As an RTO providing vocational education and training, it is important to build a culture of quality in order to deliver the best possible learning experiences to your students and industry. A culture of quality refers to a commitment to continuously improving and striving for excellence in all aspects of your RTO’s operations. Overall, poor quality culture in an RTO can have dire consequences for your business and the students. Some of the signs that may indicate your RTO has a poor-quality culture are high rates of student dissatisfaction including complaints and appeals, low completion rates and high attrition rates, ineffective or outdated teaching practices, lack of resources and lack of relevant industry experience or qualifications among trainers and assessors. In this article, we will discuss some key ways in which you can build a culture of quality in your RTO, including through your assessment system, trainer and assessor credentials, and academic planning.

Table of Contents

Robust and effective assessment system:

One key element of building a culture of quality is by having a robust and effective assessment system. Assessment systems should be designed to accurately measure student learning and progress and should be aligned with the relevant industry or occupation standards. In order to ensure the quality of your assessment system, it is important to:

Use reliable and valid assessment tools: This includes assessment tasks and instruments that accurately measure student learning and progress.
Ensure that your assessors are qualified and experienced: Your assessors should have relevant industry experience and qualifications and should be trained in the use of your assessment tools and processes.
Regularly review and update your assessment system: As the needs of your students and the industry change, it is important to regularly review and update your assessment system to ensure that it is meeting the needs of your learners and is aligned with industry standards.

Trainer and assessor credentials:

Another important aspect of building a culture of quality is ensuring that your trainers and assessors have the necessary credentials and work history. This includes having relevant industry experience and qualifications, as well as being trained in the use of your teaching and assessment methods and tools. By hiring qualified trainers and assessors, you can ensure that your students are receiving high-quality training and assessment.

Well-defined and effective academic planning:

Finally, having well-defined and effective academic planning processes is crucial for building a culture of quality in your RTO. This includes things like:

Setting clear learning outcomes: Clearly define what your students should be able to do after completing their training and assessment and ensure that teaching and assessment activities are aligned with these outcomes.
Using a variety of teaching and learning methods: A variety of teaching and learning methods can help ensure that your students are engaged and motivated to learn. This might include things like lectures, discussions, hands-on activities, and online learning.
Providing ongoing support to students: It is important to provide ongoing support to students throughout their learning journey, including things like tutorial support and access to resources and technology.