Revised Standards for RTOs – Frequently Asked Questions

Why have the Standards been revised?

The current Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 have been in place for almost 10 years. Reviews of, and feedback from, the vocational education and training (VET) sector identified a need to better support high quality training and assessment across the sector. Stakeholder feedback also identified that the 2015 Standards are complex, difficult to navigate and drive a strong focus on administrative processes. They comprise a mix of macro and micro, compliance and input focused requirements, which do not all clearly link to quality VET or contribute to outcomes for students and employers.

When will the revised Standards take effect?

The revised Standards for RTOs (including the Outcome Standards, the Compliance Requirements and the Credential Policy) will take full regulatory effect from 1 July 2025. The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 will continue to apply until that time.

When will the legislative instruments to enact the revised Standards be finalised?

We anticipate the final legislative instruments to enact the revised Standards for RTOs will be published in early 2025.

Why are the Outcome Standards, Compliance Requirements and the Credential Policy now separate documents?

We heard from the sector that the current legislative framework is complex and difficult to navigate, and the mix of quality-oriented and compliance-focused requirements in the 2015 Standards can drive an undue focus on prescriptive compliance at the expense of good organisational practices that deliver quality outcomes.

The revised Standards have been designed to ensure a strong focus on learner outcomes. This has been achieved by removing the compliance and administrative requirements from the Outcome Standards and placing them in the Compliance Requirements and Credential Policy.

Are the Credential Policy and Compliance Requirements still drafts, or have they been finalised?

The Compliance Requirements and Credential Policy were published as drafts on 1 October 2024, with feedback sought from the sector through a public survey undertaken in October 2024. Over 100 responses to the survey were received, and this feedback has been considered in the drafting of the legislative instruments to enact the revised Standards for RTOs.

What is the difference between the policy draft of the revised Standards, Credential Policy, and Compliance Requirements, and the legislative instruments?

The policy drafts have been developed over the course of the past 4 years, following significant consultation with the VET sector, and were agreed by the Skills and Workforce Ministerial Council in May 2024. The legislative instruments will reflect the policy drafts, with some minor wording changes to give legal effect to the policy intent and to reflect key feedback received through the public survey on the Compliance Requirements and Credential Policy.

Please be aware, Registered Training Organisations are required to adhere to the legislative instruments and the Credential Policy, and this is what the National VET Regulator will regulate against. It is important that providers take the time to become familiar with the instruments when they are released to the sector.

Will the revised Standards apply to all registered training organisations (RTOs)?

All RTOs regulated by the National VET Regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), will be required to meet the revised Standards from 1 July 2025. Requirements for RTOs regulated by TAC WA are set out in the WA Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 and the Vocational Education and Training (General) Regulations 2009 (Regulations). Subject to timing of regulatory amendments, which may be impacted by the upcoming WA state election, it is expected that TAC regulated RTOs will be required to meet the revised standards from July 2025.

How is the Credential Policy different to Schedule 1 in the current Standards?

The Credential Policy largely reflects existing credential requirements from the current Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (the Standards), which were last updated on 1 March 2024.

In addition to reflecting existing requirements, the following further changes are included in the draft Credential Policy:

• Enabling individuals who hold the 2010 version of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) to deliver training and assessment without needing to hold the two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.
• Expanding the term ‘diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education’ to ‘diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or vocational education and training’, and inclusion of a definition to provide greater clarity and address existing confusion around this term identified in consultation feedback. This will help clarify that persons with vocational education and training qualifications can deliver training and assessment.

How do the revised Standards retain protections to ensure that training and assessment is only delivered by people with the right credentials?

The draft Credential Policy sets out the credential requirements for people delivering training and assessment and undertaking validation of assessment. RTOs are responsible for ensuring training and assessment are delivered in line with the Credential Policy. The Credential Policy seeks to ensure that only appropriately credentialled people, with current skills and knowledge in training and assessment, deliver training and assessment. This helps to uphold the quality of VET and ensure the integrity and validity of assessment.

Standard 3.3 also requires all trainers and assessors to have industry competencies, skills and knowledge that are relevant to, and at least to the level of, the training product being delivered and/or assessed.

Will individuals who hold the 2010 version of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) be able to deliver training and assessment without obtaining additional units of competency?

Yes, individuals who hold the 2010 version of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) will be able to deliver training and assessment without needing to hold the 2 additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing assessment tools.

This change is designed to alleviate VET workforce pressures and to align with the latest Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40122), given that the updated versions of the additional units are no longer core units in the qualification.

To ensure currency of skills and quality training for those with the older qualification, the Standards will still require all trainers and assessors to undertake professional development to ensure current skills and knowledge in training and assessment, and to hold relevant industry competencies, skills and knowledge.

Where is “industry expert” defined?

The use of industry experts is outlined in Outcome Standard 3.3 which provides that training and assessment is delivered by people with current industry skills and knowledge relevant to training product. The RTO is required to demonstrate that where an expert is engaged to support trainers and assessors, this is based on a specific need for expertise related to the training product or VET student cohort, and there is a system for ensuring:

1. the expert has relevant industry competencies, skills and knowledge and specialised industry or subject matter expertise
2. the expert works under the direction of a person with the credentials specified in the Credential Policy and, where the expert is involved in the assessment judgement, they work alongside the trainer or assessor to conduct the assessment
3. sufficient oversight of the expert to ensure the quality of the training and assessment.

Will qualified secondary school teachers be required to deliver training under direction?

Under Section 1A of the Credential Policy, to deliver training and assessment, including making assessment judgements, an individual with a secondary teaching qualification must also hold one of the following credentials to deliver training and assessment without direction:

• TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
• TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor, or
• TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor.

Under Section 1D of the Credential Policy, a person who holds a secondary teaching qualification must deliver training and conduct assessment under direction.

Why have some skill sets from the Training and Education (TAE) Training Package not been included in the Credential Policy, to enable delivery of training under supervision?

The early changes to the Standards that commenced in March 2024 enabled the use of a range of new and updated skill sets for delivery training under supervision. The Credential Policy builds on these earlier amendments to the Standards, which reflect the skill sets within the TAE Training Package that were designed to enable delivery of training and assessment. Skill sets that were designed for trainers and assessors to upskill, but not enable people to deliver training or conduct assessment in their own right, have not been included.

What changes have been made to arrangements for transition of superseded training products?

Changes have been made regarding the transition of training products that have been superseded. The requirements to transition existing students within 12 months has been removed. Instead, RTOs are required to transfer students into the replacement training product in a timely manner. This recognises that the appropriate transition time will vary for different training products, including those of different durations. It is also designed to minimise disruption for students and reduce administrative burden on RTOs (including to reduce the number of requests that need to be made for extensions to the transition period). Further guidance to support RTOs to consider appropriate timeframes for transition will be provided by VET regulators.