ASQA Audits and the RTO

The start of 2017 has given us an indication of the mood of government and the public with several RTOs having their registration cancelled by ASQA since the 1st January. This comes on the back of a year that saw RTOs in the media for all the wrong reasons with the issues emerging around VET Fee Help.

ASQA auditors identified a range of issues with the training providers including:

  • poor training and assessment strategies and practices
  • insufficient trainers, assessors, facilities and equipment
  • a lack of information provided to students about courses or provided inaccurate marketing and recruitment information to prospective learners
  • non-compliance with licensing requirements
  • did not provide an appropriate amount of training, or implement an assessment process, to ensure learners had the skills needed
  • inappropriately enrolled learners into qualifications
  • did not determine or provide support services to learners, or monitor their progress, to enable them to complete

All of the issues above relate to the key phases of the student experience around which the new audit model is organised.

During 2016, ASQA developed and tested a new approach to audit with an increased focus on the student experience and the practices of RTOs. This approach will now be fully implemented through 2017.

It focuses on five key RTO activities or phases:

  • marketing and recruitment
  • enrolment
  • support and progression
  • training and assessment
  • completion

What does this mean for your RTO?

An RTO’s viability is at increased risk if you don’t have access to student experience data and proactive resolution processes.

RTOs need to review and refine their business practices to ensure they have evidence:

  • their marketing practices are delivering factual information. Potential students must be able to make informed decisions about what training and benefits the course will deliver, and ultimately, whether the course is suitable for them. their students have the existing skills, knowledge and experience required to successfully undertake the course
  • they provide appropriate support services to their students so they are optimally positioned to undertake and complete the course the appointed trainers and assessors are appropriately qualified to deliver the
  • training and conduct the assessments
  • the amount of training delivered to students and the manner in which the training is delivered are consistent with the requirements for the accreditation being offered
  • they are awarding AQF certificates only to students who have met the course or Training Package requirements

Our sales team have been experiencing a significant increase in RTOs coming to Tutis to utilise the following features to help them manage their end to end student engagement:

  • integrated website and student management system
  • pre-enrolment surveys
  • early-course  and completion surveys, tracking of student engagement, real time, auto generated reports on student progress, continuous improvement issues register populated automatically from survey thresholds and complaints and appeals logged by students
  • content experts/trainer matrix/systematic management of trainer PD
  • records of site visits, classroom attendance, elearning engagement , assessment attempts and completions
  • assessment evidence, completion evidence, enforced packaging rules
  • outsource the administrative processes to Tutis using the Tutis Managed Service

It now appears that there are quite limited opportunities for you to respond to ASQA findings regarding non-compliance. This is not the time for a business as usual approach.  Review your systems and processes and make changes to ensure your system effectively builds and reports on the required data that ASQA seeks.

For more information on how Tutis can assist you call us at (07) 3905 5850 or send an email to hello@tutis.com.au.