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There are 500 less courses on the 2017 list than in 2016, however it is noted that a number of the courses removed are superseded qualifications.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 | 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
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by Matthew Dale | Jul 7, 2015 | ACPET, ASQA, Best Practice, Certificate 3 Guarantee, Funding Contract, Future Skills Fund, Industry Skills Fund, Internal Auditing, Marketing, Registered Training Organisation, Skilled Capital, Skills for All, Skills Fund, Smart and Skilled, Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, User Choice, VET Fee Help, Victorian Training Guarantee, VRQA
Future Proofing Your Business [emaillocker id=6291]
Audit Express have partnered with Circulus Education to deliver the October VET Industry Drinks: Future Proofing Your Business
Times are changing in the VET sector. We are facing a major shift in the overall structure, regulation and funding of the VET sector. Attend our event on the 14th of October to learn more about future proofing your business.
You can register to attend here >>>
http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/oct-vet-industry-drinks-future-proofing-your-business-tickets-16307689739
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![AuditExpress present on ‘Compliance with Marketing in VET’.]()
by Matthew Dale | May 26, 2015 | ASQA, Audit Express, Best Practice, Certificate 3 Guarantee, Funding Contract, Future Skills Fund, Industry Skills Fund, Marketing, Registered Training Organisation, Skilled Capital, Skills for All, Skills Fund, Smart and Skilled, Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, VET Fee Help, Victorian Training Guarantee, VRQA
AuditExpress present at Circulus & Fairfax Media Networking Event on ‘Compliance with Marketing in VET’.
Audit Express Director Matthew Dale presents at Circulus and Fairfax Media VET Networking Event.
Director of AuditExpress, Matthew Dale presented at Circulus Education & Farifax Media VET Networking Event held last night in Melbourne. [emaillocker id=6291]
A massive thanks to the teams at both Circulus and Fairfax Media for organising such a great event, with close to 150 guests turning out to network and discuss improving overall quality and compliance in the Australian VET Sector.
In case you missed the event or did not get the chance to take down any notes, here are the key messages from Matthew’s presentation on how you might comply with with marketing requirements for RTOs.
1. Know your standards
- Take the time to sit down and work through your RTO Standards and Funding Contracts or Agreements
- Identify the marketing requirements from document and make it standard practice to understand how it all fits in place with your RTO
Know the standards and contracts relevant to your RTO. Understand the marketing requirements of each standard and funding contract
2. Take a systematic approach to marketing
- Implement an approval process for marketing in your RTO
- You might like to use a one page approval form to record the staff that have proof read draft marketing material and checked for compliance
- Use a marketing checklist to verify that draft marketing material meets your RTOs compliance requirements
- Maintain a marketing register to record all advertising and marketing in your RTO. I recommend recording everything… even your RTOs social media updates
How to comply with marketing requirements.
3. Become an RTO known for implementing best practice
- Ensure that your RTOs approach to marketing is structured and well documented.
- Implement an internal approval process
- Maintain a marketing register
- Develop a social media strategy
- Consider what digital compliance means to your RTO
Take a Best practice approach to marketing in VET.
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