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ASQA Parliamentary Criticism Echo Sectors Concerns

The re gulator for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, the Australian Skills Quality Authority
(AS QA), has been criticised by Andrew Laming MP in a hard -hitting speech to parliament. According to the
Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (I TECA), the peak body representing independent providers
in the higher education, vocational education and training sector, the v iews of Mr Laming echo those of most
quality independent providers in the VET sector.

Mr Lam ing ‘s speech canvassed the experience of many providers in dealing with ASQA. It highlighted how
award -winning RTOs are being accu sed of failing to meet regulatory standards for min or technical bre aches of
the l egislation or on matters that have no bearing on student quality such as the colo ur of a logo on a website.

ITECA encour ages all with an interest in t he challenges facing quality RTO ‘s to list en to the speech. It was
made in parliament on 31 July 2019 and can be found online at.

www. youtu.be/bNnwn5gY8OM
“The experience of many ITECA members can be found in Mr Lami ng’s comments. He ‘s drawn attent ion
to how ASQA ‘s app roach keeps good people running quality RTO s up at night,” said Troy Williams, ITECA
Chief Ex ecutive.

Mr Lam ing ‘s speech h ighlighted how many quality RTO ‘s face the wrath of ASQA for compliance issues that
ha ve little to no outcome on the provision of quality providing of training to s tudents.

“ITECA isn ‘t calling for the regulatory system t o be wound -back, s imply that the approach of ASQA be
modified to focus less on what Mr Lam ing c orre ctly called a dmi nistrivia,” Mr Williams said.

In his comments Mr Laming said “Ever y provider I spo ke to said that if there were to be another provider
engaged in fraud, mismanagement or irrespo nsible training practice of course they should be driven from the
training system “. ITECA supports this view without qualification.

The work of ASQA was consider ed in the report Strengthening Skills: Expert Review of Australia’s Vocationa l
Education and Training System autho red by Mr Stephen Jo yce and commi ssioned by the Australian
Government. ITECA believes this report sets a roadmap for reform that will help quality RT Os.

“ITECA and our members are supportive of the board direction set out in the Joyce report and we ‘re
comfo rted by the en gagement that we ‘ve had at a Ministerial and department al l eve l to assist the
government develop an appropr iate response,” Mr Williams sa id.

/Public Release. View in full here.
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Overseas students choose Australia for quality VET

A growing number of overseas students are coming to Australia for vocational education and training (VET) and the national regulator is committed to ensuring quality learning experiences.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) report on its strategic review into international education finds that overseas students have good experiences studying in Australia, however work is needed to ensure this continues to be the case.

ASQA’s Chief Commissioner and CEO, Mark Paterson AO, said strong demand from overseas students has seen an increase in the number of registered providers delivering VET courses to overseas students and offering English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), or delivering training offshore.

“Our latest report is a comprehensive response to risks identified in Australia’s international VET and English language education markets,” Mr Paterson explained.

“We have found that a very high number of overseas students are satisfied with their experience gaining qualifications in Australia, so we can be confident that the majority of providers are delivering quality training.

“However more work is needed to make sure providers meet their obligations, and to ensure we have the right data to monitor activity and eliminate poor behaviour.

“We are committed to working in partnership with other government and industry bodies and the regulated community to address the complex and dynamic issues facing this growing sector.”

The report contains evidence that some VET providers are not meeting their obligations to ensure overseas students receive accurate information about their courses, meet the prerequisites for courses and participate in a minimum of 20 contact hours per week. It warns that providers failing to meet these obligations can cause significant harm to overseas students, undermine the community’s confidence in the VET sector and the student visa program, and impact providers that deliver quality VET courses.

The report’s recommendations include amending the National Code to make it explicit that overseas students are required to attend courses on a full-time basis, strengthening collaboration across agencies to ensure consistent access to data and intelligence and ensuring offshore students have the same protections as students in Australia.

ASQA will publish clear information for providers about expectations for delivering training to overseas students and continue work to identify and take action against providers not complying with their obligations.

The findings of the report will inform ASQA’s ongoing risk-based regulatory focus.

The full report, Protecting the quality of international VET and English language education, is available via the link below:

/Public Release. View in full here.
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Concerns for TAFE SA following MOU sell out

The Australian Education Union (SA Branch) has raised serious concerns over today’s announcement by Minister Gardner regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between TAFE SA and the Independent Tertiary Education Council of Australia (ITECA).

The agreement opens the door to private providers taking up residence at TAFE sites, directing policy and cherry picking the delivery of profitable courses.

ITECA is open about actively pursuing its reform agenda by increasing its private provider members’ share of the vocational education and training sector.

Australian Education Union South Australian President Howard Spreadbury is wary of how TAFE SA and ITECA will work together under this new agreement.

“The two organisations are in direct competition within the same market. Minister Gardner’s statement confirms he will allow private providers to further erode TAFE’s market share, compromise its independence and allow ITECA to push its own agenda,” said Mr Spreadbury.

Instead the AEU is calling for the Marshall Liberal Government to recognise the value of TAFE SA and to return appropriate investment levels, suggesting this would be a more effective way to make it more competitive and sustainable in the long term.

“TAFE SA is the largest provider of vocational education and training in the state and must be valued for its place within the community. TAFE SA provides quality education that is accessible to all, offering pathways for many who may otherwise miss out on opportunities.”

The AEU asserts that TAFE SA is already responsive to the needs of employers and works with industry groups to deliver quality training to build a skilled and sustainable workforce for South Australia.

There are concerns about how TAFE SA facilities may be used in the future. It may end up being more ‘competitive’ for TAFE SA under its new management to lease out its facilities rather than provide courses for students.

“It is like having a ‘fire sale’ after the place has been gutted. Instead of supporting and investing in TAFE SA, the Marshall Government is surrendering its responsibility and handing it over to private providers who are driven by profit,” said Mr Spreadbury.

“Letting private providers access taxpayer-funded facilities and set up in direct competition on TAFE SA’s own doorstep has the potential to undermine TAFE program delivery.”

/Public Release.
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Time for a radical overall of nation’s skills funding system

The peak body representing independent higher education, vocational education and training providers is calling for radical reform of how the workforce is educated, trained and reskilled. The advocacy by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) is backed by new research that highlights the benefits of placing student choice at the centre of the funding model.

“In the years ahead Australia will face constraints as a result of not having a workforce with the skills required to meet the demands of a changing economy. The training system needs to support a culture of life‐long learning where constant reskilling is the norm. The challenge for governments Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.

The 2019 ITECA State Of The Sector Report released this week provides the evidence required to overhaul the funding arrangements that underpin Australia’s vocational education and training system. The report highlights that, by virtually any measure, independent achieve outcomes equal to or better than public providers.

“We need one tertiary education funding model that supports students throughout their working lives and allows them to transit between the higher education and vocational education and training sectors. This will support a culture of life‐long learning,” Mr Williams said.

ITECA believes that present policy settings are unlikely to provide Australia with the skills needed to support an economy in which rapidly changing technology is the norm. The demands are such that vestment in workforce reskilling without the support of the independent tertiary education system that includes independent higher ing model that preferences the ECA.

“Policy settings must promote the complementarity of the public TAFE system and the independent vocational education and training system. Students should be able to select the quality provider of their choice – whether public or independent – and government funding models should be based on this approach,” Mr Williams said.

The 2019 ITECA State Of The Sector Report more than 60% of the 4.2 million students in vocational education and training. It notes that for domestic students it costs government $2,400 per student trained by independent providers in the vocational education and training system but $5,500 per student trained by public TAFE institutes.

l, where they can select the provider of their choice, whether they be a quality independent provider or public provider,” Mr Williams said.

/Public Release. View in full here.
SourceAAP:www.miragenews.com
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TAFE facing dismal future under Morrison Govt

Australia’s TAFE system faces a dismal future if the years of neglect, underfunding and privatisation by federal Coalition governments continues under the Morrison Government’s discredited contestable funding model.

Today is National TAFE Day, with colleges and students across the country recognising the day with morning teas and BBQs. Australian Education Union (AEU) Deputy Federal President Maurie Mulheron said the entire TAFE system is at risk unless radical action is taken to restore funding and confidence in the system.

“TAFE has served faithfully for decades, having provided vocational education for millions of Australian plumbers, nurses, child care staff and other workers. However, under the Morrison Government the very future of TAFE itself is under threat,” Mr Mulheron said.

“Despite the clear and undisputed benefits that a robustly funded and administered public TAFE and vocational education sector provides our economy and our society, there has been a concerted and continual drive from successive Coalition governments to marginalise vocational education and deprioritise TAFE.”

“The almost complete surrender by the Morrison Government of the provision of vocational education to market forces has resulted in a massive decline of vocational education in Australia,” Mr Mulheron said.

“There was not a single mention of TAFE in the Morrison Government’s first Budget, while the recent Joyce Review of vocational education was clear in its aims of deprioritising TAFE as a keystone of the vocational education sector in Australia.”

Mr Mulheron said that in 2009, TAFE institutions taught 81% of all publicly-funded full-time-equivalent students in Australia. Five years later, this figure had reduced to 57%. Over the same period, private for-profit providers increased their share of publicly-funded full-time-equivalent students from 15% to 40% and increased their total student numbers by 286%.

“According to new research, in 2016 there were over 4600 active registered training providers, but only 96 of those providers have more than 100 full time students,” Mr Mulheron said.

“It is plainly evident that quality cannot be consistently maintained at a system level when that system is populated by thousands of tiny individual private providers, some of whom have participated in recruitment and enrolment practices that have been described as ‘skirting the edge of legality’.”

“The continued attempts by successive state, territory and federal governments to shift this sector towards privatisation have severely eroded the viability of many public TAFE institutions and undermined public confidence in the system,” Mr Mulheron said.

Mr Mulheron called upon the Morrison Government to:

1. Guarantee a minimum of 70% government funding to the public TAFE system. In addition, no public funding should go to private for-profit providers, consistent with other education sectors.

2. Restore funding and rebuild the TAFE system, to restore confidence in the quality of the courses and qualifications and the institution.

3. Abandon the failed student loans experiment, and cancel the debts of all students caught up in private for-profit provider scams.

4. Re-invest in the TAFE teaching workforce and develop a future-focused TAFE workforce development strategy in collaboration with the profession and unions.

5. Develop a capital investment strategy in consultation with state governments, to address the deplorable state of TAFE facilities around the country.

6. Support a comprehensive independent inquiry into TAFE.

“TAFE is the bedrock of Australia’s vocational education system and TAFE institutions have a history of providing high quality technical, further and general education at a level of quality or consistency that the relatively recently -conceived private vocational education sector has been unable to match,” Mr Mulheron said.

“The Morrison Government must immediately pledge support to restore TAFE to the heart of vocational education in Australia. Anything less than this risks losing an educational gem which is the envy of the rest of the world.”

Ideas on how to celebrate National TAFE Day can be found at http://www.stoptafecuts.com.au/

/Public Release. View in full here.
SourceAAP:www.miragenews.com
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Budget builds skills for Queensland’s future jobs

The Palaszczuk Government is investing even more in training and skilling Queenslanders in the 2019-20 budget.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman said the latest budget has delivered an additional $24 million, bringing the Training and Skills budget to $978 million.

“We want to ensure that Queenslanders have access to state of the art training facilities,” Ms Fentiman said.

“And our capital works program will more than double this year, with over $105 million in upgrades to ensure TAFE facilities across the state can offer high quality training spaces to skilled Queenslanders for the jobs of the future.”

“Key projects include upgrades at TAFE campuses on the Gold Coast, Alexandra Hills and Mt Gravatt, while continuing works at Pimlico in Townsville and Toowoomba– these are just some examples of our commitment to strengthening the state’s TAFE network.”

“Investing in fit-for-purpose training infrastructure is essential to ensure Queenslanders can access the skills they need to get a job and pursue an exciting career in our state’s growing industries.”

“These projects will also support existing apprentices, trainees and workers in the construction sector and associated businesses.”

Investing in skills training continues to be a focus in this year’s State Budget with funding for vocational education and training including apprenticeships and traineeships, certificate and Higher Level Skills programs as well as new initiatives to prepare workers for the future of work.

“This year we will launch a three-year, $5.5 million Micro-Credentialing pilot project to support employers and their workers to gain the skills needed to adapt to workplace changes including new technologies,” Ms Fentiman said.

“The first year of the Micro-Credentialing pilot will design a program offering a range of skill sets, soft skills training and short courses for a peak industry body to promote to their members.

“These employers will also be able to choose personalised or role-specific training for their staff.”

“We will invest in a Higher Level Apprenticeships pilot to work with industry to develop training pathways that cover specialised skills and emerging knowledge on top of the traditional apprenticeship program.

“This is on top of continuing our successful free tafe initiative that is providing young Queenslanders with the opportunity to study in one of 160 high priority course for free in the 12 months after they graduate high school.”

In addition, the successful $420 million Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative will assist another 10,000 disadvantaged people with $80 million to be invested across the state in 2019–20.

“Skilling Queenslanders for Work continues to assist people who have struggled to find the right opportunity, to get the skills and training they need to get a job.

“And so far we have assisted over 40,000 Queenslanders with 73 per cent of participants going on to get a job or further training,” Ms Fentiman said.

“In addition, our Back to Work program will continue to give local businesses the confidence to be able to employ more Queenslanders with more than 19,000 people already gaining employment through our assistance to more than 9,200 employers through this program.”

“Over 51 per cent of our skills and training investment this financial year to 30 May 2019 is in areas outside of south east Queensland, supporting skills development and employment in regional areas.

“This State Budget will support Queenslanders into training pathways in a variety of careers including traditional trades as well as growing industries in areas like digital technology and the community services sector which will continue to demand skilled workers.

“The Palaszczuk Government is supporting the state’s apprentices, trainees and VET students, who will be the skilled and creative workforce needed to drive economic growth and future prosperity.”

/Public Release. View in full here.
sourceAAP:www.miragenews.com
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Education & Skills Ministerial Appointments Welcomed By Independent Providers

Education & Skills Ministerial Appointments Welcomed By Independent Providers

The continuation of the Hon. Dan Tehan MP as Education Minister and Sen. Hon. Michaelia Cash as Minister with responsibility for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business has been welcomed by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA). ITECA has also welcomed the appointment of the Hon. Steve Irons MP as Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships.

ITECA is the peak body representing the independent tertiary education system that encompasses the independent higher education, vocational education, training and skills sectors.

“The coming three years presents Australia with a real opportunity to restructure the tertiary education system so that there is greater integration between the higher education, vocational education, training and skills sectors. Students should be able to transition from one sector to the other relatively seamlessly without the challenges of different funding models,” said Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.

During the coming fortnight ITECA will seek meetings with Ministers Tehan, Cash and Irons to start the conversation to put in place the reforms which will create an integrated tertiary education system in which the higher education and vocational education sectors retain their separate identities.

“ITECA will work with the new Ministerial team to ensure that students can chose the quality provider of their choice, whether this be an independent provider or a public provider in the higher education, vocational education and training sectors. At the heart of these reforms is the need to put student choice at the forefront,” Mr Williams said.

In the short-term, an immediate priority for ITECA will be to encourage the Australian Government to reduce the unnecessary red-tape that’s abundant in the tertiary education sector.

“ITECA has a track-record of working with government to lift an understanding of, and compliance with, the regulatory standards for independent tertiary education providers. Quality is very much front and centre of ITECA’s culture and that of our members; however, it’s clear that there is a significant degree of regulatory overreach that’s doing little to support quality student outcomes,” Mr Williams said.

With respect to addressing the red-tape in the vocational education and training system, ITECA sees the recently released report Strengthening Skills: Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System as providing the framework to reduce-red tape. ITECA looks forward to working with Minister Irons on progressing the reforms set out in the report.

The importance of the independent tertiary education system is highlighted by the fact that independent higher education providers supported 143,680 students in 2017. In that same year independent providers supported some 60% of the 4.2 million students enrolled in vocational education and training. ITECA’s purpose is to ensure that the independent tertiary education system is united, unformed and influential.

Until mid-May 2019 ITECA was known as the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET).

/Public Release.
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Labor’s commitment to VET funding should be focused on outcomes

The Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) welcomes Labor’s commitment to invest in

providing Australians with the skills to support a growing economy.

Providing the existing workforce and those entering the workforce with the skills that allow Australians to be meaningfully employed in the jobs of the future is a noble objective.

“If Labor is elected, ACPET looks forward to supporting them to create a tertiary education sector that delivers the outcomes that students and employers are looking for. It is the independent tertiary education sector that will help a Labor Government achieve this at a lower cost than the public TAFE colleges” said Troy Williams.

“The data here is clear, it is independent providers and not the public sector that have a track record of achieving higher completion rates, higher starting salaries and higher post-training employment rates” Mr Williams said.

Independent providers play the most significant role in the delivery of VET in Australia, with some 4.2 million students choosing to study with an independent VET provider, representing 60 per cent of all Vocational Education and Training (VET) students nationally, whereas TAFEs deliver to 16 per cent of all VET students.

In 2017, just 27.7 per cent of the $2.1 billion of government funding invested into VET was awarded to non- TAFEs. In a training system where 60 per cent of students choose to study with an independent provider, there is clearly a mismatch in funding support to students.

“It is important that student choice be preserved. The priority for the next Australian Government should be on allowing students to access public funds with high quality providers, by harnessing market forces to achieve the best possible outcomes in the most effective and efficient way,” Mr Williams said.

ACPET represents the nation’s independent tertiary education system that encompasses higher education, vocational education and training sectors.

/Public Release.
Source:www.miragenews.com
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Labor’s commitment to VET funding should be focused on outcomes

The Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) welcomes Labor’s commitment to invest in

providing Australians with the skills to support a growing economy.

Providing the existing workforce and those entering the workforce with the skills that allow Australians to be meaningfully employed in the jobs of the future is a noble objective.

“If Labor is elected, ACPET looks forward to supporting them to create a tertiary education sector that delivers the outcomes that students and employers are looking for. It is the independent tertiary education sector that will help a Labor Government achieve this at a lower cost than the public TAFE colleges” said Troy Williams.

“The data here is clear, it is independent providers and not the public sector that have a track record of achieving higher completion rates, higher starting salaries and higher post-training employment rates” Mr Williams said.

Independent providers play the most significant role in the delivery of VET in Australia, with some 4.2 million students choosing to study with an independent VET provider, representing 60 per cent of all Vocational Education and Training (VET) students nationally, whereas TAFEs deliver to 16 per cent of all VET students.

In 2017, just 27.7 per cent of the $2.1 billion of government funding invested into VET was awarded to non- TAFEs. In a training system where 60 per cent of students choose to study with an independent provider, there is clearly a mismatch in funding support to students.

“It is important that student choice be preserved. The priority for the next Australian Government should be on allowing students to access public funds with high quality providers, by harnessing market forces to achieve the best possible outcomes in the most effective and efficient way,” Mr Williams said.

ACPET represents the nation’s independent tertiary education system that encompasses higher education, vocational education and training sectors.

/Public Release.
Source:www.miragenews.com