The training programs can be adapted for occupations and professions in a wide range of industries.
Employers can build a training program that best suits their business and staff needs, tailoring the content of the training, including entire courses or individual units/modules.
Tailoring courses and qualifications
A course is a series of units/modules offered by a training provider. In most courses, students must study compulsory units/modules and then choose elective units/modules. These electives allow students to specialise their course according to their needs.
Units/modules comprise the:
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skills and knowledge, or competencies, required of employees within an industry
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standard of performance required for a person to be deemed 'competent'.
Businesses can select the competencies that suits their needs from the units/modules defined within Training Packages.
Customising Training Packages
Training Packages are not courses - they are sets of nationally endorsed competency standards broken up into units/modules for a specific industry, sector or enterprise.
Training Packages:
Training Packages define the competencies someone must achieve to gain a certain qualification. Qualifications, such as a Certificate I or a Diploma, certify that a person has successfully achieved a set of competencies, or a course of units/modules.
For example, under the Extractive Industries Training Package, to gain the qualification of Certificate II in Extractive Industries, a person must complete four compulsory units of competency and seven elective units of competency.
Depending on what you or your employees prefer, an RTO can adapt or customise the units/modules in the Training Package which constitute a qualification.
Extra units/modules can be selected or substituted from other Training Packages within the same industry or from another industry Training Package. Your employees will still receive a nationally recognised qualification, however it will be tailored to meet your needs.
Develop your own course
You may also want to design and deliver your own customised courses. Becoming an enterprise RTO allows you to tailor training further by having your own training programs accredited by a training authority. Training authorities will only accredit courses that do not duplicate existing Training Package qualifications and meet an identified industry need.
Contact the training authority in your state or territory for more information on the accreditation of courses. Note: there are costs associated with accreditting courses.
Compulsory training
Not all training can be tailored. Compulsory training in specific competencies is required by some industries and professions. For example, training in the responsible service of alcohol for the NSW liquor industry or chainsaw courses for forest industry workers in WA.
In these cases, the amount you can tailor the training is limited. However, there is still scope to combine compulsory units/modules with others of your choice to create a qualification that will satisfies the requirements of your industry and delivers a broader range of skills.
For further information on Training Packages and tailored courses visit the National Training Information Service site or contact your preferred RTO.
