RTOs and the Australian Quality Training Framework

 

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)

RTOs are providers and assessors of nationally recognised training.  Only RTOs can issue nationally recognised qualifications.  RTOs include TAFE colleges and institutes, adult and community education providers, private providers, community organisations, schools, higher education institutions, commercial and enterprise training providers, industry bodies, and other organisations that meet registration requirements.

Training organisations must be registered to provide nationally recognised training with the relevant state or territory registration authority.  In order to become registered, training providers must meet the AQTF 2010 standards.  This ensures the quality of VET services throughout Australia.

To ensure an RTO continues to delivery quality training or assessment, its registration must be renewed with the relevant state or territory registering authority at least every five years.  The registering authority can audit the RTO at any time during its period of registration.

All registered training organisations are entered into the National Training Information Service (NTIS) database where their details and scope of registration are listed (ie qualifications they are registered to deliver).

 

Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)

The AQTF is the national set of standards which assures nationally consistent, high-quality training and assessment services for clients of the VET system in Australia.  Clients can include employers, employees and other learners such as school students and job seekers.  The new Essential Conditions and Standards for Initial Registration and Continuing Registration of Training Organisations have been approved by the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) and came into effect on 1 July 2010.

The three parts of the AQTF are:

1.         The Essential Standards for Registration

Training organisations must meet these standards in order to deliver and assess nationally recognised training and issue nationally recognised qualifications.  They include three standards, a requirement for RTOs to gather information on their performance against three quality indicators, and nine conditions of registration.

2.         Standards for State and Territory Registering Bodies

State and territory registering bodies are responsible for registering training organisations and for quality assuring the training and assessment services they provide, in accordance with the AQTF 2010 and relevant legislation within each jurisdiction.  The standards and supporting guidelines provide a national operating framework.

3.         The voluntary Excellence Criteria

The Excellence Criteria focus on encouraging and recognising overall high performance in training providers.  They build upon many of the aspects of the Essential Standards for Registration, including high quality learning and assessment, client focus, and engagement of industry and communities.  Source: training.com.au website viewed  at www.training.com.au    

A number of publicationsare available to assist RTOs to understand and comply with the AQTF including:

• AQTF Essential Conditions and Standards for Continuing Registration  (this document contains the AQTF requirements for continuing registration for RTOs) plus Users Guide
• AQTF Essential Conditions and Standards for Initial Registration  (this document contains the AQTF requirements for initial registration for organisations seeking to become an RTO) plus Users Guide

For details on the AQTF and the standards for RTOs, as well as links to these and other publications, visit the website www.training.com.au