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Practice Guide - Credential Policy
Key concepts
The following key concepts are covered in this practice guide on this page:
Download a PDF copy: Practice Guide - Credential Policy.pdf (291.1 KB)
Achieving the Credential Policy in practice
The following tables provide guidance on achieving compliance with the Credential Policy as well as important considerations, and risks to mitigate or avoid. Further to the credentialling requirements set out below, the Outcome Standards set out additional requirements relating to individuals undertaking VET training and assessment activities and as such, this Practice Guide should be read in conjunction with the Instrument and the Practice Guides relating to VET Workforce.
To help determine whether you have achieved the Standards refer to the self-assurance questions below.
Section 1: Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment
This section specifies credential requirements for individuals delivering training and assessment for all training products other than AQF qualifications or skill sets from the Training and Education (TAE) Training Package. Standard 3.2 also sets out additional requirements for individuals delivering training and assessment for training products from the TAE Training Package.
Subject to Section 2 of this policy, all people delivering training and/or assessment must either:
- have one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 1A, or
- be actively working towards one of the training and assessment credentials at section 1C, and work under the direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment credentials at section 1E, or
- have one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 1D, and work under the direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment credentials at section 1E.
Requirement
1A. Training and assessment credentials
To deliver training and assessment without direction, including making assessment judgements, the person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor,
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment1
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training
- A secondary teaching qualification and one of the following credentials:
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or
- TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor.
1Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
- You can demonstrate how you authenticate (and retain evidence of) the credentials of those undertaking training and assessment for your RTO
- You can demonstrate the systems and processes you have in place for the recruitment and training of your RTO’s trainers and assessors to ensure they are appropriately credentialled and skilled for their role.
- You can demonstrate your system for reviewing trainer and assessor performance and industry currency, and how this system helps to identify opportunities for professional development.
- You ensure that, where a fully qualified trainer and assessor is supervising a person working under direction (such as an industry expert), they do not allow the person working under direction to make assessment judgements.
- You can demonstrate that your RTO meets the other requirements imposed on trainers and assessors under the Standards, including that they hold the relevant vocational competencies and current industry skills, regardless of whether they are working alongside an industry expert or not.
- Not having a system in place to authenticate the training and assessment credentials held by those undertaking training and assessment for your RTO.
- Not identifying or addressing gaps in trainer and assessor skills, knowledge and industry currency.
- Not recognising higher level qualifications in adult vocational education and training.
- Failing to ensure that secondary teachers delivering training and assessment and making assessment judgements without supervision hold one of a required Assessor Skill Set as listed in in the Credential Policy.
Requirement
1B. Assessment only credentials
To conduct assessment only, including making assessment judgements, the person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment2
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set
- TAESS00001 Assessor Skill Set
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training
- A secondary teaching qualification and one of the following credentials:
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or
- TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor.
2Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
- You can demonstrate your mechanisms for ensuring people do not perform tasks beyond the scope of their assessment-only credentials.
- You can demonstrate how you authenticate (and retain evidence of that authentication) the relevant credentials held by assessors.
- You can demonstrate your system for reviewing assessor performance and how this system helps to identify opportunities for professional development.
- Not having a system in place to authenticate the assessment credentials held by assessors.
- Failing to prevent people with assessment-only credentials from performing tasks beyond the scope of their credentials.
- Failing to ensure that secondary teachers hold one of the required additional credentials listed in 1B.
Requirement
1C. Actively working towards a training and assessment credential
A person who is actively working towards a training and assessment credential can deliver training and contribute to assessment (including collecting assessment evidence), provided they work under the direction of a trainer or assessor. Working towards these qualifications does not qualify the person to make assessment judgements.
Those who are actively working towards a relevant credential are still required to meet other requirements imposed on trainers and assessors under the Standards, including holding relevant vocational competencies and current industry skills.
To be actively working towards a credential, the person must:
- be enrolled in and have commenced training in one of the following training and assessment credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, or
- TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or its successor, and
- be making satisfactory progress to enable the credential to be completed within two years of commencement.
- Where a person is working towards a training and assessment credential, you can demonstrate:
- that they hold relevant and current industry knowledge
- that the supervision and guidance arrangements are reflective of the skills and knowledge of the person
- how you ensure the person is only contributing to assessments not making assessment judgements.
- You ensure that adequate time and support is given to the individual supervising the person who is working towards a training and assessment credential.
- You have systems in place to ensure that the person’s progress towards completing the credential remains on-track for completion within two (2) years of commencing the course.
- Allowing a person working under direction to make assessment judgements prior to obtaining the appropriate credentials.
- Not providing sufficient time and resources to supervisors to adequately oversee the work of a person working under direction.
- Failing to appropriately monitor course progression of the person to ensure completion within the designated timeframe of two years.
Requirement
1D. Training and assessment under direction
A person who holds any of the credentials listed in this section can deliver training and contribute to assessment (including collecting assessment evidence), provided they work under the direction of a trainer or assessor but is not permitted to make assessment judgements.
This section applies if a person does not hold the credentials listed under 1A, which would permit them to deliver training and assessment without direction.
RTOs must ensure that the credential held by trainers and assessors in accordance with this section is relevant to their role, taking into account the nature of the VET student cohort and the delivery context.
To deliver training and conduct assessment under direction, a person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAESS00021 Facilitation Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00030 Volunteer Trainer Delivery and Assessment Contribution Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00029 Volunteer Trainer Delivery Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00020 Workplace Trainer Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00028 Work Skill Instructor Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00022 Young Learner Delivery Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00015 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set
- TAESS00003 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set
- TAESS00008 Enterprise Trainer – Mentoring Skill Set
- TAESS00013 Enterprise Trainer – Mentoring Skill Set
- TAESS00007 Enterprise Trainer – Presenting Skill Set
- TAESS00014 Enterprise Trainer – Presenting Skill Set
- A secondary teaching qualification3.
The RTO must be able to justify the relevance of the person’s credential to the VET student cohort being delivered to.
3A person who holds only a secondary teaching qualification must deliver training and conduct assessment under direction per section 1D. To deliver training and conduct assessment without direction, the requirements under section 1A apply.
- Where a person is working under direction, you can demonstrate:
- that they hold relevant and current industry knowledge
- that the supervision and guidance arrangements are reflective of the skills and knowledge of the person working under direction
- how you ensure the person is not making assessment judgements.
- Your assessment materials clearly show that the supervising trainer and assessor has made the assessment judgements.
- You can demonstrate that where an industry expert is engaged to support trainers and assessors, this is based on a specific need for expertise related to the training product or VET student cohort, and there is a system for ensuring:
- the expert has relevant industry competencies, skills and knowledge and specialised industry or subject matter expertise
- the expert works under the direction of a person with the credentials specified in the Credential Policy and, where the expert is supporting the assessment judgement, they work alongside the trainer or assessor to conduct the assessment
- sufficient oversight of the expert to ensure the quality of the training and assessment.
- Not regularly reviewing the skills and knowledge of the persons working under direction to determine if their level of supervisory arrangements and guidance require adjustment.
- Not systematically reviewing the quality of work produced by persons working under direction.
- Not ensuring the relevance of the credentials held by a person working under direction to the VET student cohort being delivered to.
Requirement
1E. Providing direction on the delivery of training and assessment
A trainer and assessor who satisfies the requirements of this section is permitted to provide direction to others delivering training and assessment in accordance with Sections 1C and 1D of this policy, or to experts engaged in accordance with Standard 3.3.
Where a trainer or assessor is providing direction, they are responsible for providing oversight, guidance and quality assurance in respect of a person who does not have the full training and assessment credential to ensure the quality of training and assessment delivered by that person.
The requirements below apply to all trainers or assessors giving direction regardless of whether the person receiving direction is an industry expert, holds a relevant skill set, or is actively working towards a credential.
A person providing direction must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor,
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment4
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
- A secondary teaching qualification and one of the following credentials:
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
4Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
- You can demonstrate how your systems ensure that all persons providing direction in training and assessment always meet the requirements of the Credential Policy.
- You can demonstrate how you ensure that a qualified trainer and assessor monitors the training delivered including providing feedback to the person being supervised.
- You can demonstrate your systems for recording the guidance and quality assurance provided by the supervising trainer and assessor.
- You ensure that adequate time and resources are allocated to the supervising trainer and assessor for them to perform their role adequately.
- Not supervising or providing direction to a person working under direction.
- Not allocating sufficient time to a supervisor to be able to supervise the delivery of training and assessment.
Section 2: Credential requirements for the delivery of training and assessment for training products from the TAE Training Package
This section specifies credential requirements for a person delivering training and assessment for a qualification or skill set in the TAE Training Package, for the purposes of Standard 3.2. Standards 3.2 and 3.3 set out additional requirements for individuals delivering training and assessment.
To deliver training and assessment for an AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package, the person must either:
- hold one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 2A, or
- hold one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 2B and work under the direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment credentials at section 2C.
Requirement
2A. Delivery of TAE training and assessment
To deliver training and assessment for any AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package or its successor, the person must hold the qualification or skill set at least to the level being delivered.
To deliver training and assessment for the TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor or the TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, the person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or its successor
- TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training
- TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training
- TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development, or
- A higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
- You can demonstrate how your systems ensure that all persons involved in training and assessment for any qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package, always meet the requirements of the Credential Policy.
- You can demonstrate how you authenticate (and retain evidence of) the relevant credentials held by your TAE trainers and assessors.
- You can demonstrate that you have systems in place for the recruitment of TAE trainers and assessors, including the due diligence processes you undertake.
- You can demonstrate your system for reviewing TAE trainer and assessor performance and how this system helps to identify opportunities for professional development.
- Not having a system in place to authenticate the TAE training and assessment credentials held by the trainers and assessors.
- Not identifying or addressing gaps and opportunities for further professional development for your TAE trainers and assessors.
Requirement
2B. Delivery of TAE training and assessment under direction
A person who holds one of the credentials listed in this section can deliver training and contribute to assessment (including collecting assessment evidence) for the credentials specified below from the TAE training package, provided they work under the direction of a trainer or assessor who holds a relevant Diploma or higher-level qualification (as per section 2C) but cannot make assessment judgements.
To deliver training and assessment under direction for the TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor, the person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment5
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
- A secondary teaching qualification and one of the following credentials:
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or
- TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor.
5Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
- Where a person is delivering a TAE training package qualification or skill set under direction, you can demonstrate:
- that they hold relevant and current industry knowledge
- that the supervision and guidance arrangements are reflective of the skills and knowledge of the person
- how you assure the quality of their practice
- how you ensure the person is not making assessment judgements
- how you ensure that their supervisor has sufficient support to perform the supervisory role.
- Your assessment materials clearly show that the supervising trainer and assessor has made all assessment judgements.
- Not regularly reviewing the skills and knowledge of the persons working under direction to determine if their level of supervisory arrangements and guidance require adjustment.
- Not systematically reviewing the quality of work produced by those persons working under direction.
Requirement
2C. Providing direction on the delivery of TAE training and assessment
A trainer and assessor who satisfies the requirements of this section is permitted to provide direction to others delivering training and assessment for a training product from the TAE Training Package in accordance with Section 2B.
Where a trainer or assessor is providing direction, they are responsible for providing oversight, guidance and quality assurance in respect of an individual to ensure the quality of training and assessment delivered by that person.
The RTO is responsible for determining the nature and extent of direction required and any necessary restrictions and ensuring the quality of training and assessment is consistent with the Outcome Standards.
To provide direction related to the delivery of training and assessment for an AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package, the person must hold one of the following credentials:
- TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or its successor,
- TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training,
- TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training,
- TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development,
- TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development, or
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
- You can demonstrate how your systems ensure that all persons providing direction on the delivery of TAE training and assessment always meet the requirements of the Credential Policy.
- You can demonstrate a qualified trainer and assessor has monitored training delivered including providing feedback to students and providing feedback to the person being supervised.
- You can demonstrate you have appropriate systems in place for recording the guidance and quality assurance provided by the supervising trainer and assessor.
- You ensure that adequate time and resources are allocated to the individual supervising delivery of TAE training and assessment for them to perform their supervisory role.
- Not allocating sufficient time for a supervisor to be able to supervise the delivery of training and assessment.
Section 3: Credentials for Validation of Assessment
This section specifies credential requirements for individuals conducting validation of assessment for the purposes of Standard 1.5. Standard 1.5 also sets out additional requirements for individuals participating in validation.
- To conduct validation in relation to any AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package that enables individuals to make assessment judgements (as specified in section 1A and 1B of this policy), the person(s) conducting the validation must collectively meet the requirements of section 3B.
- To conduct validation in relation to any other training product, the person(s) conducting the validation must collectively meet the requirements of section 3A.
Requirement
3A. Validation of assessment for training products excluding the TAE Training Package
For all other validation activity, at least one of the people undertaking the validation must have one of the following training and assessment validation credentials:
- TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment6
- A secondary teaching qualification and TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor
- TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set
- TAESS00001 Assessor Skill Set, or
- A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training.
6 Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
- You can demonstrate how your systems ensure that at least one of the people undertaking validation must have one of the validator credentials.
- You can demonstrate how you authenticate (and retain evidence of the authentication) of the relevant credentials held by your validator.
- You can demonstrate your system for reviewing validator performance and how this system helps to identify opportunities for professional development.
- Not having a system in place to authenticate the training and assessment credentials held by the validator.
- Not recognising higher level qualifications in adult education or vocational education and training.
Requirement
3B. Validation of assessment for AQF qualifications or skill sets from the TAE Training Package
To validate in relation to any AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package that enables individuals to make assessment judgements, at least one of the people undertaking the validation activity must have a AQF qualification or skill set at least to the level being validated.
- You can demonstrate how your systems ensure that at least one of the people undertaking validation of assessment for qualifications or skill sets from the TAE Training Package has a TAE qualification or skill set at least to the level being validated.
- You can demonstrate how you authenticate (and retain evidence of the authentication) of the relevant credentials held by your TAE validator.
- You can demonstrate your system for reviewing TAE validator performance and how this system helps to identify opportunities for professional development.
- Not having a system in place to authenticate the training and assessment credentials held by the validator
Self-assurance questions
How do you assure yourself that each person delivering training and assessment is appropriately credentialled?
How do you know that the people working under direction are not making assessment judgements?
What systems do you have in place to ensure that trainers and assessors remain appropriately credentialled?
How do you determine the composition of the validation team and ensure the validation team fulfils the credential requirements?
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