1. Australian Apprenticeship Support Services – The Under the new model for Australian Apprenticeship Support Services, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has appointed 9 organisations to provide support for apprentices. The new model is anticipated to be rolled out from 1 July 2024.

2. New Energy Apprenticeships Program – From 1 June 2024, the government is expanding the New Energy Apprenticeships Program.

3. Budget 2024-2025:

• VET & Budget
• HE & Budget
• Detailed analysis of the budget done by The Koala News

4. Increase to the Financial Capacity Requirement – Minimum funds required to meet the financial capacity requirement for Student and Student Guardian visas has been increased to AUD29,710.

5. Warning letters issued – Department of Home Affairs has issued warning letters to 34 education providers for non-genuine or exploitative recruitment practices.

6. Draft International Education and Skills Strategic Framework has been released to set a path for government and the sector to work together so international education can continue to deliver benefits to our economy, communities and international students. Through the Framework, the government is taking an active role in supporting a sector built on quality and integrity. You can provide your feedback via Consultation Form on the Department website.

7. ESOS Amendment Bill (Quality and Integrity) 2024 – The first reading of the ESOS Amendment Bill 2024 has been introduced on 16 May 2024. If passed, the Bill will giver broader powers to the government to control education agents and control the international student numbers in Australia.

8. Review of ICT training package – The Future Skills Organisation (FSO) has commenced the review of ICT training package.

9. Skills ministers Council – Following a meeting of federal, state and territory skills minister last Friday, the VET reforms agenda has been pushed forward. Read the Skills Minister’s communique.

Read more about VET sector updates in 2024 the previous posts:

• VET Sector Updates – Jan 2024
• VET Sector Updates – Feb 2024
• VET Sector Updates – March 2024

The post Updates in VET Sector – April & May 2024 appeared first on Education and Training Compliance Solutions.

1. Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs)
JSCs have been established to provide industry with a stronger voice to ensure Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector delivers better outcomes for learners and employers. Read more about all 10 established JSCs here.

2.Fit and Proper Person Requirements
Amendments have been made to the Fit and Proper Person Requirements, which are in effect 5 Sep 2023 onward. Visit ASQA’s website for details on key changes made.

3.International Student Delivery
Following the Rapid Review into the exploitation of Australia’s visa system by Christine Nixon earlier this year, the Australian government has taken several measures in an attempt to prevent unethical practices. Read more about Nixon Review in detail here.

Details on concurrent studies can be found here.

Details on change in the minimum fund requirements for international students in order to get student visa can be found here.

Following an inquiry into Australia’s tourism and international education sector, the joint committee on Foreign affairs, defense and trade released its interim report with 29 recommendations, that can be read here.

Some of the other announcements that were made as part of these measures include:

i. Establishing a new integrity unit within the regulator, with broader powers to ensure and monitor provider compliance.

ii. Establishing a monitoring framework and developing systemic risk indicators, with a focus on student attendance and agent performance data.

iii. The ban on onshore education agent commission for student transfers between the providers.

iv. Suspending the “high-risk” CRICOS providers, from recruiting international students

v. Preventing cross-ownership of businesses by education agencies and education providers

More details on these announcements can be found across multiple sources listed below:
– Action to end rorts
– Next steps to strengthen the integrity of international education
– Stamping out dodgy VET providers

4. National skills passport
Read details on National Skills Passport here –  https://ministers.education.gov.au/chalmers/national-skills-passport

5. National Skills Agreement
Detailed information about National Skills Agreement can be found here.

6. VET Qualification Reforms
Visit Department’s website for all updates on VET Qualifications Reforms –

7. Draft Standards for RTOs
Visit Department’s website for the revised copy of Draft Standards for RTOs – https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/quality-reforms
Provide feedback on draft of revised Standards by completing the online survey here.

8. ESOS Reforms
Following the sector feedback on the ESOS review discussion paper released last year, the Department sought further stakeholders’ feedback throughout.  Few of the anticipated upcoming changes as a part of ESOS Reform may involve amendments to written agreements between students and providers, English language requirements, additional protection requirements for minor students, increase in proportion of allowable online delivery to onshore overseas students potentially up to 50% while retaining the minimum of 20 scheduled course contact hours per week and education agents. Nothing has been announced yet and consultations are still ongoing in this space.

9. ASQA’s updated application requirements for initial registration
ASQA has updated its application forms and supporting evidence requirements for new entrants to the vocational education and training market. From 27 November 2023, all applications for initial registration must be made via new form and accompanied by the required supporting evidence. Read more on ASQA’s website – https://www.asqa.gov.au/news-events/news/updated-application-requirements-initial-registration

Read more about VET sector updates in the previous posts:
– Updates May to June 2023
– Updates in VET sector Feb to April 2023
– Updates in VET Events

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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

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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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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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