The National VET Regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), has recently released a “Choosing a training or education provider Fact Sheet”, which includes a “Consumer Checklist” to guide potential students/consumers to make an informed decision.
The mentioned document explain the “…most important things to look for when choosing a training or education provider…” The main aspects listed in the consumer checklist are:
- confirm the training provider is a registered training organisation and has the course offered included into its scope of registration,
- confirm the training program leads to a national reccognised qualification,
- confirm the course meet the requirements of a eventual required industry license,
- confirm the training provider holds relevant industry bodies or associations memberships,
- confirm the training program learning outcomes,
- confirm online services, and
- read the enrolment agreement/contract.
The checklist has a set of parameters “find out the following”, including “tips” for each main aspect; and while the document is full of VET jargon, it will provide help to some specific audiences.
Specific aspects of the training such as: training resources samples or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), are not included in the checklist.
There is no procedure to “check/confirm” two of the main aspects of competency-based training, such as attending to individual needs (student-focused), or contextualisation to a specific industry area (workplace-specific).
It is a very interesting move from ASQA, as will position the Regulator in the middle of the training market, accountable to the most important stakeholder of the Vocational and Education Industry: the user/student.
I am sure ASQA will receive invaluable information and feedback from “consumers”, which could be use in regulating the system.
The Fact sheet—Choosing a training or education provider can be accessed here.
