Posted on

Feature Article: Three key strategies for RTOs to enhance collaboration with industry

2021 Future of work predications

RTOs face a critical challenge addressing the ever-widening gap between the skills demanded by industry and relevance of their VET courses. Senior leaders of RTOs are well aware of the constant struggle to ensure that their organisations programs meet not only the regulatory requirements set by ASQA but also the ever-evolving expectations of industry stakeholders. RTOs need to deliver practical, relevant, and future-proof education that gives students a competitive edge in the job market. The following suggestions explore three key strategies RTOs can implement to forge stronger connections with industry partners, ensuring their VET courses remain relevant, engaging, and aligned with the changing needs of employers and businesses.

Establish industry advisory committees:

Creating Industry Advisory Committees (IAC) is a crucial step in fostering collaboration with industry partners. By including representatives from various sectors and occupations, RTOs can gain valuable insights into the latest trends and skill requirements, which can be used to inform training and assessment strategies and resource development. Engaging in ongoing dialogue with IAC’s will ensure that your VET courses are up-to-date and compliant with standards while preparing your students for the workplace.

Offer tailored work-integrated learning experiences:

Work-integrated learning experiences such as vocational placement, work experience, and industry projects can provide students with the practical skills and knowledge they need to be employable. Collaborate with industry partners to develop tailored work-integrated learning programs that are aligned with your training and assessment strategies and industry needs. This not only gives students a competitive advantage but also builds trust and credibility with industry partners, solidifying your reputation as an RTO that delivers job-ready graduates.

Facilitate ongoing professional development opportunities for trainers and assessors: 

To ensure that your VET courses are industry-relevant, it’s crucial that your trainers and assessors stay up to date with the latest industry changes and trends. Encourage your staff to participate in professional development opportunities such as industry conferences, workshops, and seminars, and establish partnerships with industry experts for guest lectures and training sessions. By investing in the professional growth of your trainers and assessors, you can ensure that the training you provide is informed by real-world experiences, making it more valuable to both students and employers alike.

Other feature articles:

Why academic planning doesn’t mean perfection in your RTO

How to create a holistic self-assurance model for your RTO

An RTO compliance managers guide to leadership

How can compliance and quality functions work together in an RTO?

Who is responsible for quality and compliance in your RTO?

Why you need to focus on your RTOs customers not compliance

How to build a culture of quality in your RTO

References:

https://www.asqa.gov.au/how-we-regulate/self-assurance/building-shared-understanding-self-assurance

https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/skills-reform-overview/quality-reforms

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/focus-compliance

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rto/responsibilities

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/users-guide-standards-rtos-2015/chapter-4-training-and-assessment

Posted on

Feature Article: An RTO compliance managers guide to leadership

Feature Article: An RTO compliance managers guide to leadership

One major problem faced by many RTO compliance managers is the challenge of effectively leading their team and managing compliance within the organisation. Barriers that are often faced by managers include balancing multiple priorities, resistance to change and scarce resources. In order to successfully navigate this role, it is important to focus on a range of key areas. Here are six key focus areas for RTO compliance managers to consider in using a holistic approach to compliance management:

Managing a compliance team:

As a compliance manager, you are responsible for leading and supporting a team of quality professionals. This includes setting clear expectations and goals, providing training and development opportunities, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The most critical strategies to employ with your team include clear communication, training and development, empowerment and authority, goal setting and performance measurement, collaboration and teamwork, recognition and reward, adaptability and flexibility, supportive leadership, continuous improvement and work-life balance.

Managing up with senior management: 

It is important to effectively communicate with and report to senior management in order to ensure that compliance and quality efforts are aligned with the overall goals and priorities your RTO. This may require compliance staff to present data and reports, make recommendations, and seek support and resources as needed.

Ensuring compliance with legislation and standards:

A key focus area for compliance managers is ensuring that the RTO is compliant with all relevant industry regulations and standards. This may involve staying up to date on changes and updates, implementing policies and procedures, and conducting audits and reviews. Engage all employees in continuous improvement efforts and encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement

Leading continuous improvement efforts: 

As a compliance manager, you should be proactive in identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes to enhance quality and compliance in your VET courses. This may involve collecting and analysing feedback from stakeholders, implementing new policies and procedures, and engaging all employees in continuous improvement efforts.

Building and maintaining relationships: 

Effective leadership in an RTO also involves building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including employees, students, industry partners, and community. This may involve collaborating with other teams and departments, seeking feedback and input, and building trust and credibility.

Leading by example: 

As a compliance manager, it is important to model good quality practices and behaviours, and to hold yourself and others accountable for meeting quality. Overall, leading as a compliance manager in an RTO can be a complex and demanding role, requiring you to balance a range of responsibilities and priorities in order to effective.

Other feature articles:

How can compliance and quality functions work together in an RTO?

Who is responsible for quality and compliance in your RTO?

Why you need to focus on your RTOs customers not compliance

How to build a culture of quality in your RTO

Why compliance does not equal quality in your RTO’s training and assessment

How to use systems to manage your RTOs self-assurance effectively

References:

https://www.asqa.gov.au/how-we-regulate/self-assurance/building-shared-understanding-self-assurance

https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/skills-reform-overview/quality-reforms

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/focus-compliance

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rto/responsibilities

Posted on

Feature Article: Who is responsible for quality and compliance in your RTO?

RTOs who leave compliance and quality functions up to a single employee or team can put the organization at risk of non-compliances and breaches, lead to a lack of engagement and buy-in from other employees, and undermine transparency and accountability. Rather, it is the responsibility of all employees to adhere to required standards, legislation and regulations and to follow your RTOs policies and procedures so all contribute to a culture of quality and compliance. In any organisation, ensuring quality and compliance is a shared responsibility of all employees, from the CEO to front-line staff. However, it is the role of senior leaders, including the CEO, to create and maintain a strong quality culture within the business and RTOs are no exception. Here are some suggestions how setting a positive example, communicating expectations and the importance of quality, and allocating necessary resources can ensure senior leaders create a strong quality culture that is supported by all employees.

Continuous improvement:

A strong quality culture is one in which all employees are committed to continuous improvement and the delivery of high-quality products or services. This requires the active engagement and support of senior leaders, who must communicate the importance of quality and compliance to all employees and establish clear expectations and policies. A well-developed continuous improvement culture can help RTOs identify and address areas for improvement before they become major issues. By regularly collecting and analysing data on student outcomes, staff performance, and other key metrics, RTOs can identify trends and areas for improvement early on. This can help them take proactive steps to address these issues before they become a larger problem, ultimately improving the quality of their training programs and the outcomes for students.

Modelling the way:

One key way in which senior leaders can create a strong quality culture is by setting a positive example. This means modelling good quality practices and behaviours and holding themselves and others accountable for meeting quality standards. Senior leaders can model the way by being open to feedback, investing in their own professional development, and taking calculated risks. By demonstrating these behaviours, they can create a culture of continuous improvement that inspires their staff to strive for excellence in everything they do. Senior leaders in RTOs can also benefit greatly from actively engaging and supporting a culture of continuous improvement. By fostering a culture of excellence, staying ahead of industry standards, empowering staff members, and proactively addressing areas for improvement, RTOs can improve their performance, increase their competitiveness, and ultimately achieve greater success in the marketplace. 

Clear communication: 

Another important aspect of creating a strong quality culture is communication. Senior leaders must clearly communicate their expectations and the importance of quality and compliance to all employees and ensure that there are channels in place for employees to report any concerns or issues. Clear communication of expectations and the importance of quality and compliance is crucial for senior leaders in RTOs to ensure that their organisation operates effectively and efficiently. When senior leaders clearly communicate their expectations, staff members have a better understanding of what is expected of them and are more likely to work towards those goals. Additionally, communicating the importance of quality and compliance helps staff members understand the role they play in ensuring the organization operates within regulatory requirements. Clear communication of expectations and the importance of quality and compliance can also help senior leaders mitigate risks and non-compliance. When staff members understand the importance of compliance and the potential consequences of non-compliance, they are more likely to take the necessary steps to ensure that the organization operates within regulatory requirements.

Provide resources and support:

In addition to setting a positive example and effective communication, senior leaders must also allocate the necessary resources and support to ensure quality and compliance within the organization. This may include providing training and development opportunities for employees, as well as investing in technology and other tools to support quality practices. By allocating resources and support senior leaders can help ensure that the organization operates within regulatory requirements. This can involve investing in professional development programs, hiring additional staff members to support compliance efforts, or partnering with external organisations to ensure that staff are up to date with regulatory requirements and industry developments. This can help prevent non-compliances and breaches, legal issues, and reputational damage.

Other feature articles:

Why you need to focus on your RTOs customers not compliance

How to build a culture of quality in your RTO

Why compliance does not equal quality in your RTO’s training and assessment

How to use systems to manage your RTOs self-assurance effectively

Top 5 quality priorities for RTOs in 2023

Five important self-assurance focus areas for RTOs to implement in 2023

Three ways in which RTO self-assurance systems can turn your business into a high performing organisation

 

References:

https://www.asqa.gov.au/how-we-regulate/self-assurance/building-shared-understanding-self-assurance

https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/skills-reform-overview/quality-reforms

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/focus-compliance

https://www.asqa.gov.au/rto/responsibilities