Minimum competencies and qualifications for trainers and assesssors

Minimum competencies and qualifications for trainers and assesssors 1 Purpose To provide ERTOA members with advice and guidelines for the interpretation and implementation of the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC) Determination on Training and Assessment Competencies to be held by Trainers and Assessors, dated 8 th December 2011. 2 Background The National Skills Standards Council (NSSC) met in Adelaide on Thursday 8 th December 2011. At this meeting the NSSC considered and endorsed a new Determination for Training and Assessment competencies to be held by Trainers and Assessors. This Determination specifies the qualifications or competencies that must be held, as a minimum, by trainers, persons delivering training under supervision, and assessors in the VET sector. The NSSC agreed to a transition period to 1 st July 2013, to allow providers time to adopt a planned approach to ensuring all trainers and assessors meet the requirements of this Determination by the 1 st July 2013 deadline. The Determination appears straight forward at first sight. However, its implementation within the enterprise RTO environment is problematic because the Determination does not define what it means by the terms Trainer and Assessor. The recent National Profile survey of enterprise RTOs confirmed that at least 75% of the training effort in enterprise RTOs is typically delivered by enterprise employees or volunteers who would not classify themselves as VET Trainers. 1 Not surprisingly the interpretation and implementation of this one size fits all Determination within the enterprise training environment is causing much concern and confusion amongst enterprise RTOs. ERTOA recommends the following approach to its members for responding to the Determination. 3 ERTOA Recommendations i) Enterprise Trainers Three distinct classifications of Trainers can be identified within the enterprise training environment. These are described in the following table together with the minimum training qualifications each classification of Trainer is expected to hold. Classification Description Recommended minimum qualifications Dedicated trainer: Workplace trainer: An employee of the enterprise whose formal job/position description describes their primary role as the delivery of training and/or the management of the team delivering training. An employee of the enterprise whose job/position description includes a specific training delivery role that is a minor part of their normal day-to-day duties. These employees are extracted from their normal workplace to deliver training of some type to other The standard job/position description for these employees would be expected to specify holding the TAE40110 Cert IV* qualification as a minimum requirement. (* or equivalent competencies) These employees would be expected to hold the TAE10 Enterprise Trainer Skill Set. This currently consists of the following two Units of Competency: TAEDEL301B - Provide work skill instruction BSBCMM401A - Make a presentation 1 See Summary Report of the 2011 National Profile Survey of Enterprise RTOs (Dec 2011) available at www.ertoa.org.au 1

employees. However, their primary job role is contributing to the business operations of the enterprise in the workplace. Subject matter expert: Employees whose job/position description does not include any specific reference to a training delivery role. This group includes volunteers. 2 These employees and volunteers are best classified as subject matter experts and they contribute to training outcomes by passing on their expert knowledge and skills to other employees on-the-job and/or in an informal or ad hoc manner through mentoring, tool box discussions and similar activities. The essential requirement here is demonstrated vocational competence/industry currency. These employees and volunteers are not required to hold any form of training qualification. Their contribution to the delivery of training within the enterprise would be supervised by a dedicated trainer and they may also receive support from available workplace trainers. ii) Enterprise Assessors Within the enterprise training environment a clear distinction can be made between the collection of evidence demonstrating competency and the confirmation of competency decision. Evidence of competency can take many forms one of the most valid is the actual performance of the job in the workplace to the performance standards expected of a fully competent employee. These performance standards are typically defined and measured as actual business outcomes such as productivity, product quality improved safety and reduced lost time accidents. In this environment there is a clear complementary relationship between the HR and training functions of the enterprise. This does not mean that everyone involved in the collection of evidence of competency in job performance needs to be a qualified assessor. However, it is important that the validity and accuracy of the evidence collected is verified before it contributes to the decision on the competency of the employee. The evidence collection tools and processes supporting the assessment of competency must be reviewed and approved by a qualified assessor. In practice then an enterprise assessor is best defined as any employee within the enterprise whose job role involves: the review and approval of competency assessment tools and processes, and/or the review and evaluation of evidence and the formal confirmation of the achievement of competency against the assessment requirements of a Unit of Competency. All employees within the enterprise whose job/position description includes specific reference to a competency assessment role must have the TAE10 Assessor Skills Set as a minimum qualification. This Skill Set currently consists of the following Units of Competency; TAEASS401B - Plan assessment activities and processes TAEASS402B - Assess competence TAEASS403B - Participate in assessment validation 2 Volunteers make a significant and essential contribution to training delivery in enterprise RTOs such as Rural Fire Brigades, State Emergency Services and State Branches of Surf Life Saving Australia. 2

Notes on the NSSC Determination The NSSC has determined that from 1 July 2013: A. TRAINERS MUST: Hold the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from the TAE10 Training and Assessment Training Package as a minimum qualification or be able to demonstrate equivalence of competencies; and (ii) Be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered and assessed; and (iii) Be able to demonstrate how they are continuing to develop their VET knowledge and skills as well as maintaining their industry currency and trainer/ assessor competence. B. PERSONS DELIVERING TRAINING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A TRAINER MUST: Work under the supervision of a trainer with the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or of a person who has demonstrated equivalence of competencies; and (ii) Hold the TAE10 Enterprise Trainer Skill Set or be able to demonstrate equivalence of competencies within two years of ERTOA Comments Within the enterprise training environment a trainer is best defined as an employee of the enterprise whose formal job/position description describes the delivery of training and/or the management of the team delivering training as their primary role. The standard job/position description for these employees would be expected to specify holding the TAE40110 Cert IV qualification as a minimum requirement. A wide variety of evidence can be used to demonstrate equivalence including consideration of relevant past training, including superseded and pre-existing teaching qualifications, experience in the successful delivery of training and participation in professional development activities. Note that this does not require a formal RPL process or the issue of a qualification. Demonstration of vocational competencies and the maintenance of industry currency should not present real problems for enterprise RTOs where the trainers are usually resourced from within the enterprise, work closely with the operational areas of the enterprise, deliver training in the workplace and know the business well. However, continuing development of VET knowledge could be an issue and would normally be addressed through a variety of professional development activities e.g. membership of associations, attending workshops/conferences, access to publications such as Campus Review, visits to other VET providers and participation in VET policy development reference groups. If the trainer has been recruited externally and has not had extensive experience with the enterprise business operations, or has been extracted from the work place to delivery training off-site for an extended period of time (say two years or more) then specific strategies to develop and/or maintain vocational competency and industry currency will need to be implemented to demonstrate compliance. You will need to ensure you are able to demonstrate the trainer knows what he is talking about and has credibility with the employees he is training and their team leaders/supervisors. The TAE10 Enterprise Trainer Skill Set consists of the following two Units of Competency: TAEDEL301B - Provide work skill instruction BSBCMM401A - Make a presentation Within the enterprise environment there are two broad classifications for persons delivering training under supervision of a trainer. These are; Employees whose job/position description includes an explicit training delivery role that is a minor part of their normal day-to-day duties. These employees are 3

commencing to deliver training while under supervision; and (iii) Be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered and assessed as well as maintaining their industry currency. C. ASSESSORS MUST: hold the TAE10 Assessor Skill Set or be able to demonstrate equivalence of competencies; and (ii) be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed; and (iii) be able to demonstrate how they are continuing to develop their VET knowledge and skills as well as maintaining their industry currency and assessor competence. extracted from the workplace to deliver training to other employees is some type. However, their primary job role is contributing to the business operations of the enterprise in the workplace. These employees would be expected to have the Enterprise Trainer Skill Set. Employees whose job/position description does not include any specific reference to a training delivery role. These employees are best classified as subject matter experts and they contribute to training outcomes by passing on their expert knowledge and skills to other employees on-the-job and/or in an informal or ad hoc manner through mentoring, tool box discussions and similar activities. These employees are not required to have a training qualification. Supervision is the provision of approved training materials and guides, supported by regular and ongoing guidance, direction and leadership from a person holding the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or from a person who has demonstrated equivalent competencies. The supervising person monitors and is accountable for the training delivery, and there should be some practical evidence of how this is done, e.g. notes from regular meetings of the training team at which training operations and performance are discussed and reviewed, and survey responses from employees being trained. Workplace trainers who are delivering training under the supervision of a person holding the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, or a person who has demonstrated equivalent competencies at the date of this Determination (8 December 2011), must obtain the TAE10 Enterprise Trainer Skill Set or demonstrate equivalence of competencies on or before 1 st July 2013. The TAE10 Assessor Skills Set consists of the following three Units of Competency: TAEASS401B - Plan assessment activities and processes TAEASS402B - Assess competence TAEASS403B - Participate in assessment validation If a person does not have all the assessment competencies as defined in,(ii) and (iii) then one or more persons with the combined expertise in, (ii) and (iii) may work together to conduct the assessment. This requirement should be applied to any person within the enterprise whose job role includes: the review and approval of competency assessment tools and processes, and/or the consideration of evidence and formal confirmation of the achievement of competency against the assessment requirements of a Unit of Competency. 4

Note on Vocational Competency Vocational competency is defined as broad industry knowledge and experience, usually (but not necessarily) combined with a relevant industry qualification. A person who has vocational competency will be familiar with the content of the vocation and will have relevant current experience in the industry. Demonstration of vocational competency should not be an issue for enterprise trainers and assessors and subject matter experts delivering training and assessment services associated with the core business of the enterprise. Note on demonstration of equivalent competence 3 Demonstration of equivalent competence 4 is where an RTO accepts that a person has broadly achieved the outcomes and standard of performance of a unit of competency (through other units of competency, subjects, courses, programs or experiences) and that the person s current competence is equivalent for the purposes of the NVR Standards for Registered Training Organisations. Note: Because it is not a formal assessment process, a qualification or Statement of Attainment will not be issued. The process for determining equivalence would typically involve the mapping of forms of certification or sets of experiences to the TAE10 units of competency, focusing on whether the outcomes match and whether achievement of the unit outcomes and performance requirements is demonstrated. The test of equivalence is that the unit outcomes and performance be demonstrated. RTOs, and people whose equivalent competence has been accepted for such purposes, should keep copies of completed self-assessment tools as documented evidence of having equivalent competence for TAE10 vocational competence requirements and NVR compliance purposes. Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) has developed a free self-assessment tool to support the demonstration of equivalent competence. This can be used for the full Certificate IV or the Units of Competency defined in the Trainer and Assessor Skills Sets. (Feedback from ERTOA members suggests this IBSA tool is pretty clunky and close to being over-the-top for use in the enterprise environment!). 3 4 See self-assessment tool at http://www.ibsa.org.au/news-and-projects/news/tabid/112/articletype/articleview/articleid/379/tae40110-selfassessment-tool-version-20.aspx Note: The TAE10 Training and Education Training Package must be the equivalence benchmark. 5