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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flexibility - examples Example 1 24 Units 16 Units 8 Units 4 Units 4 IMPORTABLE ELECTIVES One sixth of total units Example 2 4 IMPORTABLE ELECTIVES One sixth of total units 8 ELECTIVES One third or more of total units 16 ELECTIVES One third or more of total units 16 CORE8 CORE

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)

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

Streamlining Training Packages Units of Competency RTO Implementation Guidance Assessment RequirementsLearning Strategies QualificationsKnowledge Guidance Credit ArrangementsAssessment Strategies Endorsed by NQC Quality assured companion volume

Streamlining Performance Standards and Requirements

New TP design model TRAINING PACKAGES (Endorsed by NQC) CONTENT / TEMPLATE Credit Arrangements Provide articulation and credit Articulation for Diploma and Advanced Diploma Agreed credit arrangements Qualifications Detail the qualifications contained in the training package Qualification code Qualification title Qualification description Packaging rules: core and elective units Link to qualification mapping information Units of Competency Provide specifications of applied performance standards Assessment Requirements Describe the assessment requirements at the unit of competency Unit code Unit title Application Prerequisite units Assessment evidence: Performance Knowledge Competency field Unit sector Elements Performance criteria Foundation skills Range of conditions Link to unit mapping information Assessment context Assessment condition

Companion Volume

New design model - Companion Volume COMPANION VOLUME (QAd) CONTENT / TEMPLATE Overview information Implementation information Links RTO Implementation Guide Purpose: 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

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…

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

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

Next Steps Discussion

Timeline  What’s happening in 2011?  Where are we up to?