Skip to main content
  • RTO Standards Guide
  • Accredited Course Standards Guide
  • asqanet
  • asqaconnect
Australian Government Australian Skills Quality Authority

Main navigation

  • RTOs
    Close
    RTOs
    • What is an RTO?
    • How to become an RTO
      • Prepare your RTO application
      • Submit your RTO registration application
      • How we assess RTO applications
      • RTO application decision
    • Renew RTO registration
      • How to renew your registration
      • How we assess your registration renewal
    • Change RTO scope
      • Change RTO scope | Add training products
      • Change RTO scope | TAE Training Package evidence
      • Change RTO scope | Application process
      • Change RTO scope | Remove training products
      • When training products change
    • Withdraw registration
    • Requirements and responsibilities
      • Complying with legislation
      • Complying with ASQA requirements
      • Qualifications and statements of attainment
      • Data collection and provision
      • Other licensing and registration requirements
    • Change RTO details
      • Change business address
      • Change key staff or their contact details
      • Change legal or business name
      • Change scope of registration
      • Change to financial status
      • Change to legal entity type, ownership, and mergers
      • Changes due to COVID-19
      • Keep delivery locations updated
    • Focus on compliance - Spotlight On
      • Series 1 | Trainers and assessors
      • Series 2 | Assessment Validation
      • Series 3 | Assessment
      • Series 4 | Student support
      • Series 5 | Marketing and advertising
    • Users’ guide to the Standards for RTOs 2015
      • Introduction to the RTO standards users' guide
      • Chapter 1—Marketing and recruitment
      • Chapter 2—Enrolment
      • Chapter 3—Support and progression
      • Chapter 4—Training and assessment
      • Chapter 5—Completion
      • Chapter 6—Regulatory compliance and governance practice
      • Appendix 1—Index to Standards/clauses as referenced in the users’ guide
      • Self-assessment tool
    • ASQA delegations
    • More support
  • ESOS providers
    Close
    ESOS providers
    • What is an ESOS provider?
    • How to become an ESOS provider
      • Prepare your ESOS application
      • Submit your application
      • How we assess ESOS applications
      • ESOS application decision
    • ESOS requirements
      • Education agents
      • Learner Transitions
      • Legislative obligations
      • Maintaining your registration
      • Obligations when facilitating student transfers
      • Overseas student attendance
      • Provider default obligations
      • Quality Indicators
      • Quality of training experience
      • Reporting obligations summary
      • Resourcing requirements—for applicants seeking initial registration or change to scope of registration
      • Retention requirements for completed student assessment items
      • Third party arrangements for training and/or assessment of VET courses
      • Written agreements with overseas students
    • English-language courses (ELICOS)
    • Change ESOS registration
      • Change ESOS registration | Application process
      • Change ESOS registration | Documentation requirements
      • Change ESOS registration | Fees
    • Renew registration
    • Change CRICOS details
    • How we process applications
    • Withdraw registration
    • More support
  • Course accreditation
    Close
    Course accreditation
    • What is an accredited course?
    • Apply for course accreditation
      • Step 1—VET course concept
      • Step 2—Course development
      • Step 3—Course submission
      • Step 4—Application assessment
      • Step 5—Decision
      • Users’ guide to developing a course document
    • Manage a course
      • Amend a course
      • Cancel a course
      • Extend a course
    • Renew a course
      • Step 1—Intention to renew
      • Step 2—Course redevelopment
      • Step 3—Submit course renewal
      • Step 4—Application assessment (renewal)
      • Step 5—Decision (renewal)
    • Course owner responsibilities
    • Users’ guide to the Standards for VET Accredited Courses
      • Foreword
      • About the Standards
      • About this guide
      • National course document template
      • Standards
      • Accredited courses guide appendices
    • More support—Course accreditation
  • Students
    Close
    Students
    • How ASQA can help students
    • Choosing a course and provider
    • Provider closures
    • Student records
    • Complaints about providers
    • More support
      • Courses and providers
  • Guidance & resources
    Close
    Guidance & resources
    • Focus on compliance - Spotlight On
      • Series 1 | Trainers and assessors
      • Series 2 | Assessment Validation
      • Series 3 | Assessment
      • Series 4 | Student support
      • Series 5 | Marketing and advertising
    • Online learning
      • Planning online learning
      • Marketing and enrolment for online learning
      • Online student support
      • Online training and assessment
    • Resources
      • Users' guide to Standards for RTOs 2015
      • Users’ guide to developing a course document
      • Accredited Course Standards Guide
      • Fact sheets
      • FAQs
      • Forms
      • Guidance for Providers
      • Guides and tools
      • Presentations
      • Publications
      • Videos and webinars
    • Third-party agreements
      • Third-party written agreements
      • Third-party agreements for VET in schools
    • ESOS requirements
      • ESOS Return to Compliance for face to face training
    • Annual declaration on compliance
    • Practical training and assessment
    • Managing natural disaster and pandemics
  • How we regulate
    Close
    How we regulate
    • Our approach
    • Risk-based regulation
    • Risk priorities
      • Student work placement
      • Academic integrity
      • Online delivery
      • Shortened course duration
      • Recognition of prior learning
      • VET workforce capability
      • International delivery
      • Governance through change
      • Setting our risk priorities
      • Previous risk priority and strategy documents
    • Self-assurance
      • Towards self-assurance
      • Draft model for self-assurance
      • Building a shared understanding of self-assurance
    • Strategic reviews
      • Past strategic reviews
    • Our regulatory practice
      • Record of decisions prior to 1st March 2021
    • How we engage and educate
      • Provider Roundtable
      • Stakeholder Liaison Group
      • Consultation
    • Performance assessment (audit)
      • How to prepare for a performance assessment
      • During your performance assessment
      • After your performance assessment: If you’re compliant
      • After your performance assessment: If you’re non-compliant
    • Provider profiles
  • About us
    Close
    About us
    • ASQA overview
      • Our role
      • Our values
      • Key legislation
      • Our leadership and organisation
      • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Advisory Council
      • Work with us
    • VET sector overview
      • National register of VET
      • Training packages
    • Fees and charges
      • Current ASQA fees and charges
      • Annual registration charge
      • Transition arrangements
      • Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS)
      • How we consult on fees and charges
      • ELICOS fee relief
    • Reporting and accountability
      • Annual reports
      • Corporate Plan
      • Gifts and benefits register
      • Consultation
      • Service Charter and service standards
      • Surveys
      • Corporate publications
      • Privacy policy
      • APS employee census results
      • Financial reporting
      • Freedom of information
      • Vulnerability Disclosure Statement
      • Harradine report
      • Information publication scheme
      • Child Safety Policy
    • Contact us
      • Office locations
    • Complaints
      • Complaints about training providers
      • Complaints about ASQA
      • More support
    • Using this website
      • Accessibility
      • Disclaimer
      • Site map
      • Copyright
FAQs
  • asqanet
  • ASQA regulation
  • Compliance
  • Data and reporting requirements
  • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
  • Registration
  • Students
  • TAE training package
  • Home
  • Training and assessment

Training and assessment

  • Can ASQA verify if my training and assessment strategies are compliant before I submit them with my application?

    ASQA cannot teach providers specifically how to comply with the standards and cannot provide private rulings. This is because it is important for training providers to design tools and systems that meet their specific business needs and for each unique business to demonstrate to ASQA how the standards are being met.

    ASQA assesses the compliance of your training and assessment strategies through the application process. If your strategies are not compliant, ASQA will provide you with 20 working days to rectify the situation and provide evidence that you have done so.

  • Can I deliver an AQF qualification or unit of competency in a language other than English?

    Yes―however, the statement of attainment and testamur needs to include the language in which the course was delivered.

    The registered training organisation delivering the qualification or unit would also need to provide ASQA assessors with access to an interpreter.

    In addition, there may be further requirements set by licensing bodies regarding what language a specific course can be delivered in.

    • More about licensing body requirements
  • Can I deliver VET in schools?

    A training provider interested in delivering VET in schools will need to contact the relevant department of education in that state or territory.

    For delivery of VET in schools to international students:

    • For a school to offer VET to an international student, the VET course must be included on the CRICOS registration for the school. If the course being delivered is not contributing to a secondary school qualification, the provider (whether it is the school or another registered training organisation), must ensure the course complies with the ESOS legislation, such as the requirement to be delivered on a full-time basis.

    Please refer to the Guiding Principles for VET in schools delivered to overseas students for further information.

  • Can I offer a unit from a qualification on my scope as a stand-alone unit?

    If an ASQA registered training organisation (RTO) intends to offer/deliver a unit that is not a core unit of competency, or a named elective unit of competency within the packaging rules of a qualification on its scope of registration, the RTO cannot offer/deliver/issue a statement of attainment for the unit unless:

    • it has applied to ASQA to have that unit explicitly listed on its scope of registration, and 
    • ASQA has approved that application.
    • Find more information in the fact sheet—Delivering elective units.
  • Can I use generic training and assessment strategies provided by a third party?

    ASQA’s position is to give providers the opportunity to present evidence that they have met the required outcomes. Regardless of the source of training and assessment resources, be it commercial or otherwise, providers are responsible for undertaking effective quality assurance, including validation and contextualisation, on any training and assessment resources they choose to use.

    Providers are obliged to demonstrate that materials used are consistent with the requirements of the training package or vocational education and training (VET) accredited course, as required in the Standards.

  • Do I need to map learning resources to the assessment requirements of the units of competency for performance assessment purposes?

    ASQA does not prescribe the methodology registered training organisations (RTOs) should use to meet the requirements of the relevant standards, training packages and accredited courses.

    RTOs must demonstrate the validity of their assessment tools, but they can choose to do this in a variety of ways.

  • Does ASQA require trainers and assessors to complete working with children checks?

    While ASQA does not have a specific requirement for trainers and assessors to complete working with children checks, ASQA requires registered training organisations (RTOs) to comply with all relevant state, territory and commonwealth legislation.

    RTOs should contact the occupational health and safety agency in their state or territory to determine requirements for trainers and assessors to complete working with children checks.

  • How can I demonstrate that I have maintained the currency of my industry skills and my trainer/ assessor competencies?

    There is a range of evidence that registered training organisations (RTOs) can provide to demonstrate that they are contributing to:

    • the continuous development of a trainer’s or assessor’s vocational education and training knowledge and skills, and
    • the trainer’s or assessor’s industry currency and competence.

    It is important to remember that it is an RTO that must demonstrate compliance with the standards, rather than individual trainers and assessors.

    RTOs seeking to prove that they are serious about the quality of their training and assessment should:

    • support their trainers/assessors in meaningful industry engagement
    • support their trainers’/assessors’ professional development in teaching and learning methods and in understanding the requirements of the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and
    • foster a culture of critical evaluation and innovation.

    Evidence to demonstrate the currency of trainer/assessor skills might include documentation related to:

    • attendance at relevant professional development activities
    • participation in networks, communities of practice or mentoring activities
    • participation in industry release schemes
    • personal development through the reading of journals
    • participation in projects with industry, and
    • shadowing or working closely with other trainers and assessors.

    RTOs should be able to demonstrate how development activities contribute towards:

    • trainers’/assessors’ understanding of the requirements of the VET environment
    • trainers’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are providing learning programs that are in line with current industry requirements)  
    • assessors’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are assessing to the standards required by industry), and
    • improving the way in which trainers/assessors train and assess.

    Vocational competency must be considered on an industry-by-industry basis and with reference to any guidance provided in the relevant training package or accredited course.

  • How can I demonstrate that my students have completed workplace assessment?

    An assessor must collect and consider a range of evidence from a variety of sources. This evidence can include third-party reports provided by supervisors, trainers, team members, clients or consumers who can report what they see or hear to the assessor.

    Evidence may be:

    • direct (such as an observation of workplace performance by an assessor)
    • indirect (such as a portfolio of evidence), or
    • supplementary (such a supervisor reports).

    Registered training organisations (RTOs) must ensure that the assessments are valid, reliable, fair and flexible and the evidence collected is valid, sufficient, current and authentic and that the judgement of competence is made by a person/s who meets the requirements of the Standards for RTOs 2015, specifically Clauses 1.13 - 1.15, 1.17, 1.18 and 1.21 - 1.25.

    • Find out more about third-party arrangements.
  • How can I demonstrate vocational competency?

    Vocational competency includes broad industry knowledge and experience, usually combined with a relevant industry qualification.

    A person who has vocational competency will:

    • be familiar with the content of the vocation, and
    • have relevant, current experience in the industry. (See Clause 1.13 of the Standards for RTOs 2015)

    Vocational competency must be considered on an industry-by-industry basis and with reference to the guidance provided in the assessment guidelines of the relevant training package.

    Training packages include industry-specific advice on vocational competencies of assessors. This may include advice on the industry qualifications and experience required for assessing against the training package (or against specific qualifications within the package). The training package will also provide industry-specific advice on acceptable forms of evidence to show currency with vocational competency.

  • What are the requirements for training or assessing under supervision?

    The Standards for RTOs 2015 requires that a person that does not hold the required competencies (regardless of their skills and knowledge):

    • must be supervised by a qualified trainer, and
    • must not determine assessment outcomes.

    Training must only be provided by those who have current industry skills and knowledge.

    From 1 January 2016, people working under such supervision arrangements must hold the:

    • Enterprise Trainer Skill Set (in either mentoring or presenting), and/or
    • Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set.

    For more information see Clauses 1.17 – 1.20 of the Standards Guide.

  • What is an appropriate volume of learning for a qualification type?

    The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides a guide to the volume of learning (see ‘AQF volume of learning indicators’ table), which describes how long a student who does not hold any of the competencies identified in the relevant units of competency or modules would take to develop all the required skills and knowledge.

    Your RTO is required to comply with the AQF in applying the volume of learning to your programs. You must therefore develop and implement strategies for training and assessment that are consistent with the AQF.

  • What student assessment items do I need to keep and how long do I need to keep them for?

    A registered training organisation (RTO) is required to securely retain—and to produce at performance assessment (audit), if requested—all completed student assessment items for each student for a period of six months from the date on which the judgement of competence for the student has been made. Completed student assessment items include the actual work completed by a student or evidence of that work, including evidence collected for a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

    If you are unable to retain a student’s actual work, an assessor’s completed marking guide, criteria, and observation checklist for each student may be sufficient. However, this evidence must have enough detail to demonstrate the assessor’s judgement of the student’s performance.

    Qualifications, courses or units of competency that lead to regulated/licensed outcomes may also impose specific records retention requirements. RTOs should refer to specific regulatory requirements relating to that delivery.

    • Read more about the retention of assessment items in ASQA’s Guidance for Providers—Retention requirements for completed student assessment items.
  • Was this page helpful?

    Share

    Print
    Australian Government Australian Skills Quality Authority
    Logo Working Together

    Footer

    • RTOs
    • Guidance & Resources
    • How we regulate
    • About Us
    • CRICOS
    • RTO standards
    • Our regulatory practice
    • Contact us
    • Students
    • Course accreditation
    • Privacy
    • Using this website

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    Logo Working Together
    Aboriginal flag Flag TI

    The Australian Skills Quality Authority acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.