by Matthew Dale | Oct 27, 2016 | ASQA, Audit Express, Best Practice, Funding Contract, Michaelia Cash, VET Policy, Youth Jobs PaTH
The Turnbull Government will invest $840.3 million into a Youth Employment Package.
This is a great opportunity for quality RTOs to support young Australians get into employment, with a responsive funding model that is outcomes focussed; While at the same time strengthening their RTO business by diversifying the offering of training programs. Also by the spreading financial risk of their organisation by increasing the streams of income, and not relying on one stream of income from other initiatives such VET Fee Help / VET Student Loans or State Funding Contract arrangements such as Skills First, Smart & Skilled or Certificate 3 Guarantee. [emaillocker id=6291]
Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash launched the Youth Jobs PaTH programme yesterday, and also opened the tender process. Senator Cash said that “The Government is determined to prevent our young people from entering a life of welfare dependency. Giving young Australians the skills they need is crucial in helping them find their way into a rewarding working life.”
For more information about the Youth Jobs PaTH programme visit:
http://www.employment.gov.au/employment-services-procurement-information
Or to apply go the AusTender page:
https://www.tenders.gov.au/?event=public.atm.show&ATMUUID=B610A3A3-A9EE-E6E7-DCE13BF7759CEB2B
[/emaillocker] If your RTO is interested in applying for the Youth Jobs PaTH programme and wants to discuss the application process or if you require any support with the Youth Jobs PaTH, get in touch with the team at Audit Express.
by Kevin Ekendhal | Sep 7, 2016 | Best Practice, Compliance Consulting, Funding Contract, Skills First, Uncategorized, Victorian Funding Contract, Victorian Training Guarantee
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Skills First: The Essentials
The Victorian Government has opened expressions of interest for the new VET Funding Contract Skills First: Real training for real jobs. The application process for a funding contract in 2017 has changed significantly, and the Department requires a more comprehensive and detailed application.
Audit Express is running a number of informative webinars for Registered Training Organisations who wish to apply for the 2017 Skills First contract.
Our first webinar is on Friday 9th September 2016 and is free. It will cover the essentials about the Skills First application process and attendees will also receive a free factsheet to assist them with finding the right documents and information to assist in the application process.
Our website will also have the latest information and updates on the Skills First contract and we encourage you to visit our website regularly.
Should your organisation require any assistance with the applicaiton process, please do not hesitate to contact us directly on 1300 73 55 41 [/vc_column_text][/emaillocker][/vc_column][vc_column el_styling=”softshadow”][vc_column_text css_animation=”left-to-right”]
Skills First – Application Process: The Essentials
FREE – 30 Minutes
This webinar will briefly explore all the essential elements of what is required for the application process for the 2017 Victorian Skills First funding contract.
The 2017 Funding Contract for Victoria has introduced a range of changes to the application process and requires Registered Training Organisations to provide more information on the type of contract they want to apply for, the number of students they intend to commence, how they propose to deliver their training programs and who will be delivering the training for them.
After this short 30 minute FREE webinar, participants will also receive a free fact sheet on the essential elements of the application process, and where to start.
- WHEN
Friday, 9 September 2016 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM (AEST)
COST
Free[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_styling=”softshadow”][vc_column_text css_animation=”left-to-right”]
Skills First – Application Process: Developing the Program Delivery Plan
Webinar – 1.5 Hours
The application process for the 2017 Skills First Contract in Victoria requires Registered Training Organisations to develop a Program Delivery Plan (PDP) and provide these details in the expression of interest.
Registered Training Organisations must ensure they provide clear and accurate details in the PDP which reflect quality provision of training and assessment which meet a number of criteria.
This webinar will go through the process of what information is required in the PDP, how to fill it out and take a best practice approach to designing Program Delivery Plans that accurately reflect your organisations Training and Assessment Strategies and practices.
- WHEN
Tuesday, 13 September 2016 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (AEST)
COST
$165
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Unpacking the Skills First Regional Jobs and Training Needs Reports
Webinar – 1 Hour
This webinar will explore the Jobs and Training Needs Reports which will provide vital information required in the application process for the Skills First expressions of interest.
Registered Training Organisations are required to demonstrate that they will be delivering training that meets industry skills needs and support government priorities. The Jobs and Training Needs Reports provide detailed information for each of the regions and this webinar will assist atendees with:
-Finding the right documents
-Understanding what data can be found
-How to apply the data in the application process
-Using the data to inform future business growth
Attendees will also receive a factsheet on the Jobs and Training Needs Reports.
- WHEN
Wednesday, 14 September 2016 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (AEST)
COST
$165[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
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by Matthew Dale | Aug 29, 2016 | Funding Contract, Registered Training Organisation, Skills First, TAFE, Victorian Funding Contract, Victorian Training Guarantee
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SKILLS FIRST | Real training for real jobs | Victoria’s new training system
Skills First | a new training system and funding model for Victoria.
The Victorian Minister has announced Skills First – a new training system and targeted funding model for Victoria in 2017.
What do we know so far?
The new system seems to be very focussed on [emaillocker id=6291] TAFE providers and boosting training and employment in regional Victoria. The new system prioritises courses that support Victoria’s growth sectors and are most likely to get people into high-skilled, well-paid work.
Under the Skills First system, the Victorian Government will continue to invest $1.2 billion annually in the training and workforce development of Victorians.
The system will be focussed on supporting quality training providers. It is expected that many training providers with a poor track record of funding contract compliance and student satisfaction will not receive a funding contract in 2017.
A six stage process was taken to define the funded courses list.
Application Process
- The Department have announced that the call for expression of interest (EOI) for a 2017 VET Funding Contract will open on 1 September 2016.
- The Department will run a series of information sessions across Melbourne and regional Victoria from 1-8 September 2016. The information sessions are already open for registration via SVTS.
- The call for expression of interest documentation and Draft 2017 VET Funding Contracts will be published on SVTS and the Department of Education and Training website on Tuesday 30 August 2016.
The information sessions are expected to provide a brief overview of the Skills First reforms to the VET system, explain the 2017 VET Funding Contract and outline the provider selection process.
The Department have advised training providers that CEOs, managing directors and operations managers are encouraged to attend these sessions. The Department have set a limit that a maximum of 3 representatives can attend the information session per training provider.
2017 Funded Course List
The Department have already released the 2017 Funded Course List.
There are 500 less courses on the 2017 list than in 2016, however it is noted that a number of the courses removed are superseded qualifications.
The courses are still to be subsidised per nominal hour, and the Department have defined four Delivery Characteristics that will be used to determine whether funding is available for a particular delivery mode(s), and the amount of funding that will be available per nominal hour for each delivery mode(s).
The four Delivery Characteristics are:
- Non Apprenticeship/Traineeship
- Traineeship
- Apprenticeship
- Apprenticeship Only (AO); or Traineeship Only (TO)
A number of courses have been determined as High Risk. It is expected that training providers delivering courses that the department have determined as high risk will be more scrutinised.
A number of courses that link to the Victorian Governments objectives and growth sectors have been determined as High Value Traineeships. It seems that the delivery of high value traineeships will be funded at a higher rate per nominal hour as an incentive to attract more training to be delivered in these target courses.
The updated course list has 500 less funded courses than the 2016 funded courses list. That is a 30% cut to the total number of funded courses.
Is this good or bad for your RTO or TAFE?
We will not know what the 2017 contract means for Victorian training providers until we review the 2017 draft contract, eligibility criteria, fee guidelines and detailed application process when they are released via SVTS on 30/08/2016. The devil is always in the detail.
We are eagerly waiting to see the draft 2017 contract and eligibility criteria that will tell us which training providers are eligible for a 2017 contract.
Want to apply for a Victorian Funding Contract for 2017?
If you are wanting to apply for a Victorian Skills First funding contract for your RTO you will first need to register for an SVTS profile. You may also like to refer to the guide to accessing SVTS.
If you have any questions or would like assistance preparing your application for a 2017 Funding Contract contact Audit Express on 1300 73 55 41. [/emaillocker][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
by Matthew Dale | Aug 23, 2016 | ASQA, Audit Express, Funding Contract, Registered Training Organisation, Uncategorized, Victorian Training Guarantee, VRQA
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]ASQA have announced their strengthened communication protocols with the Victorian Department, Higher Education and Skills Group (HESG) that were signed off earlier this year by the Victorian State Minister for Training and Skills and the Commonwealth Minister for Vocational Education and Skills. The new protocols will see ASQA and the Victorian Department work closely together to target poor quality training providers. [emaillocker id=6291]
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that have funding contracts across multiple states should already be aware that it is not only the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) that maintains a close relationship with ASQA. The Departments of Education and Training from all States and Territories hold a memorandum of understanding to maintain close communication with each other, and also with the regulator(s) – including ASQA, VRQA and TAC.
Essentially the new protocols mean that ASQA and the Victorian Department (HESG) will continue to maintain closer contact and work together to identify and respond to poor quality training providers, whilst also strengthening information sharing between the two agencies. ASQA and the Victorian DET are also expected to establish joint working groups and a taskforce. The team at Audit Express will be watching this closely and suspect that other states may follow the lead taken by the Victorian government. For more detail click here to see the full ASQA factsheet.
If your RTO has recently undergone a VTG Quality Review, VTG Business Process Audit, or VTG Transactional Audit; it is almost certain that both your RTO regulator and any other state departments that you hold a funding contract with will also have been informed, and that they may also be looking into your RTOs compliance.
Receiving a negative outcome at audit for either RTO registration compliance, or for RTO funding contract compliance is a serious issue and should be taken seriously.
If you require assistance responding to an audit report, or need help with a post audit rectification project contact the experts at Audit Express today. [/emaillocker][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
by Matthew Dale | May 17, 2016 | ACPET, ASQA, Audit Express, Best Practice, Funding Contract, Registered Training Organisation, Senator Scott Ryan, VET Fee Help
We want your feedback on the Redesigning VET FEE-HELP Discussion Paper.
The team at Audit Express commend the hard work Minister Scott Ryan has put into his VET FEE-HELP Review, and the re-designing VET FEE-HELP discussion paper. [emaillocker id=6291]
At Audit Express we value the feedback and input of our clients and stakeholders, which is why we have set up a survey for you to provide your response and feedback to the discussion questions included in the Ministers re-designing VET FEE-HELP discussion paper. There are a total of 35 questions, we estimate this should take around an hour to complete in full. If you are short on time, or if there are only a few points you wish to put forward, you do not need to provide a response to all questions. All feedback and comments are important to us. We will be sure to take your feedback into account when preparing our response to the Ministers discussion paper, which we will also share with you.
You can complete our survey either on the form below, or by clicking on the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S5FT7F8
If you would like a copy of your completed survey to use in preparing your own response for the Minister, please get in touch with one of our team members who will be happy to email you a pdf copy of your completed survey.
Thank you for your time and if you wish to discuss the 2017 VET FEE-HELP re-design please get in touch with one of our consultants by calling 1300 73 55 41.
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by Matthew Dale | Sep 20, 2015 | Audit Express, Best Practice, Funding Contract, Internal Auditing, Registered Training Organisation, Victorian Training Guarantee, VRQA
Registered training organisations (RTOs) with Victorian VET Funding Contracts should brace themselves for the pending changes to the Victorian VET funding model.
Training providers that hold a current Victorian VET Funding Contract, (also referred to Victorian Training Guarantee or VTG) are expected to have new conditions imposed on them tomorrow (21/09/2015). The much tighter restrictions and contractual obligations are expected to be in-line with the recent Victorian VET Funding Review that was led by Bruce Mackenzie. Nineteen recommendations were made, all of which are expected to be fully implemented by the government. Other changes also include: [emaillocker id=6291]
- Strengthening the department’s ability to conduct face-to-face reviews and investigate students’ complaints.
- Launching an education campaign to help students make more informed choices about courses.
- Lifting the quality of trainers and assessors by creating a list of approved providers.
The contract changes come at a significant time, with expressions of interest for RTOs wanting to obtain a Victorian government 2016 VET funding contract opening tomorrow (21/09/2015).
For the RTOs holding current funding contract, the time to
comply and demonstrate
best practice is now! With the (2015) funding contracts for about 174 RTOs will expire at the end of this year, and more than 400 other RTOs (2014-2016) 3-year funding contracts will expire at the end of 2016. Make no mistake, the
Minister Steve Herbert has every intention of not renewing the contracts of sub-standard training providers.
If you require assistance with understanding and implementing changes to your RTOs Victorian VET Funding Contract please contact
AuditExpress on
1300735541[/emaillocker]
