Training and Assessment Policy and Strategies

Training and Assessment Policy Details

• Responsive to Industry and Learner Needs

  At enrolment the qualification chosen will be customised to meet the student and client needs by selection of the best suited range of elective subjects.

  Generic subjects like safety and customer service will also be adjusted to be industry specific options eh Safety in a Medical Practice.

  College Validation and Industry Engagement processes will directly inform the content of learning and assessment materials to ensure industry relevance and currency.

• Skilled Trainers and Assessors

  The College ensures it has sufficient skilled trainers and assessors by:

  • focusing recruitment efforts on obtaining industry experts who would be suited to roles where they can share their knowledge and expertise
  • having structured and meaningful staff training and professional development plans and activities
  • emphasising skills development in training and assessment activities as part of staff PD days and programs
  • implementing internal quality assurance and audit processes
  • managing student enrolment forecasts to predict staffing needs
  • implementing work practices to enable staff top support one another and ensure students have access to multiple trainers and assessors
• Determining Student Special Needs at Enrolment Application Stage

  a) Prior to commencement of a course the College will undertake an Initial Skills Assessment that includes identifying any LLN or special needs of each individual.

  b) In the case of employment based enrolments such as traineeships, the College will work in conjunction with workplace supervisors to identify and address any individual learning needs.

• Quality Learning Materials that get Great Reviews

  Our step by step course materials have been written by industry experts specifically for the College to give you the most relevant and useful learner information you need.

  The resources give you industry insight and understanding by simplifying industry jargon and concepts, and focusing on current real world business practices.

  We pride ourselves on providing high quality learner resources that set you up for success.

  Our students have the opportunity to give us immediate subject reviews so we always have the opportunity to get even better.

• 24/7 Access to Course Materials

  Everything you need is a click away. Access your course materials 24/7, submit your assessments, update your contact details, view your results and see your assessors feedback.

  All of the course materials are accessed online so that you can complete your subjects at a time and place that suits you. You receive your login details by email within an hour of enrolling!

  You don't need to be connected to the internet all the time though – you can download and then work on the study documents offline.

  If you prefer pen and paper – you can even print your assessments and then scan them when you are ready to submit.

  If you really, really prefer paper and don’t have access to a printer we can print and post. A small fee applies to cover our costs to do this for you.

  For a small number of courses we use specialist textbooks that will be sent to you at no additional cost.

• College Facilities and Intrastructure

  Although our main delivery method is online - there is still the need to have significant resources and systems to ensure quality training and assessment delivery.

  This includes:

  • computer systems
  • software licences
  • high speed internet and cloud storage
  • redundancy and back up systems
  • staff desks and equipment
  • phone and email and skype communication systems

  In addition, for classroom delivery in our office locations we support quality student study areas and training facilities.

• Meeting Training Package Requirements

  We ensure that all subjects address the requirements of their relevant Training Package.

  This includes:

  • equipment eg virtual computer access for IT students
  • access to legislation and regulatory information eg ASIC RG146
  • simulated workplace environments that we have confirmed with industry are realistic, up to date and relevant
  • use of case studies that address specific industry requirements and practices
  • having skills communication assessment components in the assessment tools
  • utilising online quizzes to address required knowledge areas 
  • offering RPL options
• Expertise in ASIC Obligations

  Work with professionals who know your industry and the RG requirements. Obtain certification from an independent nationally recognised Registered Training Organisation and meet record keeping requirements.

  Our finance team are pro-active in staying up to date with regulatory changes and industry compliance needs. We even go as far as referencing the ASIC Regulatory Guide requirements in each of the finance licencing courses we offer – so that you can also understand the exact requirements.

• Training and Assessment Strategies

  a) The strategy or approach to how we deliver training and conduct assessments is determined in response to client needs.

  b) Typically a new program commences by a discussion with the prospective client about their needs. In response the College will document its understanding of the needs and propose a strategy (or strategy options) to the client and seek further input or agreement from the client. Once the client agrees to one of the proposals the finer details of the strategy are agreed to.

  c) The Strategy will address: the relevant qualification; relevant units (subjects); mode of delivery and logistics related to the same; and the learning and assessment materials and assessment processes. In addition specific aspects like timetabling of learning and assessment and any adjustments to learner material or assessments will be agreed to. Logistical details are recorded at client level in the College Dashboard so that this information is available to College staff as needed.

  d) College details of staff approved to train and assess specific subjects is maintained in the College Dashboard, which records vocational and industry qualifications and PD. In addition, any agreed College staff member who will take on a client / program specific role is identified in Dashboard under that client/ program.

  e) A formal Training and Assessment Strategy document as such does not exist as one document. It is made up of a number of documents and Dashboard selection fields that address the timetabling; staffing and resourcing of that program and the assessment methodologies and learning resources and specific client requests.

  f) Training and Assessment Strategies are supported by the Training and Assessment Policy.

• Offering and Publicising RPL

  a) Published information available to students such as this website, Student Handbook and Webclass (the student portal) will explain RPL. The RPL application for each unit of competency is available in Webclass. A summary Application is available in Forms.

  b) In the Induction / Welcome first contact calls to students the allocated Student Adviser will confirm that the student is aware of RPL and ascertain if they will be applying. The Initial Skills Assessment and enrolment data will show if the student has undertaken prior formal studies.

• RPL Assessment Process

  a) Suitably industry experienced and qualified Assessors will undertake the RPL assessment.

  b) RPL on the basis of work experience and portfolio (as opposed to Credit Transfers for past studies) will be reviewed and authorised by a Director of Training Services who hold the unit TAEASS504 Develop and implement recognition strategies (as recommended under the NSW Recognition Framework).

  c) Students will be advised in writing of the result.

  d) Normal assessment would take 14 days; but may take as long as 30 days depending on complexity and other workloads.

  e) Assessment includes activities to confirm authenticity of any submitted evidence. A third party report or statement will not, in isolation, be treated as adequate evidence of authenticity.

• Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance Processes

  The College has a wide range of continuous improvement systems that allow accurate determination of current standards and the ability to identify ways to improve our future performance.

  These include:

  Student Subject Feedback

  • Direct instant student feedback forms on Webclass on each subject. They have specific questions about the learning resources and assessments that ask for ratings. There are also free text comment sections. 
  • The rating system is shown as a satisfaction rating (A - D). Ratings of C or D are highlighted for staff review. All comments are highlighted for staff review.
  • A curriculum designer reviews the feedback and identifies the action required
  • The overall rating for that subject from all students that have completed that subject (and specific ratings and comments) is calculated as a percentage available for management to set revision priorities and staff to review for validation or update activities.
  • Validation priorities are informed by the ratings - with low ratings triggering a higher review priority.
  • The rating level % of each student is visable to their Student Adviser so that specific questions can be asked about how to best meet that students needs.

   

  Classroom Evaluations

  • Each classroom participant is provided a feedback form for each day of class
  • These are evaluated to ensure class and individual needs are being met

   

  Assessor Observations

  • College Assessors can lodge "issues" against that subject which will then be investigated and prioritised.
  • High priority issues will trigger a subject to be revised immediately
  • Low priority issues will be addressed immediately if able to be done or at the next subject validation

   

  Client Feedback

  • Client requests that can be immediately addressed will trigger an update to that client groups Training and Assessment Strategy
  • Other client requests would be prioritised in our systems as either a subject "issue" or a "project"
  • Industry input is regularly requested as part of subject revisions. Where practical written commentary on draft resources is obtained from clients.
  • Where appropriate client meetings are conducted to debrief the current or last delivery program and identify changes for the future

   

  Validation / Moderation Activities

  • College Trainers and Assessors are scheduled as part of their professional development to participate in validation sessions.
  • A key aspect of the validation session is to confirm consistency of assessor "marking". This ensures students of reliability between the marking approaches of different assessors.
  • Refer to the Validation Policy

   

   Subject Legislative Impacts

  • College subjects are "tagged" with the range of legislation that applies to that subject. 
  • When that legislation is amended this allows all subjects affected to be immediately updated

   

  Internal Audits including Marking Audits

  • Training Plan completion audits are undertaken to ensure that staff are making proper efforts to identify learner needs and customise their training and assessment and support provided
  • Assessment / marking standards are in place. These are used as the benchmark for random audits to determine marking quality. Staff must self-audit 2 assessments per month and these results are also peer reviewed.
  • Failure to make regular contact to students is identified by the College system, ensuring that students are not missed or forgotten

   

  Staff Monitoring and Supervision

  • College trainers and assessors work in small teams with close access to their Team Leader. This facilitates support and day to day training and improvement.
  • With student consent, call monitoring will be undertaken to enable new staff to actively listen in to student interactions with experienced staff while they are being trained.
  • Also with student consent, call recording can be implemented if that level of staff supervision is needed.

   

  College Procedures

  • The College has standard procedures for most key activities. Staff have access to these either as published on the website or the internal Knowledge Base or their Dashboard provides a workflow and list of procedures and steps to be undertaken.
  • At staff meetings staff are actively encouraged to identify improvements in current procedures
  • Specific staff may be assigned a "project" to review an existing procedure and recommend improvements