When it comes to managing an RTO, we are entering a new world. A new normal.
People have been moving flexibility, or some not so, into the changes that have taken place over the past few years with ASQA.
At the end of 2013 Chris Robinson from ASQA was travelling the country talking about the non-compliances that were recorded for RTOs; whether they were for initial registration or re-registration. There was a common theme.
Knowing there are common non-compliances, it is recommended that RTOs develop a risk framework. The results suggests four groups of risk indicators for consideration governance, trainers and assessors, validation and quality of business organisation.
Governance risk
Governance risk indicators contribute to the risk rating for an applicant / RTO at initial and throughout the registration period.
Governance risk indicators focus on ensuring that an applicant / RTO has sufficient governance structures in place to deliver quality training and assessment services and outcomes.
The governance risk indicators are:
- Quality of business planning
- Transparency of ownership and management structure
- Skills and experience of senior officers and directors
Governance risk indicators are indicators of the likelihood that quality skills outcomes will not be achieved.
Trainers and Assessors risk
It has been reported that the qualifications of Trainers and Assessors have been a key area where non-compliances are occurring. It was also mentioned that in some cases they have not been providing a good service, the training was lacking in rigor, and ambiguous, and the trainers were not experts.
Validation risk
One of the biggest areas of non-compliance is No systematic VALIDATION and moderation.
Staff within an RTO need to take this seriously. They need to make sure make sure that all the assessments are validated. So if you are applying for initial registration, than you need to validate everything you plan to have on scope. You are looking to find out if the assessment tools that have been developed, or purchased, meet the requirements of the training package, unit of competence and of course the rest of the standard 15.5 (1.5). so grab yourself a validation form, someone from outside of the developing team and start validating.
If you have been operating for a while then you also need to show that you have conducted reviews of the Assessment decisions being correct through moderation.
Quality of business organisation
Documents, policies and Certification documents are another area where only half people audited meet the requirements during initial audit.
Other supplementary risk indicators include:
- the scope of the registration application
- the delivery of training that leads to a licensed or regulated outcome
- the RTO delivering training to overseas students studying in Australia
- the RTO having multiple sites
- the delivery of training offshore
- partnering or subcontracting arrangements
- the RTO accepting fees in advance from students
- the RTO delivering training to students under the age of 18
- the mode of delivery
- compliance with and value of government training contracts.