(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) is committed to ensuring qualified and skilled VET Trainers and Assessors train and assess VET Training Products. The qualifications and competence of VET Trainers and Assessors directly impact the quality of the delivery. (2) The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 mandate specific requirements regarding trainer and/or assessor credentials, vocational competence, and currency. The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 must be consulted for the latest trainer and/or assessor credential requirements. (3) This procedure outlines the University’s approach to: (4) This procedure applies to VET trainers and/or assessors, regardless of employment category, who deliver accredited VET Training Products on the University’s Scope of Registration, including (5) When delivering and/or assessing non-accredited training products, the suitability and calibre of the VET Trainer should be confirmed by the relevant Team Leader and TAFE Quality. (6) To help maintain the integrity of credentials issued by CDU, the following restrictions and requirements are mandatory for CDU staff, in addition to the current moratorium on staff RPL as per the VET Recognition Procedure: (7) Training and assessment at CDU can only be undertaken by VET Trainers and Assessors who have: (8) A qualification in adult education can be evidenced by the academic transcript or record of results for the higher-level qualification. (9) The Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) maps higher-level qualification curricula to determine the suitability of a specific adult education qualification. Should a VET Trainer and Assessor provide a credential not already included on the list, CDU may petition ACDEVEG to undertake the mapping on the VET Trainer and Assessor's behalf. The request must be made by the Manager VET Workforce Capability, a TAFE Quality Manager, or the Senior Regulatory Specialist - VET. (10) The approved higher-level qualifications are listed in the Curriculum Management System (CMS) in the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix template. The CMS systems team maintains the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix template and should be notified by the requestor when new credentials are mapped and approved to meet the above clause. (11) Where a staff member only conducts assessment (VET Assessor), they must hold the VET Trainer and Assessor credentials listed above, or they may hold only a credential listed in Item 5 of Schedule 1. (12) Where a VET staff member delivers training and assessment but only holds a credential listed in Item 5, they must be under a supervision plan for their delivery of training, as detailed in the Trainers under Supervision section of this procedure. (13) VET Assessors must also hold the following skills, knowledge, and attributes: (14) Assessor-only staff must be inducted into CDU systems, processes, and values. VET students must be aware of who their assessors are. (15) To be eligible to be a Trainer under Supervision (TUS), the staff member must: (16) Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, an individual is actively working towards a training and assessment credential if they are enrolled in, have commenced, and are making satisfactory progress toward completing the credential within two years of commencement. CDU reserves the right to require staff under supervision to complete their training and assessment credential within a shorter time frame as part of their probationary agreement. (17) Trainers under supervision must also comply with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, as any VET Trainer and/or Assessor must. (18) Prior written approval from the relevant Pro Vice-Chancellor is required to appoint VET Trainers under supervision. (19) The Deputy Chief Executives of CDU TAFE, the Director of the CDU Academy of the Arts, and the Dean of Nursing and Midwifery are accountable for ensuring that approved staff who do not hold the required VET Trainer and Assessor credentials only deliver training under supervision and that a VET Lecturer Supervision Plan is completed. Supervisors of trainers under supervision must monitor and be accountable for all training provided by the TUS and any contribution the TUS makes to assessment evidence collection. (20) Trainers under supervision must not determine assessment outcomes. (21) Team Leaders who employ a TUS must plan, implement, manage, and finalise the TUS lifecycle. Planning includes the following activities: (22) Supervisors must be experienced as VET Trainers and Assessors. Should the supervisor also need to act as the assessor for the students that the TUS works with, the supervisor must be able to matrix the units for the purposes of assessment. (23) A supervisor may supervise a maximum of two (2)TUS at once. Supervisors and TUS should be based at the same campus, but if not practicable: (24) Supervision must be tailored to the TUS, who may fall into one of the following categories: (25) TUS can be enrolled in the TAE qualification at CDU or at an external RTO. (26) The supervision plan is reviewed by the team leader as part of the (27) Support for the team leader, the supervisor and the TUS is available from the Manager VET Workforce Capability, and information is available on the Teaching and Learning Connect VET Trainers and Assessors SharePoint site. (28) There are three implementation phases to the TUS lifecycle plan: (29) Direct supervision of training should include a combination of the following: (30) A minimum of three (3) supervision meetings per six-month period per Training Product duration is required and should cover a range of activities. (31) Any amendments to the supervision plan must be documented in the VET Lecturer Supervision Plan and the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the CMS. (32) Once the TAE credential listed in Item 2 of Schedule 1 has been attained by the TUS, the VET Lecturer Supervision Plan can be finalised: (33) The Manager VET Workforce Capability audits TUS by performing periodical checks, at least at the beginning of each teaching period: (34) VET Trainers and Assessors who deliver any AQF qualification or skill set from the Training and Education Training Package (or its successor) other than those listed in Item 2 of Schedule 1 are not required to hold a TAE qualification higher than is listed in Item 2. (35) VET Trainers and Assessors who deliver the training and assessment credentials specified in Item 2 of Schedule 1, and/or the Assessor Skill Set and/or the Teacher Enhancement Skill Set from the Training and Education Training Package (or its successor), must hold a higher training and assessment credential as specified in Item 7 of Schedule 1. (36) Trainers under supervision towards delivering the Certificate IV TAE qualifications listed in Item 2 must: (37) An industry expert that has relevant specialised industry or subject matter expertise can be engaged by CDU to: (38) Industry experts do not act alone but work alongside the trainer and/or assessor; the students must understand clearly who their credentialed trainer and/or assessor is. (39) Industry experts must have relevant vocational competencies and current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided. (40) Evidence provided by the industry expert towards competency evidence is defined as supplementary evidence. (41) Industry experts who do not hold credentials listed in Schedule 1 are not eligible to be a TUS and must not conduct assessments. (42) Where an industry expert supports delivery and/or assessment, their involvement must be described in the training product's Training and Assessment Strategy (TAS). (43) Industry experts may also contribute to formal co-assessment where they are involved in conducting assessment and making the assessment judgement with a VET Trainer and Assessor. Co-assessment is typically done by the workplace supervisor when direct observation by the assessor is not permitted or practical due to legal, regulatory, privacy or safety reasons. (44) The industry co-assessor must have the relevant vocational competencies and the current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided but is not required to have the appropriate training and assessor competencies. (45) When co-assessment is implemented, the arrangement must describe each party’s relevant roles and responsibilities. The arrangement must be described in the TAS. (46) The CDU co-assessor must still fully meet the VET Trainer and Assessor credential requirements of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 themselves. Having a co-assessment arrangement does not exempt the CDU VET Trainer and Assessor from having the vocational competencies at least to the AQF level being delivered and assessed and the current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment. The CDU Co-Assessor must also include the units they are co-assessor for in their VET Lecturer Qualification and Experience Matrix Form (Third Party) and Professional Development (PD) Record form (Third Party). (47) The judgement about whether competency has been achieved is contributed by both parties together, but the final assessment judgement rests with the CDU assessor. Thus, co-assessment does not constitute a third-party arrangement. (48) Vocational competency means that the trainer and/or assessor are familiar with the content of the vocation and have current experience in the industry relevant to the training product and its AQF level. Vocational competencies must be considered on an industry-by-industry basis and with reference to the guidance provided in the assessment requirements of the relevant Training Package. The trainer and/or assessor must be competent to carry out skilled activities to an industry standard using the materials, tools, and concepts inherent to their industry. This applies to, but is not limited to, ongoing, contract, casual and third-party VET Trainers and Assessors. (49) There is no set amount of time-based experience that each trainer and/or assessor must have completed to comply with the vocational competency requirements; however, they must have sufficient industry-based experience to develop: (50) Demonstration of vocational competence is achieved by: (51) The Team Leader must verify the VET Trainer and Assessor's competency by retaining a certified copy and through the referee process that validates the work history of the VET Trainer and Assessor. (52) A relevant industry expert can assist with determining a VET Trainer and Assessors' competency. (53) The mapping exercise must be documented in the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the Curriculum Management System (CMS) for University employees or on the provided University template for third-party or contract VET Trainers and Assessors (VET Lecturer Qualification and Experience Matrix Form (Third Party) and Professional Development (PD) Record form (Third Party)). (54) The VET Trainer and Assessor or other authorised staff member must upload certified evidence demonstrating compliance onto the Staff Skills Register. (55) Current industry skills are the knowledge, skills and experience required by VET Trainers and Assessors and TUS to ensure that their training and assessment are based on current industry practices and meet the needs of the industry. The current industry skills must be: (56) Current industry skills may be informed by consultations with industry and may include, but are not limited to: (57) VET Trainers and Assessors must keep up to date with industry requirements. They must demonstrate how they have maintained, upgraded, or developed new skills relevant to the current industry needs. Currency may be maintained through a combination of the following activities: (58) The time-based measurement of industry currency varies by discipline and industry area. What constitutes current skills, knowledge, and attributes depends on the industry area and the tasks within the industry area in which they are found. For example, how a hand tool is used may not have changed for decades, so the currency is very long, or the conception of computer software like Word is more recent. A new technique within a job role may be very recent, such as cooking with a sous vide machine or infection control since COVID so the currency must match. (59) Staff may identify their currency through a combination of means such as: (60) Some Training Packages or unit assessment conditions specify the type of industry experience deemed current and appropriate and a minimum duration for that experience; for example, most RII units require a minimum number of years by industry sectors and the AQF level for delivery. Where these requirements are present, trainers and/or assessors must meet the requirements specified. (61) Holding a higher education qualification in the same field as the VET qualification that the trainer and/or assessor provides does not automatically meet lecturer competency and currency requirements. Staff who hold qualifications at AQF level 6 or above are not more qualified than AQF level 5 or below; they are differently qualified with different job role and scope of responsibility outcomes in the workplace. Staff with higher education qualifications must provide evidence of industry competency and currency for the units of competency in which they train and/or assess. (62) Evidence of activities relating to industry currency must be documented and include dates, methods, and outcomes on the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the CMS for University employees or on the University Professional Development Record template for contractors and third-party providers. (63) Further information regarding CDU’s Return to Industry program is covered in Clause 82. Non-attendance Time and Return to Industry in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022. (64) A VET Trainer and Assessor who has completed any qualification or skill set from the Training and Education (TAE) Training Package must demonstrate current training, learning and assessment knowledge and skills. VET Trainers and Assessors must develop knowledge and practice of training and assessment, including competency-based training and assessment competencies through continual professional development. This includes both formal and informal activities. (65) Evidence of maintaining training and assessment currency must be documented on the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the CMS and, where relevant, uploaded to the Staff Skills Register. Professional development (PD) may include but is not limited to the following: (66) Each VET Trainer and Assessor must undertake professional development that contributes to demonstrating vocational training, learning, and assessment requirements. Defined and agreed professional development activities are documented annually through the (67) Evidence of professional development activities must be recorded and include dates, the provider, the activity, and outcomes in the PD Record section of the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the CMS. VET Trainers and Assessors must also provide evidence of participation in professional development, such as certificates or conference registration, to their Team Leader. (68) Team Leaders are responsible for: (69) Supervisors of VET Trainers and Assessors without a TAE are responsible for ensuring that: (70) VET Trainers and Assessors are responsible for: (71) Each VET Team maintains a Staff Skills Register on the TAFE SharePoint site, storing the evidence of VET Trainer and/or Assessor qualifications, certificates, licenses, or credentials. (72) Supervision Plans and update reports are also kept in the Staff Skills Register. (73) Records of staff ochre cards, police clearance records, and return to industry are kept on the Staff Skills Register. (74) The following folder hierarchy is used in the Staff Skills Register: (75) Documentation relating to staff credentials and competencies must be retained in accordance with the Records and Information Management Policy and Procedure and its associated Retention and Disposal Schedules. (76) VET Trainers and/or Assessors must complete a VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the Curriculum Management System (CMS) at the commencement of employment, and it must be approved by the Team Leader prior to commencing with students. The staff matrix must be updated whenever there is a change to the units the trainer and/or assessor works in, or they achieve further professional development or annually. (77) Staff who train and/or assess in multiple teams can use the Word document or nominate a main team leader to approve their staff matrix in the CMS on each Team Leader's behalf. (78) The VET Lecturer Competency Matrix details information about: (79) The Professional Development Record form in the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix in the CMS is used to record ongoing professional development activities throughout the year. The Professional Development Record is updated regularly and should include detail towards the updating of: (80) For both sections, VET Trainers and Assessors should record development activities, and include dates and evidence on the activities undertaken. This includes development activities such as attaining a formal qualification or units of competency, but does not include CDU system training. (81) Evidence of professional development is only required for the most recent three-year period to demonstrate currency. (82) The PD record should be updated each time professional development occurs. (83) Initial supervision plans are documented in the CMS VET Lecturer Competency Matrix, and then implemented via the VET Lecturer Supervision Plan Word document. (84) Third-party staff cannot access the CMS and use only the VET Lecturer Supervision Plan Word document, and the relevant Team Leader signs for approval. (85) VET Lecturer Supervision Plan Word documents are stored in Staff Skills Register. (86) VET Trainers and Assessors must provide evidence of their training and assessment qualifications and required competencies before commencing delivery of training and/or assessment of VET training products. This includes but is not limited to VET Trainers and Assessors employed on a continuing, fixed-term, casual, or sessional basis or engaged under third-party arrangements. People and Culture retains this information. VET Trainers and Assessors must also upload certified copies of this information to the Staff Skills Register before the end of any probationary period. (87) VET Trainer and Assessor credentials and certificates used to demonstrate competency and currency in vocation and education areas must be certified evidence. Information about how to certify documents can be found at the Northern Territory government’s Proving your identity page. (88) All VET Trainers and Assessors involved in VET delivery must ensure that the qualifications and competency outlined in the VET Lecturer Competency Matrix are accurate, regularly evidenced, and updated. (89) VET Team Leaders are responsible for taking appropriate steps to verify the information presented by existing and newly recruited VET Trainers and Assessors. This is applicable to both existing VET Trainers and Assessors and new recruits. Evidence needs to be kept demonstrating how the information was appropriately verified. This may include: (90) Evidence may include: (91) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct - Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and the Code of Conduct - Students. (92) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students. (93) All staff members have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.VET Trainer and Assessor Qualifications, Competency and Industry Currency Procedure
Section 1 - Preamble
Section 2 - Purpose
Top of PageSection 3 - Scope
Section 4 - Procedure
Credential rules
VET Trainers and Assessor credentials
Assessor-only credentials
Trainers under Supervision
Planning for training under supervision
Conducting supervision
Undertaking training under supervision
Completing training under supervision
TAE Trainers and Assessors
Industry experts
Co-assessment
Vocational Competency
Industry Currency
Training and Assessment Currency
Undertaking Professional Development in Vocational Training, Learning and Assessment
Documenting and Storage of VET Trainer and Assessor Credentials and Competencies
Staff Skills Register
VET Lecturer Competency Matrix
Professional Development Record
Supervision plans
Evidence and Verification
Top of Page
Section 5 - Non-Compliance
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