VET Products for the 21 st Century

1. VET Products for the 21st Century Luke Behncke Project Manager National Quality Council

2. Policy Issues COAG reform agenda designed to: Increase demand-driven training Improve efficiency, reduce duplication Create greater workforce mobility Improve quality of training outcomes Enhance social inclusion Increase pathways to and from VET

3. Reform Agenda • COAG policy direction: • … “reform .. to meet a more client driven system” • Competency standards: • still a great concept, identifying outcomes not the way to achieve them. • 10+ years on: • TPs have adapted but become too dense, complex, inconsistent • Change is needed: • stretch the concept to keep pace with changing client needs and expectations

4. Reform to VET products • Review: • COAG/NQC report - VET products for the 21st Century endorsed by Ministers June 2009 • Key elements of reform: • Flexibility • Streamlining • Competency and knowledge • Foundation skills

5. Roles and responsibilities • Managing and implementing reform • Ministerial Council overseeing COAG agenda • National Quality Council • TVET/DEEWR – NQC project management • ISCs – Training Packages • STAs – systems and services • RTOs – training that responds to client needs

6. Other reforms • VET products reform in the context of other reforms • AQTF and AQF • New requirements – new RTOs, financial viability, capability in assessment • Comprehensive review of AQF • Australian Skills Quality Authority • National Standards Council

7. Competency and knowledge

8. Competency and knowledge • New requirements: • Explicit, allowing for knowledge and preparatory units in all TPs • Consistency across Training Packages • Updated definition: • “… consistent application of knowledge and skill to the standard of performance required in the workplace.” • Competency and knowledge are inseparable • Knowledge is a key element of competency

9. Flexibility

10. Flexibility • It’s all about choice and options: • New packaging rules to allow widest possible choice of elective units • New measure for volume and source of electives • Volume – 1/3 or more electives, built into TP design • Source – up to 1/6 of total units can come from elsewhere, choice for RTO and/or client • Completed by June 2011, some exemptions

11. 16 CORE 8 CORE 16 ELECTIVES One third or more of total units 8 ELECTIVES One third or more of total units 4 IMPORTABLE ELECTIVES One sixth of total units 4 IMPORTABLE ELECTIVES One sixth of total units Flexibility - examples • Example 1 Example 2 24 Units 16 Units 8 Units 4 Units

12. Flexibility - analysis • Qualifications analyzed: • 1519 total qualifications • Exempt and excepted qualifications • 372 (25% of total) qualifications nominated as exempt • 31 (3% of total) qualifications are exceptions • Compliance: • Of remaining 1116 qualifications, 949 now comply - 85% of all eligible qualifications (at 31 Dec 2010)

13. Streamlining

14. Streamlining • It’s all about making TPs simpler, shorter: • Getting back to essentials • Putting the emphasis on the end user • Creating clear categories of information • Separating two elements of the package: • Performance standards and requirements – endorsed by NQC • Supporting information – guidance for implementation

15. Streamlining Training Packages • Endorsed by NQC Quality assuredcompanion volume Units of Competency RTO Implementation Guidance Assessment Requirements Learning Strategies Qualifications Knowledge Guidance Credit Arrangements Assessment Strategies

16. Streamlining • Performance Standards and Requirements

17. TRAINING PACKAGES(Endorsed by NQC) CONTENT / TEMPLATE Units of CompetencyProvide specifications of applied performance standards Unit codeUnit titleApplicationPrerequisite units Competency fieldUnit sectorElementsPerformance criteria Foundation skillsRange of conditionsLink to unit mapping information Assessment RequirementsDescribe the assessment requirements at the unit of competency • Assessment evidence: • Performance • Knowledge Assessment contextAssessment condition QualificationsDetail the qualifications contained in the training package Qualification code Qualification title Qualification description Packaging rules: core and elective units Link to qualification mapping information Credit ArrangementsProvide articulation and credit Articulation for Diploma and Advanced DiplomaAgreed credit arrangements New TP design model

18. Companion Volume

19. RTO Implementation GuidePurpose: Provide information to assist RTOs in interpreting and understanding the endorsed components of the training package. Learning Strategies Guide Purpose: Introduce and describe diversity of learners and learning strategies. Learning approaches Learning environment Contextualisation Learner outcomes Links Knowledge Guide Purpose: Identify contextual information including knowledge requirements and resources. Broad discipline information Industry-specific information Applied knowledge Links Assessment Strategies Guide Purpose: provide guidance on implementation of assessment requirements in the endorsed components of a training package. Assessment and training package Assessment methods Assessment conditions Evidence advice Assessment validation Links New design model - Companion Volume COMPANION VOLUME(QAd) CONTENT / TEMPLATE Overview information Implementation information Links

20. Foundation skills

21. Foundation skills • Benefits of reform • National standards for foundation skills training • ACSF, LLN & employability skills • Foundation Skills Training Package • Many product options to meet diverse needs - MIXING and MATCHING, INTENSIVE or INTEGRATED Units can be used by ISCs or RTOS across Training Packages Embedded within units and qualifications Relative balance between vocational and foundation to suit need • BUT – products can only fix so much…

22. Foundation skills • Vocational Qualifications MIXING and MATCHING Foundation Skills Qualifications Vocational Units of Competency Vocational Units of Competency Foundation Skills Units of Competency Foundation Skills Units of Competency Embedded Foundation Skills Foundation Skills Units of Competency Vocational Units of Competency

23. Impact and benefits – RTOs • Core business: • You know your clients • You want flexibility, room to innovate, more scope to tailor services to match client needs • New products: • Simpler TPs, easier to understand • More support for training and assessment strategies • More flexible packaging • More straightforward compliance standards, clearer audit process

24. Next Steps Discussion

25. Timeline • What’s happening in 2011? • Where are we up to?