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This publication is comprised of a 76-page learner guide and a 14-page resources pack designed to be used in a variety of learning contexts. The learner guide includes: an orientation to the National Reporting System (NRS); activities to help trainers and assessors determine appropriate language, literacy and numeracy levels for the settings in which they work; and advice on when and how to work with specialist language, literacy and numeracy trainers. The resources pack includes: a shortened version of the NRS; and tools to help locate and determine appropriate language, literacy and numeracy in vocational settings to develop training and assessment materials. This pack is designed for learners to take into their future practice as trainers and/or assessors. This resource supports TAA04 Training and assessment training package, indexed at TD/TNC 80.252. Show less

This guide is to help Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), teachers, trainers and administrators in South Australia make the transition from accredited courses to qualifications in the Civil Construction Training Package. It is designed to be read in conjunction with the endorsed components of the training package. In particular the guide identifies: (1) the courses to be replaced by qualifications in Training Packages; (2) the nominal hours for qualifications and each unit of competence; (3) the relationship between existing modules and units of competence; (4) transition arrangements for courses, students and RTOs; and (5) the New Apprenticeship arrangements approved in South Australia. Show less

With the introduction of training packages in Australia, the issues of quality and consistency in assessment have become central to the development of the vocational education and training (VET) system. Confidence in assessment decisions made by registered training organisations (RTOs) is also important if the process of mutual recognition is to work under the Australian Recognition Framework (ARF). A range of different views and strategies exist on how this consistency, confidence and quality can be achieved. This paper discusses these under the headings of: The issue of consistency in vocational education and training; Consistency in competency-based assessment; The role of quality assurance in assessment; Quality assurance and compliance; Identifying and developing quality assurance strategies; Validation as a key quality assurance strategy; Implementing these QA strategies: where to from here?

The volumes of collected papers are indexed from TD/TNC 69.351 to TD/TNC 69.353; individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 69.354 to TD/TNC 69.445. Show less

This manual and video cassette are for use at small and large scale vegetable farm, orchard and vineyard operations. The resource supports training in the unit RTC2701A 'Follow OHS procedures' of the National Rural Production Training Package (RTE3). It is designed for use in basic workplace safety training with new and existing employees from a non English speaking background and low-level English language skills, English speaking workers with limited literacy skills, and existing workers in need of a refresher course in workplace safety. They can be used flexibly, either in a formal group training setting or by individual learners under the guidance of a mentor. The material is divided into four sections covering the areas of personal safety, manual safety, mechanical safety and hazards, injuries and emergencies. The manual includes trainer's notes, a glossary and a competency assessment tool. Show less

The Training Package for Assessment and Workplace Training is likely to be completely overhauled if the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) and the States accept the recommendations of the recently completed Review report. The National Assessors and Workplace Trainers (NAWT) Division of Business Services Training (BST) has identified the need for major content change if this Training Package is to meet the needs of its users and other key stakeholders in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

The report found that the Training Package has a broader, more systemic and strategic role in VET than was initially envisaged. The authors argue for a change of title and unit content and question the uneven quality of the implementation of the Training Package and a number of policy recommendations have been put to ANTA to address this concern. Show less

This package has been developed from the Developing Learning Guides Workshop Package produced in 1993 (see TD/TNC 31.12). It is designed for trainers working in industry. It is in four parts: Part A, Why use this package?; Part B, Production pack; Part C, Resource pack; Part D, Evaluation pack. It may be used in a variety of ways, according to the needs and experience of the users and the training environment in which they are working. Show less

This article investigates how literacy and numeracy are addressed in training packages in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector. The research involved a literature review and interviews with vocational education teachers. Drawing on this information, the policies and practices of the identification, teaching and assessing of literacy and numeracy in training packages were examined. The research found inconsistencies in definitions and interpretations in the terms ‘literacy’ and ‘numeracy’. Despite this, the interviews revealed that the vocational education teachers were actually teaching far more literacy and numeracy than they were explicity aware of. However, the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills was not ‘explicity incorporated into the teaching and assessment plan and not strategically developed and ‘built-in’ as part of the delivery’. A ‘built-in’ approach to literacy and numeracy skills appears to be more effective. It is argued that improvement in literacy and numeracy delivery in training packages requires a strategic commitment from registered training organisations (RTOs) to invest more time and resources. The research suggests that the lack of explicitness, which in turn leads to a lack of identification, of literacy and numeracy skills in training packages, is a significant problem within the Australian VET system but the authors advise that further research is needed to validate this assertion.

A 2004 report by the authors on this topic is indexed at TD/TNC 79.558. Show less

Within the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector quality and consistency of competency based assessment (CBA) has become a critical issue for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Assessments against training package standards are conducted in a wide range of different contexts and for the process of mutual recognition between RTOs to work effectively there needs to be widespread confidence in assessment decisions. Under mutual recognition each State and Territory has agreed to recognise Training Packages and accredited courses and RTOs are required to recognise the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications and statements of attainment issued by other RTOs.

To date, the focus of assuring assessment quality has concentrated on developing, clarifying and regularly reviewing competency standards and the registration and audit of training providers. The Australian VET sector has relied more on self-regulation in comparison to the systems in some other countries such as the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ), which are regulated centrally. The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) 2001 provides RTOs with a revised set of standards they must comply with to maintain their registration as training providers. AQTF Standard 9.2 focuses specifically on the requirement for RTOs to develop appropriate strategies to validate their assessment systems and processes.

Given the shortage of material and specific case studies relating to assessment validation available for RTOs, the Assessment Validation project aimed to support groups of NSW RTOs from different sectors in piloting assessment validation strategies relevant to their specific assessment context, document the experience and develop materials that other RTOs could adopt when developing their own validation strategies.

Some key project outcomes: (1) the core group of 55 VET sector assessors gained 'hands on' experience in facilitating assessment validation meetings or activities; (2) over 300 VET sector assessors attended information sessions about assessment validation and the new AQTF requirements and many of these assessors have worked with colleagues on assessment validation activities; (3) case studies using specific validation activities suggesting what works best for different types of RTOs and how RTOs dealt with issues such as geographic isolation, lack of resources, part time teachers etc.; (4) a set of materials including templates, a poster and set of overhead transparencies (OHTs) that can be accessed by other RTOs or groups of assessors establishing an assessment validation strategy; and (5) three specific industry networks of assessors.

Excerpt from published paper reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This is the annual update of the Training and Skills Commission's Skills for Jobs five-year plan for skills and workforce development in South Australia. The Commission's advice in the 2012 plan focuses on the twin challenges of participation and productivity which will drive growth for tertiary level qualifications over the next five years. During 2013, the Commission will focus on strategies to reach a 69 per cent workforce participation rate by 2025. To achieve higher levels of participation it is important that training gives individuals the skills they need for sustainable employment. The State Government's Skills for All policy, announced in February 2011, is making fundamental changes to the [vocational education and training] VET system in South Australia. Skills for All is largely in line with the Commission's reform recommendations to government, including the fundamental shift from a supply focused system to one driven by student and industry demand. The Commission is working with the State Government to ensure that graduates of the new system have the skills and knowledge that industry needs.

Edited summary from the TASC website. Show less

The transition to vocational education and training (VET) in schools programs based on training packages presents challenges to meet industry and accreditation requirements and to align with existing industry practices. For the specific context of a VET in schools course it may be necessary to satisfy both school sector and VET sector assessment requirements. This guide is designed to help teachers in schools and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to understand the requirements of the endorsed components of the Information technology training package and to make optimum use of other industry-developed teaching, learning and assessment resources available. It is intended to complement the available training package materials by offering interpretations and examples from a VET in schools perspective. Accompanying guides relevant to the information technology industry may be found at TD/TNC 61.32 and TD/TNC 61.34.

Training package resources for VET in schools for other industries are indexed from TD/TNC 61.30 to TD/TNC 61.45. Show less