Changes to the VET sector in the past 12 months including the National Regulator, the impact of the AQTF (2010) amongst existing RTOs and in Victoria the VQRA requirements is causing some concern amongst wanting to become an RTO.
An RTO is a business, the requirements set down are purely to make you have the systems and processes in place to provide a quality business. In the years that I have been in training and assessment in Australia I have seen many changes. These changes happen for a reason; some people like them, some people don’t. The reason is always to make things smarter and to ensure the outcomes are of a quality standard. After all that is why we set up an RTO; to porovide quality training and assessment for our students.
The regulators are not going to stop you from being an RTO if you have good systems that are applied throughout the RTO. Make sure someone from within your RTO is ensuring all the correct procedures, processes and forms are being used. Have an agenda item on your regular RTO meeting to discuss.
Another important factor to consider is the changes within your industry area and how it may affect you. By being aware of changes happening on a continual basis you are more likely to be able to avoid leaving changes to the last minute.
It is still vital for RTO owners, CEOs and staff to stay up to date with all the industry changes as they occur. Ensure you are subscribed to government newsletters, emails, RSS feeds and blogs from your industry and let other staff know about the messages.