National VET Data Frequently Asked Questions

The National VET Data Policy

What does the National VET Data Policy cover?

The National VET Data Policy helps data users understand their responsibilities for collecting, submitting, using, and accessing national VET data. The Policy has four parts:

• Part A Introduction – outlines why VET Data is collected
• Part B National VET Provider Collection Data Requirements Policy – outlines obligations on all Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to collect and submit comprehensive data on their delivery of Nationally Recognised Training
• Part C VET Data Access and Disclosure – outlines arrangements for disclosing and using the VET Data held by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)
• Part D Administration – deals with administration and definitional content including the Glossary of Terms.

Data Provision Requirements

What are the Data Provision Requirements?

The Data Provision Requirements are a legislative instrument made under section 187 of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.

They set out the data that registered training organisations (RTOs) must provide.

The Data Provision Requirements are a component of the VET Quality Framework and therefore compliance is a condition of an RTO’s registration.

What is VET Activity Data?

VET Activity Data includes RTO, student and training activity data collected and held in the:

• National VET Provider Collection
• National VET in Schools Collection
• National Apprentice and Trainee Collection and
• aggregate competency commencement and completion data.

Confidentialised data about VET students and RTO activity may be published.

Files containing identifiable student data must be used in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles.

Files containing identifiable RTO activity data may be published as outlined in section 11 of the National VET Data Policy, which specifies that identified RTO unit record data may be published in order to support consumer information and transparency of the national VET market, as well as support research, analysis and policy development.

What is VET Outcome Data?

VET outcome data means data collected and held by NCVER from the following:

• Student Outcomes Surveys
• Surveys of Employer Use and Views (of the VET System)
• Apprentice and Trainee Destinations Surveys and
• Identified RTO level completions data.

Are files containing Unique Student Identifiers personal information?

Files containing USIs and characteristics associated with each USI are identifiable data containing personal information and are subject to the Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles. The Student Identifiers Act 2014 also requires that entities required to keep a record of a USI must take reasonable steps to protect the record from misuse, interference, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Why do RTOs have to sign or electronically acknowledge a VET Data Use Statement and RTO Declaration and Understanding?

Entities receiving VET Data from RTOs in accordance with the National VET Data Policy must ensure that RTOs are aware of the purposes for which the information they submit may be used, and retain evidence that each RTO has signed or electronically acknowledged the mandatory information contained in the VET Data Use Statement and RTO Declaration and Understanding.

The Minimum mandatory content for inclusion in a VET Data Use Statement and RTO Declaration and Understanding is at Schedule 2 on the National VET Data Policy.

It is the responsibility of the entity collecting information from RTOs to implement the VET Data Use Statement. For example, NCVER has implemented the VET Data Use Statement and RTO Declaration and Understanding by modifying the AVETMISS validation submission screen to capture the necessary information of name and position, and acknowledgement.

Privacy

When does the Privacy Notice have to be given to students?

The National VET Data Policy states that:

'7.1 It is the responsibility of RTOs to ensure that students who provide an RTO with personal information that will be included in the National VET Provider Collection are reasonably aware that the information may be used or disclosed for the purposes set out in the Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of the Policy

7.2 Where personal information is collected from a student, RTOs must make students aware of the purposes for which their information may be collected, used or disclosed. RTOs must give the student a copy of the Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of this Policy. This can be achieved by including the 'Privacy Notice' during the student's enrolment process. The minimum mandatory content for inclusion in a Privacy Notice is at Schedule 1 of this Policy.'

It is recommended that the Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of the National VET Data Policy is part of the student's initial enrolment with a Registered Training Organisation.

If the registered training organisation's standard privacy notice is different to the Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of the National VET Data Policy, which privacy notice must the RTO use?

RTOs need to ensure that they are complying with all of their legal obligations, including their obligations under privacy law.

The updated Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of the National VET Data Policy provides that:

'This Privacy Notice is to be given to students in addition to your standard Privacy Notice.'

The Privacy Notice at Schedule 1 of the National VET Data Policy of the National VET Data Policy also provides a place within the notice for the RTO to include a link to the RTO’s standard privacy notice or policy.

Exemptions

Are there exemptions for national security, border protection and policing?

This exemption can be claimed for RTOs delivering training where the collection and reporting of student information could jeopardise personal or national security.

If these RTOs are also delivering Nationally Recognised Training where security is not threatened, data compliant with AVETMISS must be collected and submitted on this training activity. Details are contained in section 5 of the National VET Data Policy.

This supports transparency and more effective regulation, and enables more students to have their skills and competencies recorded on their authenticated VET transcript, via their USI.

Are there exemptions for emergency and safety community services?

This exemption can be claimed for nationally recognised training delivered without fees by RTOs registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission. However, if any students provide their USI, RTOs are obliged to report data compliant with AVETMISS for training activity associated with those students. Details are contained in section 5 of the National VET Data Policy.

This exemption for charitable community service organisations balances the cost of compliance against the value of the data for transparency and analysis. Reporting data for students that provide their USI supports an objective of the USI scheme to enable students to obtain a comprehensive record of their training.

This not only supports more students having all their skills/competencies recorded on their authenticated VET transcript, but in due course, will enable electronic validation of training achievements by licensing authorities, regulators, employers or anyone else that USI holders provide access to.

What are the reporting arrangements for Enterprise RTOs?

Enterprise RTOs are required to report full AVETMISS data on all their students. This assists in standardising reporting arrangements, as well as providing a more complete picture of how the national VET market operates.

Comprehensive information is particularly important for understanding how different types of vocational training are used by different segments of the population, and the various ways that the skills needs of industry are being met. This supports demographic analysis for workforce planning, policy development, and consideration of potential market interventions.

Through the consultations, a number of Enterprise RTOs indicated that it was not cost effective maintaining the commencement date distinction in their systems, and so welcomed the idea of a single reporting arrangement for all employees.

What do RTOs need to report for short stand-alone courses?

RTOs are required to report full AVETMISS data on all their students.

Comprehensive information is important for understanding how different types of vocational training are used by different segments of the population, and the various ways that the skills needs of industry are being met. This supports demographic analysis for workforce planning, policy development, and consideration of potential market interventions.

Do RTOs need to report USIs for training delivered in a single day?

Collecting and submitting USIs is a requirement for all nationally recognised training unless an exemption applies (including student exemptions from the USI). This provides consistency across all types of training and all RTOs.

Collecting and submitting USIs for all nationally recognised training enables electronic validation of student training activity by licensing authorities, regulators, employers, or anyone else to whom USI holders provide access to their electronic transcript from the Student Identifiers Registrar.

Inclusion of USIs for all students in all VET data submissions also helps build a longitudinal dataset on national VET activity. This helps to improve understanding of training pathways, how different types of training are used by individuals and businesses, and the various ways that the skill needs of industry are being met.

I think my RTO is eligible for an exemption. What am I required to do?

RTOs must consult with their VET Regulator for an exemption from submitting data compliant with AVETMISS for the National VET Provider Collection. RTOs will need to provide evidence to support their claim for an exemption, against the programs in their scope of registration. Details are contained in section 5 of the National VET Data Policy.

If my student is a continuing student and I do not have a USI for them, what do I do?

Data must be submitted by an RTO in respect of all students who have undertaken Nationally Recognised Training, regardless of the current status of the student. To be compliant with AVETMISS, data for the National VET Provider Collection must be accurate and complete. This means that you will have to obtain a USI number from all students and include them in all data submissions unless the student has a valid exemption from the USI.