Creating Futures. Submission. VET Training Products for the 21 st Century. March

Transcription

1 Creating Futures Submission VET Training Products for the 21 st Century March

2 Contents 1. Introduction The Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA40104) The ACPET model for the TAA Comments on the IBSA proposed model for TAA a. The TAA40104 qualification includes no assessment of competencies related to the central task, the actual delivery of training, in its core units...5 b. The inclusion of the three Learning Environment units is not justifiable in the qualification...6 c. The role of the elective units is unclear within the qualification...6 d. There is expressed concern with the assessment units in the qualification Contact Creating Futures

3 1. Introduction The Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) is the peak, national industry association for independent providers of post-compulsory education and training. ACPET represents more than 1,100 organisations, from schools to higher education institutes, delivering a full range of education, training and English language courses to both domestic and international students. ACPET welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the Review of the Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA40104) and the proposed revised model put forward by Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA). This response is based on the need for one Australian tertiary education system with a continuum of qualifications and the removal of artificial sectoral barriers to tailoring and delivering innovative courses utilising both academic and vocational education strengths. As stated in its response to the Review of Training Products for the 21 st Century, ACPET support the need to develop a policy framework to enable VET qualifications and products to respond to changing labour market demand for skills needed by businesses, industry and individuals including the need to: redefine the term competence as currently used in the National Training System (NTS) to acknowledge cognitive thinking and personal attributes in accredited courses and qualifications within the Training Packages; review the appropriateness of qualification levels and descriptors under the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) particularly above Certificate IV level; create more flexibility and portability within and across Training Packages to support the needs of industry and assist individuals move through industry and/or career pathways; encourage innovative learning and assessment practices to assist with the recognition of all types of learning; and develop a system of crediting all forms of learning as a means of gaining a qualification. ACPET support broader statements of learning outcomes based on different levels and combinations of skill development and cognitive thinking underpinned by the employability (soft, core, generic, etc) skills and personal attributes. The level of prescriptive statements, non-flexible packaging rules and anti-competitive funding regimes has acted to limit local, regional, national and international VET market contexts. The stringently enforced, legislative prohibitions on the differentiation and specialisation of VET product and service delivery, restricts the ability of providers to meet the range of needs of different clients of the system, especially individual learners. There needs to be a broader definition of the purpose, outcomes and assessment strategies permitted in course design especially if the course is needed to meet the needs of a much wider range of stakeholders than just industry employers. High quality VET course accreditation can be readily based 3 Creating Futures

4 on fit for purpose, market relevance and alignment with Tertiary Education policies, selectively addressing different aspects of government priority for local, regional, national and international application. 2. The Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA40104) The Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA40104) qualification is considered as the basic training qualification (entry level) for the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. As stated: The Training and Assessment Training Package (TAA04) is designed to meet the current and future competency development and qualification needs of new and existing personnel working in a broad range of work functions and activities within vocational education and training. It provides a clear set of benchmarks to support both initial competency achievement and ongoing staff and professional development. 1 In attempting to develop a qualification across the broad range of work functions and activities of new and existing personnel in VET, the design of the qualification has moved away from what should be its primary purpose - to prepare individuals to be competent to plan, facilitate and assess learning or part thereof via skills sets. As a starting point to developing expertise in planning, facilitating and assessing learning, ACPET agrees with the statement in IBSA s consultation paper that the TAA40104 should: provide both the essential elements of what is needed and a firm foundation on which to build further knowledge and skills, whether that comes from on-the-job experience, or further learning, or both. However, by trying to serve too many masters, the current TAA40104 qualification has resulted in a large number (12) of core units of competency with only a small choice for (2) for electives. This number of core units exceeds the average number of core units (6-8) in most Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Certificate IV level qualifications. Any changes to this qualification must also take into account the proposals put forward by the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Council on strengthening the AQF. In the consultation paper for the TAA40104, IBSA refer to the distinguishing features of Certificate IV Qualifications in the AQF Implementation Handbook (2007, p. 33). Therefore, any changes to the AQF framework must be considered when reviewing the TAA40104 qualification Creating Futures

5 3. The ACPET model for the TAA40104 The focus of the TAA40104 qualification and therefore its core units must centre on the competencies of planning, facilitating and assessing learning. The context in which this learning occurs should be covered by electives such as work-based, e-learning, group-based and individual learning so that the qualification can be customized to suit the needs of the client (individuals and employers). The building of this qualification around the specific knowledge and skills needed to plan, facilitate and assess learning will also help to address current concerns around the quality of VET assessment by building trainer and/or assessor capability. ACPET propose that IBSA identify which elements of competencies across the current TAA40104 qualification can be grouped into the 3 focus areas and either rewrite or redesign the qualification based on preparing individuals to be competent at planning, facilitating and assessing learning. These three areas would serve as the foundation from which an individual would develop further expertise. ACPET s model for the TAA40104 would then comprise preferably 6 and at the most 8 core units of competency based on the three key areas of planning, facilitating and assessing learning. A wider range of electives (4-6) including 1-2 units of competency imported from other Training Packages could then be offered. This wider range of electives would then support RTO s to customize the learning program based on the needs of the learner and ensure that the individual is competent to train and/or assess in their relevant environment. 4. Comments on the IBSA proposed model for TAA40104 IBSA s revised model addresses that: a. The TAA40104 qualification includes no assessment of competencies related to the central task, the actual delivery of training, in its core units. b. The inclusion of the three Learning Environment units is not justifiable in the qualification. c. The role of the elective units is unclear within the qualification. d. There is expressed concern with the assessment units in the qualification. a. The TAA40104 qualification includes no assessment of competencies related to the central task, the actual delivery of training, in its core units ACPET agree that in preparing individuals to become trainers, it is imperative that they demonstrate the actual delivery of training as part of their assessment. Therefore, a unit of competency which describes the knowledge and skills needed to deliver training must be included as a core competency. ACPET support an approach where IBSA rewrite and redesign a unit or units of competency which focus on preparing the client to become competent at delivering training in a number of different contexts. 5 Creating Futures

6 b. The inclusion of the three Learning Environment units is not justifiable in the qualification ACPET agree with IBSA s evaluation that the elements of competence included in the learning environment units are covered by other units of competency in the TAA40104 qualification. Provided RTOs are informed and educated about the coverage of these particular competencies then ACPET supports the removal of the 3 units of competency grouped under the heading Learning Environment. As part of this education, it is important that RTOs understand the need to support learners to initially be competent at working effectively in the VET sector and build learning programs underpinned by the VET context. c. The role of the elective units is unclear within the qualification ACPET support a model where there is a wider selection of elective units. This support is based on the principle that the choice of electives will build the context of learning for the client who is preparing to be competent at planning, facilitating and assessing the learning of others. Clients, in completing the TAA40104 qualification need to be satisfied that their purpose for doing the qualification is met. For example, an employee from an enterprise RTO will need to be confident that he/she is competent to plan, facilitate and assess the learning of other employees in the organization. The employer must also have confidence, that the trainer and/or assessor will maintain the quality of its policies and processes in preparing employees for their role in the organization. On the other hand, an individual may want to do the qualification as part of a career move so his/her learning program must be customized to suit those requirements. Although the needs of the client in terms of the purpose for doing the course will differ, the key knowledge and skill areas (plan, facilitate and assess learning) do not alter. Rather, the context in which these core competencies will be applied will definitely alter. d. There is expressed concern with the assessment units in the qualification ACPET agrees that there is definitely a need to improve the confidence of employers in the competency of trainers and assessors. ACPET actively participated in the previous scoping study completed on behave of the National Quality Council and strongly recommended professional development opportunities for the VET workforce. ACPET support the need to review the assessment units of competency so that the trainer and/or assessor will be competent to effectively assess the learning of other individuals. A competent assessor must be able to gather the required evidence and then make a judgement against a set of criteria of whether that evidence sufficiently proves the individual has met the stated criteria. Employers need to have confidence in this process and the resulting outcomes. 6 Creating Futures

7 5. Contact Rosemary Potter National Manager, Policy and Research Ph: Creating Futures