AQTF 2007) your training organisation will have recently received a request from their registering body to sign a declaration that that they will operate in accordance with the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration. The letter included a copy of the Conditions of Registration which are a component of the Essential Standards covering administrative processes which are not a key focus of audit activity and continuous improvement. The letter referred RTOs to training.com.au to obtain a copy of the Essential Standards for Registration. The Essential Standards will also be provided to RTOs in hard copy, and these will be mailed out to all RTOs along with a copy of the Users Guide to the Essential Standards, to mark the implementation of AQTF 2007 during the first week of July. Organisations not receiving their copies by mid July should contact their registering body or email the AQTF information Hotline.

Keep in contact

Significant change requires careful communication and careful monitoring. Information about AQTF 2007 will continue to be provided on training.com.au and will be distributed through a wide range of VET and industry networks.

AQTF 2007 will be continuously monitored particularly during the first months of its implementation. Both the National Quality Council and registering bodies will be keen to receive feedback from RTOs about their experience in working to implement AQTF 2007. This feedback will be gathered in a range of ways including regular reports from stakeholder groups about their progress with AQTF 2007 and opportunities for representatives from stakeholder organisations, including providers, in all jurisdictions to discuss any concerns that may arise regarding the implementation of AQTF 2007. Information about feedback opportunities will be published regularly on training.com.au.

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