I NNOVATION AND B USINESS S KILLS A USTRALIA

A USTRALIA ’ S M OST I MPORTANT Q UALIFICATION A ROADMAP FOR REFORM

J ANUARY 2014

Introduction Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) is responsible for Australia’s most important qualification – the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. This is the entry-level standard for VET training and assessing and the most common qualification held by trainers and assessors. If the content or the delivery of this qualification is below par, Australia’s labour force will not be properly trained. This could have extensive economic implications. Numerous reports over the last five years have highlighted concerns regarding VET teacher skills in the delivery and design of training and assessment, leading to calls for stronger efforts to assure the quality and adequacy of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. The qualification has been and continues to be strengthened and new proposals are on the table recommending extra requirements around volume of learning and higher qualifications for trainers and assessors. However, it is unclear as yet whether these moves will be sufficient to restore confidence in the qualification. The issue is complex and requires collaborative efforts by all stakeholders, from product developers to providers, regulators to practitioners. Recognising the critical importance of this issue, on 18 December 2013 IBSA convened a round table of experienced decision-makers in the VET system to talk through the problems and test out possible solutions. This report provides a summary of discussions at the round table and suggestions on how to move forward.

Round table participants Chris Robinson - Chief Commissioner, ASQA Erica Smith - Robert HT Smith Professor and Personal Chair, University of Ballarat Hugh Guthrie - Principal Research Fellow, Victoria University Phil Clarke - General Manager, Office of the NSSC, NATESE Marilyn Hart - Director, Tertiary Education Reform, AWPA Denise Stevens – CEO, VET Development Centre (TDA nominee) Janine Schubert – Director, Product, TAFE Queensland Liz Hoffmann – Director, Australian College of Applied Animal Studies (ACPET nominee) Liz Stafford–Manager, Government and Policy, ASQA Mitch Cleary - Managing Director, Precision Consultancy IBSA Patricia Neden -CEO David Collins – Chair, Education Sector Advisory Committee Rosalie Staggard – General Manager, Industry Projects Robert Bluer - Industry Manager, Education Ithaca Group Rod McDonald and Katy O’Callaghan

Key messages from the Round Table 1.

The time for tinkering is over. All stakeholders need to recognise the pivotal importance of the Certificate IV, in terms of underpinning the quality of all VET in Australia. This is a qualification like no other and therefore can be subject to different rules.

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 2

2.

Regulation alone cannot be relied upon to improve the confidence in TAE qualifications (“by the time we get to them, the damage is done”). But higher barriers to entry for RTOs would help.

3.

A particular focus on assessment is needed. Assessment skills are sorely lacking in the VET teaching and training workforce.

4.

There are large sections of the existing VET workforce who were not well trained and now hold inadequate qualifications. Responses are needed to address skill gaps in this group, as well as ensuring the quality of training for new entrants to the profession.

5.

The TAE is but one contributor to a quality VET system. Significant needs exist for initiatives that support excellence in teaching and elevate the status and professionalism of VET teachers and trainers.

The problems Lack of assessment skills Participants highlighted that a real weakness in the VET system is how students are assessed. Most noncompliances against the RTO standards are due to a lack of rigour around assessment. This undermines the value of all qualifications. Because existing trainers are not good at assessment, they cannot teach assessment properly. Furthermore, there are very few assessment experts in Australia to learn from about good practice.

Out of date/inadequate qualifications of existing staff Some participants felt that a key problem is that RTOs, particularly TAFE systems, haven’t kept their staff members’ qualifications up to date and there has been too much ‘equivalence’ granted over the years. Furthermore, many of those who have undertaken Certificate IV recently, may well have received rushed or curtailed versions of the course (see issue below), and not achieved an appropriate level of competence. Participants noted the changes proposed by the NSSC due to commence in early 2014, which will require all staff to have the latest TAE qualification. However, the perception of the TAE as a ‘necessary evil to get out of the way’ may continue to hinder the quality of delivery of the TAE to existing staff. Other participants questioned whether the proposal to upgrade all VET staff to the TAE is the best use of professional development funds, given the diversity skills and skill gaps in the VET workforce.

History of Certificate IV being offered as a ‘short course’ The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is traditionally offered as a short course. It is rare for this qualification to be delivered in more than 6 months. While AQF guidelines recommend the volume of learning for a Certificate IV should be 6 months to 2 years, this is not well known or reflected in practice. Therefore, students are not getting enough experience applying skills in different contexts before they are assessed as competent. The perception of the qualification as a short course has damaged its reputation as a pathway to a viable career. Anecdotal evidence was cited that some people are undertaking the qualification because it is a quick course they can complete to fulfil their Centrelink requirements, not because they intend to work as a VET practitioner. The expectation that the Certificate IV should be delivered as a short course is now strongly embedded within the industry and amongst consumers, and some believe it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to change this.

TAE cannot be all things to all people Participants questioned whether the Certificate IV should be the minimum qualification for all VET teachers and trainers. For example, it may not be ideal for those who are doing mentoring or training as a small part of their role; for those who already have education backgrounds; for those in large RTOs who are performing only one aspect of training or assessment e.g. writing programs; or for the many people needing to teach just one short course e.g. first aid. There was a concern that we are trying to force too much onto the TAE, particularly the Certificate IV.

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 3

Skill sets have been developed to deal with the different markets, but there has been little take up of these options. With most RTOs offering the Certificate IV as a short course, students realise that I tis almost as cheap and easy to get a full qualification, as it is to complete a skill set.

Lack of external scrutiny Participants felt that the lack of external scrutiny on the VET sector, particularly in relation to assessment approaches, means that RTOs can get away with poor quality delivery and passing students that are not yet competent. Some noted that this was a particular problem when an RTO delivers training to its own staff because there is no pressure from external customers for quality delivery.

Lack of commitment to professional development Participants highlighted a lack of commitment to ongoing professional development amongst RTOs and governments. There are a number of reasons for this. The continuing decline in dollars allocated per student contact hour means there is less money available for professional development. Also, VET teaching and training is not high status. People don’t aspire to be a VET educator and the occupation has not developed a culture of professionalism. Furthermore, there are no incentives built into the system to for RTOs or individuals to invest in higher qualifications or professional development. The message needs to be that the Certificate IV on its own is not enough – it is only the beginning of the learning journey for VET teachers – and many more VET teachers should be going on to higher education to foster professional practice, collegial activity and reflective critical faculties.

Perception of TAE as a money-spinner in a competitive market The TAE, particularly the Certificate IV when offered as a short course, has become a money-spinner for RTOs, with over 800 now having the qualification on scope. Because consumers generally will opt for short and cheap courses, the longer, more expensive and higher quality offerings are having difficulty sustaining their products in the competitive marketplace. Participants said that this proves that consumers cannot be relied upon as the vehicles for assuring quality of delivery. There is concern that if the NSSC proposal for teachers of the Certificate IV to hold a Diploma of VET is approved, a similar downgrading of volume of learning offered for this qualification will occur as many new providers enter the market and compete to provide the shortest, cheapest courses. The warning signs are there now - the number of RTOs with the Diploma of VET on scope recently shot up from 78 to 100 (now 114) on the strength of the NSSC’s draft proposal.

The regulator cannot search out all poor practice Participants pointed out that relying on a regulator to uncover all instances of poor practice is not an adequate response. Most RTOs are only audited only once every five years so it is too late by the time the regulator becomes involved; the students have already received poor training. Even those that are picked up for poor quality services often to revert back to their old practices after audit.

Lack of industry voice in consultations on TAE A key issue affecting the quality of the content of the qualification is that developers have difficulty obtaining the views of the VET ‘industry’. Consultations on the TAE tend to be dominated by people who deliver training, not the owners or CEOs of RTOs from different industries, who are the employers. This skews the process. Teachers and trainers have a conflict of interest in providing feedback – they are focused on having a qualification that is easy to deliver, rather than one that is rigorous and high-quality.

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 4

Lack of information about the workforce Finally, the point was made that we still do not have decent information about the make-up of the VET workforce, including background and qualifications of practitioners. To some extent we are ‘flying blind’ when designing policy solutions.

The solutions The participants outlined a number of ideas, each of which would go some way to improving the quality of VET’s teachers and assessors.

Restrict the TAE training market

∂ Restrict which RTOs are eligible to deliver the Certificate IV and the Diploma of VET, and do not allow automatic extension of scope. This will require new ‘riding instructions’ for regulators, and agreement by STAs to use their funding arrangements to fund only ‘high quality’ deliverers.

∂ Alternatively, allow only a small number of accredited providers or ‘centres of excellence’ to deliver VET teaching qualifications. These organisations would be responsible for all VET teacher training from a Certificate III through to a Master Degree.

∂ Implement a scheme to provide more information to consumers about preferred RTOs (e.g. see Service Skills Australia ‘Right Way Recognition’ and the Star Rating Scheme offered by the former Institute for Trade Skills Excellence)

Focus on improving assessment skills

∂ Fund widespread professional development focused on assessment practice such as the development and delivery of a ‘masterclass’ for teachers of assessment and/or a requirement that every VET teacher undertakes a unit in advanced assessment practice.

∂ Give much greater prominence to assessment skills in both the Certificate IV and Diploma qualifications by, for example: o

making particular units such as ‘design and develop assessment tools’ core units

o

mandating the context of assessment e.g. including a requirement for all students to undertake assessments a certain number of times, in a range of different contexts

o

developing additional support materials about how to perform assessments, including RPL (e.g. ‘green box’)

∂ Develop contextualised skill sets so that each industry has an industry-specific assessor skill set. This is based on the premise that people are more likely to undertake training in their vocational area than in generic training and assessing.

Ensure better quality delivery

∂ Mandate an assessment tool or standardised assessment processes for assessing the Certificate IV and the Diploma of VET.

∂ Implement processes for external validation of assessments (however, there was an acceptance that this will be costly).

∂ Require trainers to have a Diploma of VET to deliver the Certificate IV (this proposal is already on the table).

Maintain rigour in the content of the Certificate IV

∂ Develop a Certificate III in the TAE to prevent declining standards within the Certificate IV.

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 5

∂ Review the consultation process on the TAE to ensure unbiased feedback. For example, identify a targeted group of RTO owners/employers who work within a range of industry areas to consult with about changes to the TAE, rather than people who may be ‘protecting their positions’.

∂ Strengthen entry requirements to TAE programs, including requirements for students to have industry currency.

Support professional development for existing staff

∂ State Governments to provide incentives for RTOs to provide professional development e.g. tie funding to professional development opportunities provided to staff.

∂ Establish an Office of Learning and Teaching in VET, which could provide contestable funding for practical projects such as mentoring and the development of communities of practice.

∂ Industry bodies – TDA, ACPET and ALA – to be encouraged to take a bigger role in providing professional development to their members (acknowledging that ACPET has already expanded its activity in this area).

Promote professionalism in the sector

∂ Establish a VET professional association and develop a compelling value proposition (highlight the economic driver) for RTOs to be involved.

∂ Explore the value of the registration of VET teachers (but first check how it works in schools, and whether the quality of school teachers is better in those jurisdictions that demand registration).

∂ Talk to training providers, through ACPET, TDA and ALA, about the potential damage to their markets of poor delivery of the TAE. Call upon them to rise above commercial interests and recognise the scale of problem for the economy.

A roadmap for reform There was general agreement among participants that it is time to do something radical, and stop tinkering at the edges of this problem. While some proposals require more consideration and discussion, a number of complementary steps could be taken by different parties right now to set in train a comprehensive approach to reforming Australia’s most important qualification.

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 6

IBSA

1.

Ensure industry consultations on the TAE predominantly reflect the perspective of people who own and manage RTOs across industry areas, rather than on teachers and trainers or on RTOs whose focus is on the delivery of the TAE

2.

Promote the AQF guidelines around volume of learning for Certificate IV qualifications to both RTOs and consumers, to begin to change expectations of course length.

3.

Consider the feasibility of and potential value in developing a Certificate III in the TAE

4.

Give greater prominence to assessment skills in both the Certificate IV and Diploma qualifications

5.

Work with the ISC Forum on developing industry-specific assessment skill sets in Training Packages

1.

Develop stringent standards to be met by providers wishing to add AQF 5 and AQF 6 level TAE qualifications to their scope (and those with these qualifications already on scope)

2.

Build specific additional requirements into the expectations of the Accountable Education Officer role in any RTO delivering the TAE qualifications

NSSC

ASQA

1.

Ensure rigorous audit of providers that seek to add AQF 5 and AQF 6 level TAE qualifications to their scope, or to teach the Certificate IV

2.

Ensure rigorous audit around amount and relevance of professional development provided by RTOs in relation to pedagogy

1.

Governments

1.

Restrict the purchase of training in the TAE Certificate IV to those RTOs which fulfil high standards of quality delivery and assessment

2.

Support an Office of Learning and Teaching in VET to provide practical pedagogical leadership

3.

Provide incentives for RTOs to invest in professional development related to teaching and assessment for their staff

RTO peak bodies

1.

Emphasise the potential damage to markets if RTOs do not deliver the TAE with integrity

2.

Promote and/or develop professional development in relation to teaching and assessment and encourage participation by RTO staff

Collaborative efforts between stakeholders

Explore the most useful focus and structure for a potential professional association

Australia’s Most Important Qualification

 7

Project Team: Rod McDonald Katy O’Callaghan