Funding Contract Compliance and Audit Readiness.

If your Registered Training Organisation (RTO) delivers training with access to government funding, ask yourself the following two important questions:

1) Is your RTO compliant with the requirements for each of its funding contract(s) ?
2) Is your RTO audit ready ?

With government funding for the VET Sector receiving recent significant media attention in relation to poor quality training providers, low completion rates and concerns around the practices of some RTOs using the VET Fee Help scheme, the time to check your RTOs contract compliance is now! [emaillocker id=6291]

See the following articles:

• http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/audit-flagged-for-vfh/story-e6frgcjx-1227178735160
• http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/concern-as-online-vet-course-completion-drops-enrolments-rise-20150116-12r4tx.html

Far too often RTOs reach out for help with compliance only days or weeks before they are due to receive an audit from the regulator or the relevant government department. This leaves little time to conduct an internal audit and even less time to take action on addressing any non-compliances. We see the best outcomes at audit when an RTO has a systematic approach to conducting regular internal audits across its entire operation.

With government funding contracts available across all states and territories it can be difficult for RTOs to keep up to date with the maze of compliance requirements, here are just a few examples of government funding that RTOs can now access across Australia:

VIC – Victorian Training Guarantee (VTG)

NSW – Smart and Skilled

SA – Skills for All

WA – Future Skills Fund

QLD – Certificate 3 Guarantee & User Choice

TAS – Skills Fund & User Choice

ACT – Skilled Capital, PSP & PPP

NT – User Choice & multiple state funding contracts

VET Fee Help

Industry Skills Fund

If your RTO is delivering training with access to government funding and wants to take a best practice approach to its management and operation, you should be conducting an internal audit of your RTOs compliance in-line with the contractual requirements of each government funding contract at least every 12 months.

It is always best to take an holistic approach to conducting internal audits, whereby you systematically review your RTOs policies, procedures, business processes, records, student management system, student files and staff files. Following the audit you should identify any gaps, areas for improvement, strengths and non-compliances. Also, be sure to build an action plan to document any rectification work that may need to be carried out to achieve full compliance.