Running an RTO can be difficult.
Setting up an RTO can be even harder. It’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed when you set up a Registered Training Organisation. Registered training organisations (RTOs) are education providers approved by ASQA to deliver VET courses.
To become an RTO and offer courses, you must complete instructions as per the ASQA webpage or if you are based in WA the TAC website.
The registration process (for TAC and ASQA) follows these general steps:
- Plan your RTO application
- this is where you gather data and research the industry in detail and find out all you can about running an RTO.
- Prepare all documentation for your RTO (this process can take 3-6 months, depending on the scope, the support you have to work on the project and the training & assessment materials you require)
- Lodge submission via online portal
- Your business plan, proof of financial viability and fit and proper persons information that has been submitted is checked
- An assessment is conducted
- An audit is conducted via email, phone, zoom or similar. It focuses on validating that you are ready to deliver quality training and assessment.
Benefits of hiring an RTO consultant
You can choose to work with someone directly or train yourself from their experience, yet from an online course. The RTO Success is a course developed by Merinda Smith providing you with ALL of her expertise.
Click the picture below to find out more.
Which ever you choose is up to you, yet either is a valuble investment in your success. A consultant can help guide you, as the application can be challenging and frustrating! Setting up a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) often needs the help of a consultant in regards to navigating the regulatory requirements of industry registration.
Whilst that is one good reason, there are other reasons why people use RTO consultants, however the, main two are:
1. To supplement staff time.
Hiring a consultant is particularly appropriate when the project is a once off – such up to set up an RTO.
2. To supplement staff expertise.
Special skills and expertise is required to get through the audit, and these cannot be learned quickly or easily by staff.
When you intend to set up an RTO you are faced with many decisions. The first is which consultancy to use, or if you can do it yourself. Finding the right consultant is crucial to the success of your RTO project. When conducting your research before making such a decision you need to interview people.
Also be aware that if your consultant turns a complex situation into something overly simple, it shows ignorance of how the system works.
Sometimes it all comes down to the personal attributes, if you can work together or not.
Then you need to decide who is best for you. Consider the following in your decision:
- Does the consultant put the best interest of you, the client ahead of their own?
- Are they easy to talk to, and have an ability to explain complicated scenarios simply? One clue that someone doesn’t understand a problem is that they need a large number of variables and factors to explain it.
- Check the reviews of the business and ask your peers and your network if they know of their work.
- A good consultant should have experience with RTOs. She or he may not know your specific industry, but you and your people know your industry well, don’t you? What the consultant brings to the table is experience in addressing the issues in setting up an RTO.
- Have they shown the ability to be a creative problem solver? After all, you are hiring a consultant to help you solve problems and take advantage of opportunities.
- How well does their solution fit? Talk through your needs as you see them. Ask them what solution they would propose. Can they articulate how the solution would address your needs better than other alternatives? Some consultants only recommend a one size fits all solution, even if it is not what you need.
- Do they have interpersonal skills that you warm to? You both need to develop a trust-based relationship. One where you could be revealing the intimate details of your business.
- How busy is the consultant? Can the consultant commit to finishing the RTO project in the time frame you want?
- Is the consultant clear about their responsibilities? Ask them to articulate what their role will be and what specific tasks they will have to accomplish. The best way to determine this is to ask them to submit a proposed work plan or scope of works