The below is a transcript from InnovationGovau video about the forthcoming USI; I felt it was worthwhile reading and wanted to share.
Once the USI scheme is in place, an RTO, with the student’s permission will be able to see that student’s entire VET records since 2014, online. This will make it easier to assess prerequisites and credit transfer, because RTOs won’t need to rely on students to bring all of the hard copy evidence from their previous training with them. It will also make it easier to assess a student’s eligibility for a government funded training place in those jurisdictions where this decision is delegated to RTOs. But in order to achieve these benefits, there are some new obligations for RTOs under the USI scheme. Firstly, it will be mandatory for all students undertaking national recognised training from 1 January 2014, to have a USI.
This means that RTOs will not be able to issue a Statement of Attainment, or qualification to a student, unless they have a valid USI for that student. The USI Agency will provide real time, online service to RTOs, to enable you to check that the USI for a student is valid. Once you have a valid USI for that student, it will need to be retained in your student management records, or system, as a mandatory field in AVETMISS.
As you may be aware, in November 2012, Commonwealth, State and Territory ministers agreed to the mandatory collection and reporting of total VET activity data, from the 1st of January, 2014.
This means that all RTOs will be required to report AVETMISS compliant data, for all nationally recognised training to the NCVER from that date. Together with the USI, this will enable students
to have a complete record of their educational achievements in VET, across Australia, brought together in the one place. But this system relies on the accuracy of the data collected and reported by RTOs.
If the data collected and reported by the RTO is not accurate, the transcript that is downloaded in future years, will also not be accurate. Secondly, RTOs will need to ensure the security of a student’s USI. This goes to not only who has access to the USI within your organisation, but also how the information is physically stored. This is an important requirement to protect the privacy of your students, and many RTOs will already have sufficient measures in place.
Thirdly, RTOs will be required to recognise the authenticated VET transcript issued by the new agency, as a true record of educational attainment. This means the transcript can be relied on by an RTO in the same way they would rely on a Statement of Attainment, issued by another RTO. Some RTOs we’ve spoken to have asked us if this new authenticated transcript service means that they won’t need to issue Statements of Attainment anymore. The answer is “No.”
RTOs will still need to do this. The new USI Agency will not be issuing Statements of Attainment or qualifications, just a transcript of the statements and qualifications issued by RTOs.
We are also talking with the vendors of student management systems about updating their systems to accommodate the USI, including providing a facility for RTOs to apply for a USI on behalf of the student if they’d like to offer this service, also, capturing the USI as part of the student record.
We are designing our ICT system to ensure that, where the student management system provides the facility to do so, this can all be done automatically.
To see the video go to