1. Australia's VET system

Explain your understanding of Australia's VET system by answering these questions.

a. VET is industry-aligned. Describe one (1) example of what this means in practice.

b. VET is nationally focussed. Describe one (1) example of what this means in practice.

c. Questions about competency standards and the use of C/NYC and S/NYS Select () the correct ending for each statement below, then explain your responses.

i. Competency standards list the standard of performance as defined by:

the RTO

industry.

Explain one (1) reason for your response:

ii. When recording a candidate's result for one (1) of several tasks required for a unit of competency, assessors should use the terms:

Satisfactory (S) or not yet satisfactory (NYS)

Competent (C) or not yet competent (NYC)

Explain one (1) reason for your response:

iii. When recording a candidate's result for a unit of competency, assessors should use the terms:

Satisfactory (S) or not yet satisfactory (NYS)

Competent (C) or not yet competent (NYC)

Explain one (1) reason for your response:

d. Assessment in VET is criteria-referenced, not norm-referenced.

i. Compare criteria-referenced assessment with norm-referenced assessment.

ii. Describe one (1) benefit of using criteria-referenced assessment in VET.

e. In Australia's VET system, assessment candidates may be deemed competent or not yet competent. List 2 reasons why a candidate may be deemed not yet competent.

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f. The notion of competency includes the Dimensions of Competency. Use the spaces below to:

name the 4 Dimensions of Competency

explain what each Dimension means.

Guidance:Your responses must show that you understand each Dimensionto do this, either explain the meaning of each Dimension in your own words, or quote a published definition of each Dimension, then provide an example of each to show that you understand the definition.

	Dimension	What this Dimension means
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2
3
4

Q1 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

2. VET frameworks

All parts of this question cover VET frameworks and requirements that impact trainers and assessors.

a. Questions about the VET Quality Framework:

i. Access the VET Quality Framework online. In the space below, copy and paste the link from which you access it.

ii. Name the 5 documents that make up the VET Quality Framework.

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2
3
4
5

iii. Describe the purpose of the VET Quality Framework in Australia's VET sector.

b. Questions about the AQF:

i. Access the AQF online. In the space below, copy and paste the link from which you access it.

ii. Explain what the AQF is.

iii. Describe the purpose of the AQF in Australia's VET sector.

iv. Name the 3 educational sectors covered in the AQF.

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2
3

v. How many levels of qualification in total does the AQF cover?

Guidance:Simply type the correct number of qualification levels contained in the AQF.

vi. Compare the outcomes of an AQF level 3 qualification with those of a level 5 qualificationdocument your outcomes using the table below.

Guidance:Identify at least 3 differences in outcomes between AQF Level 3 and AQF Level 5 qualifications.

AQF Level 3 qualification	AQF Level 5 qualification

vii. Describe one (1) reason trainers and assessors should understand the AQF.

c. Questions about the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (SRTOs):

i. Access the latest version of the SRTOs online. In the space below, copy and paste the link from which you access these standards.

ii. Explain what the SRTOs are.

iii. Describe the purpose of the SRTOs in Australia's VET system.

iv. For each item listed below:

first, outline what the SRTOs say about the item

then, describe at least one (1) implication of this item for trainers and assessors.

Guidance:

Use the Users' Guide to the Standards for RTOs (on the ASQA website) to help you interpret the SRTOs.

Each response should be at least one (1) short paragraph and reference at least one (1) SRTO clause. Use the sample response provided to guide you.

You must provide different responses for each item asked about.

	What the SRTOs say	One (1) implication
(sample response) Validation	SRTO 1.9 requires RTOs to set up and implement a systematic validation plan that outlines when to validate, what to validate, who will lead the validation and how the validation outcomes will be used.	Trainers and assessors may be asked to participate in the RTO's validations of assessment processes and tools that they use.
Training and assessment
Vocational learner support
Qualifications that trainers and assessors must hold
Requirements for trainers and assessors to stay up to date with skill and knowledge in: training and assessment practices industry VET.
Working under supervisionwhat does it mean and when is it necessary?

Q2 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

3. VET stakeholders

Answer the questions below about the key VET organisations listed.

a. DEWR

What does DEWR stand for?
Outline DEWR's roles and responsibilities in Australia's VET system.

b. Describe one (1) example of how State and Territory governments contribute to Australia's VET system.

c. JSA

What does JSA stand for?
Outline JSA's roles and responsibilities in Australia's VET system.

d. ASQA or STAs

What does ASQA stand for?
What does STA stand for?
Outline the roles and responsibilities of ASQA (or STAs) in Australia's VET system.
Which is responsible for your RTO or stateASQA or an STA?

e. JSCs

What does JSC stand for?
There are several JSCs in Australiaoutline the roles and responsibilities of a JSC.

Q3 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

Questions about working in VET roles and responsibilities

Questions in this section assess your understanding of your roles and responsibilities as a trainer and assessor working for a registered training organisation (RTO).

4. VET practitioner roles

Being a trainer and assessor is one of many different roles that VET practitioners may have. Other than trainer or assessor, describe 2 other roles that you may undertake as a practitioner in Australia's VET system:

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Q4 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

5. Understanding your role as a trainer and assessor

Popwater Training is a simulated RTO, created to help you complete this assessment.

First, read Popwater Training's General Duty Statement for trainers and assessors (below), then answer the questions that follow.

a. Based on the above duty statement, list 2 questions you would ask to clarify your duties and responsibilities as a trainer and assessor for Popwater Training:

Question 1
Question 2

b. You have a right to an induction when you are hired as a new trainer and assessor answer these questions about induction:

What is an induction in this context?
Describe one (1) benefit of a quality induction.

Q5 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

6. Organisational policies and procedures

Context for this question

Below are some legal and ethical requirements that underpin how RTOs must operate. Quality RTOs establish organisational policies and procedures that address these requirements. Trainers and assessors have a responsibility to follow these policies and procedures when carrying out their duties.

Below are:

first, some examples of typical extracts of RTO policies and procedures that affect trainers and assessors

then, below the examples, is a table listing the legal and ethical requirements that must underpin RTO operations.

What to do

Match each example policy or procedure with the legal and ethical requirement that the example best addresses. To do this, type the number that corresponds with the example in the table row beside the legal and ethical requirement at the example best addresses.

Guidance:

Use the sample response provided to guide you.

Use each example once.

Examples: Extracts of RTO policies and procedures

01 Third party material may only be used with written permission or licence from the copyright owner.	02 Before a review of facilitation performance, trainers must complete a self-reflection.	03 Assessors must ensure that learners are informed of their right to appeal assessment decisions.
04 The RTO must ensure all learners can access the training venue and learning materials.	05 Trainers must provide emergency evacuation and other WHS information at the start of each training session.	06 Trainers must ensure that appropriate support is provided to all learners.
07 The RTO must provide regular opportunities for staff to enhance cultural and social awareness.	08 All information provided to consumers about training products and services must be factual and quality controlled.	09 Trainers must complete a Working-with-Children check before training anyone under 18 years of age.
10 RTO staff must not access or read learner records except in the course of work duties.	11 Each year, trainers must undertake professional development equivalent to 30 points.	12 Trainers must rectify any non-compliant findings in their personal practice that are identified in an internal quality audit.
13 Trainers must identify and report any potential conflicts of interest that may impact their ability to treat a learner fairly and with impartiality.	14 Learning records must be scanned and loaded into each leaner's electronic file. The hard copy is then shredded.	15 If a trainer is unable to facilitate a training session, they must inform the RTO immediately.

Legal and ethical requirement	Best matching example
Sample response: Access and equity	04
a. Code of conduct
b. Workplace health and safety (WHS)
c. Duty of care
d. Risk mitigation
e. Child safe standards
f. Continuous improvement
g. Records management
h. Professional development
i. Copyright and plagiarism
j. Internal quality audits
k. Diversity and inclusion
l. Privacy and confidentiality
m. Anti-discrimination
n. Consumer protection requirements

Q6 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

7. Opportunities to increase VET knowledge

Research and access two (2) opportunities to increase your knowledge of the VET compliance frameworks and quality improvement processes.

Guidance:

VET compliance frameworks include the Standards for RTOs or another appropriate framework.

Opportunities may include sources of current and relevant online information, a relevant workshop, webinar, conference, networking event, coach, mentor or experienced colleague, a book or other appropriate source.

You must identify and access specific examples of opportunitiese.g. you cannot say that you would go to the ASQA website; instead, you must source specific information on the ASQA website that would be useful to you and provide a link to this information.

Opportunity 1

Name the opportunityprovide relevant links, if applicable.

Describe how this opportunity will help you increase your knowledge of the VET compliance frameworks or quality improvement processes.

Opportunity 2

Name the opportunityprovide relevant links, if applicable.

Describe how this opportunity will help you increase your knowledge of the VET compliance frameworks or quality improvement processes.

Q7 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

Questions about working effectively with vocational learners

Questions in this section assess your understanding of requirements and practices for delivery of quality training and assessment services that address diverse learner needs.

8. Inclusive work practices

Identify 2 principles for diversity and inclusivity and provide one (1) example of how you could address each principle in your practice as a trainer and assessor.

Principle 1

State the principle
Describe one (1) example of how you could practice this principle when providing training or assessment on behalf of an RTO.

Principle 2

State the principle
Describe one (1) example of how you could practice this principle when providing training or assessment on behalf of an RTO.

Q8 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

9. Learner cohorts and needs

Below are some examples of different learner cohorts who may engage in vocational education and training.For each cohort:

describe one (1) expectation they may have in relation to the training

describe one (1) need that learners in this cohort may have

Guidance: Use the sample response provided to guide you.

Expectations may relate to:

- assumptions about the training

- when and where training occurs

- training duration or delivery mode

- how the training may be contextualised (tailored) for their industry

- past experiences in training or education

- another relevant factor.

Needs may relate to cultural needs, foundation skill needs (including digital skills), technology needs, wraparound support needs, resource needs or other needs.

	Expectation	Need
High school leavers hoping to enter the workforce.	They might expect vocational training to be run in a similar way to a school classroom.	Learners may need help learning how to learn in a VET contextthis includes understanding responsibilities as an adult learner and understanding how learners are assessed in VET.
Retrenched workers with 25+ years in industry, needing to re-train for a new industry.
Full time employees who are members of a union and enrolled in vocational training for compliance reasons.
Single parent wanting to undertake vocational training to improve career prospects.

Q09 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

10. Foundation skills

Name 2 authorised Australian foundation skills frameworks that trainers and assessors may use to analyse and address foundation skill requirements and needs.

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Q10 Result (assessor to complete): Satisfactory Not yet satisfactory

11. Processes to identify and address individual learner needs

Popwater Training is a simulated RTO, created to help you complete this assessment.

First, read this abridged version of Popwater Training's procedure for identifying and addressing learner needs (below), then answer the questions that follow.

a. Outline one (1) strength and one (1) weakness of using the strategies listed below to identify learner needs.

Strategy	Strength	Weakness
i. Use responses provided on the enrolment form to identify needs.
ii.Administer a formal LLND assessment before training begins.
iii.Trainer introduces a warm-up activity at the start of training to gather information about learner needs.

b. Read the scenarios below then answer the questions asked about each scenario.

Guidance: Use this sample response to guide you: It is two days before the start of a new program and the Course Coordinator has not sent any information about the learner group to the trainer. The trainer decides that the Course Coordinator must be busy so does not follow up.

Are the trainer's actions compliant with the procedure? yes no

Why or why not?

The procedure states that the Course Coordinator must send the trainer relevant learner information before every program, so not following up with the Course Coordinator is a breach of the procedure.

i. Scenario 1 The trainer has come to Popwater Training's offices to review pre-training LLN assessment results for a group of learners attending an upcoming funded program. For ease of reference the trainer prints the assessment results. The trainer quickly pops out for lunch, leaving the assessment results on their desk.

Are the trainer's actions compliant with the procedure? yes no

Why or why not?

ii. Scenario 2 The Course Coordinator emails the trainer with names of the learners for an upcoming program. In the email, the Course Coordinator tells the trainer that enrolment forms did not reveal any learner needs that required attention before training. The trainer thanks the Course Coordinator, then prepares a warm-up activity they will use in the first session to introduce the program and identify learner expectations and needs. The trainer does not email the Course Coordinator to tell them about the warm-up activity they have planned.

Are the trainer's actions compliant with the procedure? yes no

Why or why not?

iii. Scenario 3 A client organisation has engaged Popwater Training to deliver training to a group of their employees. The training is not funded. The program is delivered live, online from 9:00am to 12:00noon on 2 consecutive days. The trainer meets with the learners' supervisor to discuss the program. The supervisor explains that learners feel more comfortable with in-person training and asks if the program can be delivered in-person and over one full day, as learners must travel up to 2 hours one-way to get to the venue.The trainer says this modification would be fine because it addresses learner needs without compromising program quality.

Is the trainer's response compliant with the procedure? yes no

Why or why not?