In preparation for the introduction of new standards, the federal government has announced an additional $68 million in funding over four years for the national training regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said ASQA’s focus will be on the implementation of updated training standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) from early next year, which have been designed to maintain quality standards while also removing excessive paperwork and red tape.
“The Government is serious about its reform agenda to create a more streamlined and industry-focussed skills and training system that delivers job-ready graduates,” Macfarlane said.
“We’ve committed more than $68 million to bolster ASQA’s capacity to implement the new standards and provide a risk-based approach to regulation, the ability to crack down on serious breaches and to ensure high quality training providers have the autonomy to spend more time skilling the workers of the future.
“There will be no letup in quality standards under the Government’s reforms and no tolerance of unscrupulous activities, in particular from brokers."
ASQA is planning national information sessions on the new standards in both capital cities and major regional centres to ensure RTOs have full details about the changes and expectations for service delivery.
To reduce the regulatory burden on training providers, ASQA is enhancing the information and guidance it provides to assist RTOs in complying with the required national standards.
“By providing more information about the standards and how ASQA will regulate against them, RTOs and course owners will find it easier to comply," Macfarlane said.
The sessions will provide information about the new national standards being implemented from January 1, 2015 for prospective training providers and April 1, 2015 for existing providers.
A total of 27 RTO information sessions will be held during the month of November, 2014.
