The question around this aspect of a Validation Event within STN 1.11 (Standards for RTOs 2015) is doing the rounds and a lot of misinformation has resulted. The question and the misinformation that has abounded, has presented as a particular concern to the smaller RTOs who have been left feeling that they are required to gain this Lead Validator from the ranks of competitor RTOs. The good news is that it is not the case.
STN 1.11. For the purposes of Clause 1.9, systematic validation of an RTO’s assessment practices and judgements is undertaken by one or more persons who are not directly involved in the particular instance of delivery and assessment of the training product being validated, and who collectively have:
a) vocational competencies and current industry skills relevant to the assessment being validated;
b) current knowledge and skills in vocational teaching and learning; and
c) the training and assessment qualification or assessor skill set referred to in Item 1 or 3 of Schedule 1.
Industry experts may be involved in validation to ensure there is the combination of expertise set out in (a) to (c) above.
The question was directed just recently to the ASQA Helpline. Does the Lead Validator (i.e. the person not directly involved in the particular instance of delivery and assessment) have to have the (a) vocational competencies and current industry skills relevant to the assessment being validated?
The response from the ASQA help line was quite clear. The Lead Validator can be some one who is a part of the Validation team who is independent of the delivery and assessment and does not hold the competencies of the (a) criteria.
The word ‘Collectively’ means that as long as the Validation team collectively holds (a)-(c) that Independent person may be a VET Industry qualified person but may not have the (a) (i.e.Vocational Competencies or current Industry skills). In fact if they only have a Cert IV TAE, they can be that Independent Validator that completes the Validation team. So the actual assessors delivering the training product may validate and have the participation of the Independent Validator for the requirement of STN1.11 to be met.
Further advice from the ASQA Helpline, was a directive to the ASQA website FAQs, where the usage of the term ‘collectively’ in describing qualifications of the Validation team, gains a further explanation with the usage of the term ‘combined’. Its quite clear. Check for yourself.
Please also note the following downloadable file (from the ‘Audit Answers’ Online RTO management system) that may well be a support to your Validation activities.
Validation Meeting Report v 1.0
In all cases of compliance RTO Answers Management recommends that an individual enquiry to each RTO’s regulator is a safe practice for determining compliance requirements.
http://www.rtoanswers.com.au/rto-products/rto-management-system.aspx
RTO Answers provides Registered Training Organisations with Web-based RTO & Student Management and CRICOS Management Systems.
