EDUCATE
PILOTING THE DRAFT REVISED STANDARDS FOR RTOS Department of Employment and Workplace Relations All Australian Governments are committed to quality and integrity in the VET sector. In this context, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has been working closely with states and territories to revise the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to strengthen the focus on quality outcomes for learners and employers, provide greater clarity for RTOs and regulators, and allow for more flexibility and innovation in training delivery. The revisions aim to provide a clearer and more direct link between the requirements RTOs are expected to meet and the outcomes they are expected to deliver. An updated version of the draft revised Standards has been released, and a pilot has been announced to test their practical functionality and ensure they support effective regulation. The draft revised Standards have been refined based on feedback received during public consultation held from November 2022 to January 2023.
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In the updated version, some changes to the requirements have been made where a need was identified by the sector, and some structural changes have been made to better support RTOs and regulators. A paper on the development of the draft revised Standards which includes the latest draft Standards and explains key changes since the November 2022 consultation version has been released to support piloting.
The pilot includes an online survey which seeks input on the evidence RTOs would provide to demonstrate conformance with the draft Standards relevant to their operational context, areas where guidance would be most valuable, and other implementation considerations. All RTOs are encouraged to complete the survey. The pilot will also involve other activities including focus groups with a broad range of RTOs.
DEWR is working closely with VET regulators and states and territories to ensure piloting activities test that the draft revised Standards:
The outcomes of piloting will inform refinements to finalise the revised Standards, as well as the development of guidance materials and resources to support the sector and updates to regulatory policies, practices and tools.
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enable consistent understanding across both RTOs and regulators
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enable RTOs of different types, sizes and focus to demonstrate compliance in different ways,
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allow for sufficient flexibility to enable excellence and innovation, and
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enable VET regulators to effectively identify risk and differentiate providers.
You can find further information at www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/qualityreforms.
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