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Series 5 | Marketing and advertising
  • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 1
  • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 2
  • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 3
  • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 4
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  • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 4

ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 4

Keeping your information current and updated

In this chapter, we discuss the information you need to include in your marketing and advertising materials, and how to keep them current and updated.

Both the Standards for RTOs and the National Code outline the information that needs to be included in your marketing and advertising materials.
Student documentation training

Information to include in advertising

Potential and enrolled students need to have easy access to the following information:

  • details of the training and assessment services you provide, including the mode of delivery
  • your obligations as a training provider to a student, noting your responsibility in:
    • demonstrating compliance with the Standards for RTOs
    • delivering quality training and assessment
    • issuing the certification.
  • information on any impacts on students if they choose to undertake funded or subsidised training with you – including any future eligibility for such funding
  • the complaints and appeals processes available to students
  • how students are safeguarded in an event of your provider not being able to continue delivering the course – including their eligibility for refunds
  • a student’s rights to a statutory cooling off period, if applicable
    • obligations as a student, such as:
      • payment conditions, including timing of payments, deposit requirements and the cost
      • repayment of any debt incurred under VET Student Loans
      • the requirements of the course, that are needed for them to complete the course including technology requirements for online learning
      • any materials or equipment that they may need to supply during the course.
    • all advertising and marketing material (including social media, television and radio) provided by your RTO—or a third-party on your behalf—must:
      • be in the name of your RTO or CRICOS provider only, and not use that of any business conducting advertising, marketing or recruitment on your behalf
      • include the registration code of your RTO or CRICOS provider
      • include the code and title of any training product as published on the National Register (training.gov.au).
    If a third-party provider is advertising courses on your behalf, the marketing and advertising materials need to clearly indicate that you are the training provider responsible for the course.

     


    Inform your students

    As a training provider, you need to ensure all marketing and advertising materials contain accurate, current and clear information. This information needs to be accessible and available to all potential and enrolled students.

     

    Student planning session

     

    Tip graphic

    ASQA has an information page for students on choosing a course and provider. The page contains details on obligations of training providers, including required information you will need to provide.

     

     

    ✕
    Students meeting

    Fees and payment conditions

    All marketing and advertising materials need to provide accurate pricing information.

    If the fee payments are subsidised or discounted, they need to be clearly indicated on the advertising materials. You need to provide information on:

    • students’ eligibility for a subsidy
    • how it may impact their future eligibility for other funding.

    Keeping it current

    You will need to keep all marketing and advertising materials updated when your operations or details change. If you work with a third-party provider which issues marketing materials on your behalf, they need to receive the updated copies for distribution.

    Workers performing a site inspection

    Changes that will affect information in your marketing materials can include:

    • changes to course details, cost or duration
    • revised third-party agreements
    • new contact details for your provider
    • changes to the services you offer.

     


    Tips on keeping your information current and updated

    Our infographic below summarises the key considerations of this chapter.

    Keep your information current and updated

    Download our guide

    Our print-ready handy guide wraps up all the chapters in this series and is available as a PDF.

    View here  >

    Compliant marketing guide

    Case study

    ASQA takes regulatory action against businesses that breach the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVR Act).

    The case study below is based on a real-life scenario.

  • Case study – misrepresentation of VET training courses

    An ASQA investigation into the misrepresentation of vocational education training (VET) courses led to a conviction and a $10,000 fine for Qualify Me! Pty Ltd in NSW Local Court in September 2021. 

    Qualify Me! Pty Ltd was found by Downing Centre Local Court to have contravened section 123A of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVR Act) by advertising a VET course without identifying the issuer of the VET qualification.

    Qualify Me! Pty Ltd describes itself as an ‘education facilitator’ and is not a registered training organisation (RTO). The NVR Act outlines that non-RTOs may advertise courses on behalf of RTOs but need to accurately and honestly represent those courses in all marketing and enrolment activities.  

    The Court found that Qualify Me! Pty Ltd made representations on its website www.qualifyme.edu.au about the availability of VET courses without identifying the name and registration code of the RTO that would be providing the qualifications.  

  • More Spotlight On

    • ASQA | Spotlight On - Marketing and advertising, Chapter 3
    • Focus on compliance

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    Check out the Users’ guide to the Standards for RTOs 2015, 
      

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