3 takeaways from the 2019 ASQA briefing
Each year ASQA holds trainer provider briefings involving commissioners and audit staff to allow discussion between ASQA and VET stakeholders. This year marked the first briefing since the changes to the process of applying for initial registration. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Most applications fail
Of the 97 applications for initial registration made between 1 July 2018 and 31 March 2019, only 33 have been approved. That’s a 34% success rate. Clearly ASQA wasn’t grandstanding when it said the process of applying for initial registration was becoming tougher. The compliance required of RTOs from the get-go is at record levels, meaning RTO managers must have a strong compliance strategy in place.
2. ASQA is tough to beat in court
You have a 2.5% chance of having an ASQA decision ‘set aside’ or ‘varied’ in a court or tribunal. If you decide to take on ASQA, you better be confident in your claim. The statistics show most applications to appeal an ASQA decision are resolved between the applicant and ASQA, but when the appeals do go to court, RTOs rarely win.
3. Your TAS is key
They might sound like a broken record, but ASQA reaffirmed the importance of having a compliant Training and Assessment Strategy. Some of the key issues involve training that is too short in duration or does not meet the requirements of the relevant training package. Other common compliance issues included validation and trainers and assessors.
Conclusion
We were happy to hear that ASQA has turned up the heat on low-quality training providers, as Australia needs a strong VET industry moving forward. If you have further questions regarding the briefings or your RTO’s compliance, can feel free to get in touch.