1. ESOS Providers – Sector Alert by ASQA – ASQA has issued a sector alert for all ESOS providers reminding that they must meet their legislative obligations under the ESOS Act and National Code to not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct when recruiting students or providing courses and not provide false or misleading information or guarantee a migration outcome in any marketing activities. Providers must also ensure that their marketing and promotion of courses and education services is not false or misleading and is consistent with Australian Consumer Law. Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/news-events/news/sector-alert?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June-ASQA-Update-2023&utm_content=asqa.gov.au%2Fnode%2F6087&utm_source=emailv6.comms.asqa.gov.au

2. ASQA guidance – Written agreements for overseas students & Working under Supervision ASQA has published guidance on Written Agreements with overseas students designed to assist registered providers under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) to understand their obligations when negotiating and recording written agreements with overseas students. Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/esos-providers/esos-requirements/written-agreements-overseas-students?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June-ASQA-Update-2023&utm_content=asqa.gov.au%2Fnode%2F6090&utm_source=emailv6.comms.asqa.gov.au

ASQA has also published updated guidance for providers when using a person who does not hold the required competencies as a trainer and assessor. Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/guidance-resources/resources-providers/guidance-providers/working-under-supervision?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June-ASQA-Update-2023&utm_content=asqa.gov.au%2Fnode%2F6100&utm_source=emailv6.comms.asqa.gov.au

3. Jobs and Skills Council (JSCs) – Skills Insight, the agribusiness JSC, is up and running. It will be working alongside industry and across the skills system to improve skills and training in the agribusiness and related industries. Skills Insight will be responsible for primary producers, textiles, clothing and footwear, forestry, timber and furnishing. Source: https://www.skillsimpact.com.au/news/skills-insight-jsc-now-established/

4. HSSO launches work placement video platform – The Human Services Skills Organisation (HSSO) has developed new resources to support students with their MWPs. They have launched a new work placement video platform which provides RTOs, students and employers free access to a series of resources that help those undertaking the Certificate III in Individual Support during their mandatory work placements. Source: https://hsso.org.au/resources/view/work-placement-visual-learning-resources/

5. Upcoming Industry events – ITEC23 Conference (7-9 June 2023, Gold Coast) Register here: https://www.iteca.edu.au/ITECA/Events/conference/itec23/home.aspx?hkey=2959e798-eb66-4e5e-ba1d-0fcb4755dce2 32nd National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Research Conference ‘No Frills’ (19-21 July 2023, Melbourne) Register here: https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/events/32nd-national-vet-research-conference-no-frills ESOS Framework session for International Students (20 June 2023, Perth) Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/studyperth-student-visa-information-session-tickets-637959793917

To hear the VET sector updates covered in previous videos, watch the following videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoaLpy8Ue84 and;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRu4yFO2HbY

The post Updates in VET Sector & Events – May to June 2023 appeared first on Education and Training Compliance Solutions.

In this video (VET Sector & Events – EP2), I talk about the recent updates in the VET sector since Feb 2023.

1.New resources released by ASQA

–ASQA has published new 2023 RTO and ESOS obligations checklists

– ASQA has published a new version of ASQAnet user guide

– ASQA has released the 1^st video of 2023 to their Spotlight On series – Marketing and advertising

2.Training Packages – Updates & Transitions

-A number of training packages have recently been updated.  And ASQA has granted extensions for quite a number of training products. If you are delivering training products that are in transition, it needs to be clearly reflected in your marketing and advertising materials, as ASQA has emphasised on this one in their recent Spotlight On series on Marketing and advertising.

-RTOs delivering infection control training should be aware that there has been a change to implementation date for both infection control units (HLTINF001 and HLTINF003). RTOs will now have the option to deliver either these superseded units OR the new units from 1 March 2023 to 30 June 2023. And to deliver only the new units from 1 July 2023 onwards.

3.Updates from TAC

-TAC has also approved an extended transition period for TAE qualifications (TAE40116 and TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development) to 9 Dec 2024.

-TAC has launched new website.

-TAC has also started organising PD sessions for this year. The published program calendar on TAC website.

4.Austrade has launched a new Speaking English Practice Test. This is an AI-enabled free tool to assist students in testing their spoken English language skills and provides feedback on their English pronunciation. It will help prospective international students to understand their preparedness to sit an English language test.

5.After much anticipation, the bill has been introduced to the parliament to establish Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) permanently, after establishing its permanent functions and governance arrangements. Read more at DEWR website.

6.Foloowing a referral from the Minister for Skills and Training, an inquiry into the perceptions and status of VET has commenced by starting with hearing from the DEWR and JSA. The committee will be seeking further hearings over the coming months. You can read more details about the hearing and can track the updates on department’s website.

7.ASQA regulated RTOs will receive the links for link to Annual Declaration on Compliance next week on 17 April 2023 with a deadline for submission by 17 May 2023.

8.ICEF ANZA 2023 is being held at Perth, WA from April 12- 14. There will be seminars, presentations and panel discussions, featuring experts from across the industry. It is great opportunity to gain up-to-date information and news on the latest market trends and issues currently affecting Australia and New Zealand international education space.

To hear the VET sector updates covered in 1^st video, check out the first episode of Updates  in VET Sector & Events or watch it on YouTube.

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The panel consisted of Hon. Phil Honeywood (Chief Executive Officer, IEAA), Madelin Smith (Senior Vice President, Student.com), Ryan Whiddett (Student Success Manager, StudyPerth), Jeannette Geesmann (Manager, Global Learning Office, The University of Western Australia) and Pankaj Pathak (Managing Director, Phoenix Academy).

The panel collectively shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities facing the international education sector in 2023. There was an update and discussions around international education sector growth and global competitiveness that comes along with it including meeting the resource challenges for supporting students, mobility trends. There was a great discussion around the TVET consortium in WA, which seems very promising in regards to contributing to the WA economy.

It was a good opportunity to meet with other professionals in the industry and make some new connections. Thanks to WA Young Professionals Co-Chairs, Laura Mansfield and Steven Vo for organising a successful discussion.

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In this video, I talk about the recent updates in the VET sector:

1. Training Package Products Development and Endorsement Process (TPD) Policy – Shared originally by another colleague here at LinkedIn, Michelle Charlton, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has updated the TPD Policy to reflect the role of Jobs & Skills Councils (JSCs) and the TPD process map.

2. Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) – Submissions on the JSA discussion paper closed on 10th Feb. JSA is doing VET Qualification Similarity Analysis. The outputs of the model are available in a new searchable dashboard. More than 1300 VET training package qualifications have been analysed using natural language processing methods. These methods were applied to calculate the similarity across the units within the course, the course descriptions, and the frequency of keywords within these texts. They’ve also published a paper outlining the methodology used in the process for anyone who wants to understand the method.

In the recent JSA webinar, interim director, Professor Peter Dawkins talked about JSA’s initial priorities. The webinar highlighted how JSA will be different from the work that National Skills Commission was doing and the most important difference being JSA will be engaging with the key stakeholders.

3. Proposed Qualification Model – There were a couple of informative sessions again last week outlining the proposed qualification models. If someone needs to provide feedback on the proposed model, it can be done until 17 March through an online survey on the DEWR website.

4. International Education – According to the recent update, it has been found that there has been a slight increase in student visa approvals for Australia. Also in a recent report released by the Department of Education on international student numbers in Australia, it shows that there has been a 7% increase in numbers in the last year (i.e., from Jan 2022- Nov 2022) as compared to the same period a year before. Thanks to Krishna Pokharel for sharing this information.

StudyPerth is taking a lot of initiatives to support international students. The recent launch of the JobFinder WA Program is one of the examples. This program is designed for international students and graduates to help them connect with local employers who are willing to take international students on board.

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It was great meeting StudyPerth International Student Ambassadors at the event and talking to them about their experience in Perth so far. This is no doubt a great initiative by StudyPerth team and will definitely be helping international students and graduates in their job search.

If you are an employer, you can join JobFinder WA and have access to a highly diversified and talented pool of international students and graduates who are ready to join the Australian workforce.

All you need to do is sign the WA International Student Business Pledge. By signing the pledge, you are committing to:

1. Fostering career opportunities for international students and graduates to succeed.

2. Respecting that education is the primary purpose of international students and agree to safeguard their course progression.

3. Celebrating cultural diversity and inclusion by following Australian employment law, being sensitive to cultural and language needs, and offering work environments that are safe and discrimination-free.

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Another highlight for me was listening to these young, brilliant Edith Cowan University students Mohamed Al GebailAndra CimpeanHasit Gadani. They stole the show when they shared their experience of choosing Perth as their study destination during the pandemic peak when WA borders were shut to the outside world and how they started their studies from offshore and formed friendships in the virtual classrooms while sharing a hope of arriving in Australia and fulfilling their dreams.

Kudos to all those international students who stuck together during those difficult times and made it through! Wishing you all the best in fulfilling your dreams in this land Down Under

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It was fun teaming up with you Thomas Davies, Giulia & Natalie Tierney. Waiting for my 1st micro credential Zoe And thanks to wonderful Marcia De Oliveira for the photos and wrong answers

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At times like these when the six-panel members in one corner of the world have decided to take away the decision-making rights of women around their motherhood, events like these bring women together and encourage them to stand for themselves. If we won’t pat on our backs, no one else will. Having said that I would encourage all the beautiful women that I met last night including Sheavy MACS CP, IP3P Dayna Bennett Sabrina Chang-Rozario Vanessa Costanzo to nominate yourselves for the Tech [+] awards. There’s no category to fit in my specialisation in policy and compliance but I can surely help you prepare your nomination write-ups

Thank you WiTWA team for the opportunity to meet with other like-minded women. Kudos to all of us for raising the bar everyday!

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