Clauses 1.22 to 1.24—Employ experts to teach trainers and assessors

Clause 1.22

To deliver any AQF qualification or skill set from the Training and Education Training Package (or its successor), the RTO must ensure all trainers and assessors delivering the training and assessment hold the training and assessment qualification at least to the level being delivered. (From 1 January 2017, the requirements set out in clause 1.22 continue to apply to any other AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package (or its successor).)

Clause 1.23

To deliver the training and assessment credential specified in Item 1 or Item 2 of Schedule 1, or any assessor skill set from the Training and Education Training Package (or its successor), the RTO must ensure all trainers and assessors delivering the training and assessment:

hold the training and assessment credential specified in Item 7 of Schedule 1; or
work under the supervision of a trainer that meets the requirement set out in a) above.

Clause 1.24

The RTO must ensure that any person working under supervision for the purposes of Standard 1.23 b):

does not determine assessment outcomes
holds the following:
- on or prior to 31 March 2019, the training and assessment credential specified in Item 1 or Item 2 of Schedule 1; or
- on or after 1 April 2019, the training and assessment credential specified in Item 2 of Schedule 1.

Clause 1.21 is no longer applicable. RTOs should refer to clauses 1.22 and 1.23 for current requirements in relation to trainers and assessors delivering training and assessment qualifications.

What clauses 1.22 to 1.24 mean for your RTO

It is critical that training products from the TAE Training Package are delivered to the highest levels of quality, so that trainers and assessors hold all the skills and knowledge required. These training products underpin the quality of VET in Australia and graduates in these qualifications are responsible for training much of the Australian workforce.

As of January 2017, people delivering the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or any assessor skill set from the TAE Training Package have been required to hold a relevant credential or alternatively, they can work under the supervision of a person that holds one of the relevant credentials.

The relevant credentials have been updated (in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) Amendment 2017) to include:

TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (or its successor)
TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (or its successor)
TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development (or its successor)
TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development (or its successor)
a higher level qualification in adult education.

The requirements do not apply to delivery of TAE units of competency within qualifications or skill sets from other training packages or within accredited courses.

A guide to compliance

Your RTO must retain evidence of the qualifications of trainers and assessors delivering TAE qualifications or skill sets.

From 1 January 2017, you must retain evidence that any person delivering the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or any assessor skill set who does not hold the required diploma or higher level qualification:

is working under the supervision of a person who does hold the required credentials
does not determine assessment outcomes.

As with any other training product, trainers and assessors delivering TAE training products must hold current industry skills and knowledge. While the Standards do not prescribe how trainers and assessors must maintain this currency, it is the responsibility of your RTO to retain evidence showing:

the current industry skills and knowledge of your trainers and assessors
that their skills and knowledge directly relate to the training and/or assessment they are providing.

The industry skills and knowledge held by trainers and assessors must be consistent with:

those identified through your industry engagement activities
any specific requirements expressed in the TAE Training Package.

How can my RTO demonstrate and provide evidence of compliant practice?

You must be able to demonstrate how you have verified evidence about qualifications, vocational competencies and current industry skills. This may include:

viewing qualifications and contacting the provider named on the person’s qualification to confirm that the document is genuine
reviewing academic transcripts
conducting referee checks at the time of employment to confirm relevant industry experience.

You should retain evidence, for example by maintaining records on each person’s human resources file of how you have verified this information.

You should also retain evidence of your approach to professional development and how you engage with industry to confirm, review and update the required skills and knowledge for trainers and assessors.

Case study—Trainer and assessor qualifications
Southern Training College Australia delivers TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to its students. Karen, the trainer and assessor nominated to deliver TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for the RTO, is required to demonstrate that she holds TAE50111 or TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training; TAE50211 or TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development; or a higher level qualification in adult education. Karen provides a copy of her qualification and record of results for the TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training in order to demonstrate her training and assessment competencies and to demonstrate she also meets the assessor requirements as described in the TAE Training Package. Southern Training College Australia’s compliance officer conducts a verification check of Karen’s qualification (by contacting the RTO and confirming the qualification earned by Karen) and retains the verified copy. Evidence of TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training will satisfy the TAE training and assessment requirements of the Standards (clause 1.23).

Case study—Trainer and assessor qualifications

Southern Training College Australia delivers TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to its students.

Karen, the trainer and assessor nominated to deliver TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for the RTO, is required to demonstrate that she holds TAE50111 or TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training; TAE50211 or TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development; or a higher level qualification in adult education.

Karen provides a copy of her qualification and record of results for the TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training in order to demonstrate her training and assessment competencies and to demonstrate she also meets the assessor requirements as described in the TAE Training Package.

Southern Training College Australia’s compliance officer conducts a verification check of Karen’s qualification (by contacting the RTO and confirming the qualification earned by Karen) and retains the verified copy.

Evidence of TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training will satisfy the TAE training and assessment requirements of the Standards (clause 1.23).