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Can an existing course be customised to meet my needs?

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) can customise courses to meet the specific needs of their clients, including industry sectors, enterprises and individual learners. A course is customised by adding, deleting, substituting or modifying units of competency.

When customising courses, RTOs must ensure the integrity of:

  • endorsed national competency standards or other standards forming the basis of accredited courses;
  • Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications; 
  • industry skill and portability requirements.

An RTO should consult with the course copyright owner if it is in doubt about whether the proposed customisation is outside the course rules. The RTO may be required to seek separate accreditation of the modified course.

If you decide to use/purchase an existing accredited course, check on the period of accreditation and speak to the course copyright owner about the likelihood of re-accreditation.

 

Can Training Packages be customised to meet my needs?

Most Training Packages are designed so that they are relevant to different organisations and are flexible enough to address various needs.

However, RTOs are able to select units of competence from or add options to Training Packages to meet the needs of businesses and individuals as long as those changes are consistent with the customisation options outlined in each Training Package. For more information about Training Packages in Western Australia contact the Department of Education and Training on (08) 9264 4682.

If you find there is a relevant training package to use or customise, make the most out of it by reading AQTF 2007 Standards for State and Territory Course Accrediting Bodies and VETinfoNet.

 

How do I decide whether to develop a new course for accreditation?

Course accreditation exists to address industry and community needs not already met by training packages or pre-existing courses. In light of this, you must ask yourself: Am I able to demonstrate a need for my course?

To demonstrate a need for course accreditation, you will have to show that a training gap exists - that there are no training packages or already accredited courses that can be used or customised to meet the need you have identified. To do this:

  1. Determine whether already existing training packages, courses or Units of Competency can be used to meet the needs of the target group. You can research them at www.ntis.gov.au
  2. If you cannot locate a Training Package or Units of Competency on this website, check with your Industry Training Council or the TAC to see if there are relevant Units of Competence, or to find out if a new and relevant Training Package is imminent.

 

I've decided to develop a new course for accreditation. How do I go about it?

The Council has compiled a wealth of resources we want you to use to guide you along the way to successful accreditation. If you've decided to proceed with development:

  • Download and review the Application for Course Accreditation or Course Re-accreditation. Familiarity with the documents requirements will guide the groundwork to be undertaken to complete it
  • Contact the TAC Secretariat to ensure you have all relevant documentation and information before you commence. The AQTF specifies the standards for determining what courses will be accredited.

Download and use AQTF 2007 User's Guide to Standards for Accredited Courses and AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses. These documents will guide you through the necessary steps of rigorously defining your target group, establishing industry and community support and undertaking actual course development.

  • Decide who will do the work of developing the course. Identify the individual or team responsible for developing the course. Course development requires expertise in curriculum development, VET training and assessment and relevant vocational competencies.

  • Convene an Advisory Panel to:
    • monitor and quality assure the development process;
    • determine and confirm the AQF level;
    • determine consistency of outcomes with AQF descriptor; and
    • confirm industry need.

  • Consider including an employer, union representative, an employee or current student; relevant regulatory /licensing body representative; and someone with curriculum/competency based training expertise. For the above ensure records (written evidence) are retained of all meetings and decisions made. (Structure your meetings, appoint a chairperson, determine meeting dates and functions of the group, provide checklists and tools for them to use in validating the process and/or course). This information will support the industry/enterprise/community needs section of your application.
     
  • Prepare application submission to the Council
  • Consider if the content of the course is knowledge based and if modules need to be developed. If a course has no clear workplace or direct vocational outcomes, the development of units of competency (UOC) may not be appropriate.

    Modules are knowledge based, and the TAC will only allow their use in courses where there are no vocational outcomes, for example: technically based courses; vocational literacy and numeracy; vocational bridging or foundation courses and secondary school and/or higher education bridging or foundation courses.

    For most other course types, units of competency must be used. A course may be approved by the TAC to include both units of competency and modules.

    While older courses have been developed using modules, the TAC requires that all courses submitted for accreditation include units of competency wherever possible. This means that many courses submitted for re-accreditation will need to be redeveloped, either by re-writing the modules as units of competency or by replacing the modules with Training Package units of competency.

    A module fact sheet supporting the use of the module template (used for the development of modules should support the ACC1 - Application for Accreditation or Course Re-Accreditation) should be consulted.
     
  • Consider if generic units of competency can be used in your course.

    Many units of competency are generic (usually found in Training Packages), and can be used in any industry or learning setting. The Range Statement indicates the range of the groups whose needs may be met within the unit. Contextualisation also allows for a particular focus in content to reflect needs of individuals or groups - generally by adding industry specific information to the Range Statement - and rules for contextualisation indicate the extent to which this can be done. 
  • Submit application documentation to the Council
  • A completed application form RTO2 - Application for Amendment to Registration  for including the newly accredited course on the RTO's scope (where the RTO is making the application) should be submitted

 

Accreditation of Courses Application Process - Flowchart

The following flowchart summarises the above process.
PDF Application Process Flowchart - Course Developers

 

When should I submit my application for accreditation or re-accreditation?

You should submit your applications for accreditation so that the Office of TAC receives it at least 3 months prior to the intended delivery date of the new course for an initial accreditation.  The Office of TAC should also receive applications for re-accreditation at least 3 months prior to the expiry date of the existing course.

   

Where can I get help?

There is help with the process of deciding whether to develop a course for accreditation, and with the development process.

Numerous publications are available nationally to guide an applicant through all aspects of the process.

  • AQTF 2007 Standards for State and Territory Course Accrediting Bodies The AQTF sets forth the Standards which TAC in WA (and equivalents in other States) must meet.  The requirements of Standards must be addressed in each course proposed for accreditation.  The requirements are 'translated into' and represented in various templates and checklists.
     
  • AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses and AQTF 2007 User's Guide to Standards for Accredited Courses
    The AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses are the design standards that must be met for accreditation. The AQTF 2007 User's Guide to Standards for Accredited Courses supports the understanding and assists course developers and owners to interpret the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses in providing guidance on course development processes. Course developers can also use the Guide when conducting course monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure currency and relevancy of courses, and when seeking re-accreditation of accredited courses. Follow all steps, keep relevant records, and your submission documentation should be comprehensive.
     
  • WA Summary and Supplement to AQTF Guidelines for Course Developers (under review, contact the TAC Secretariat, Accreditation Officer).
    A supplement to the AQTF Guidelines for WA Course Developers.
     
  • The Course Accreditation Self Assessment Checklist will assist to identify sufficiency of the application.
     
  • Australian Qualifications Framework Handbook, Fourth Edition, 2007. An appropriate qualification level must be justified with reference to descriptors from this Framework.
     
  • VETinfoNet.
     
  • Training Package Developer's Handbook (September 2007)
    Provides guidance on how to develop units of competence, their elements and performance criteria, range of variables, evidence gathering and assessment guidelines.
     
  • Training Packages, Policies and Procedures
    Provides clear and useful guidance on how to deal with a Training Package and how to respond to client needs.  Many people embark on a course writing process when more careful research of Training Packages would provide faster solutions to their client needs.
  • Training Packages can be viewed on www.ntis.gov.au
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  • Hardcopy training packages (where available) may be purchased from National Training Products Services www.atpl.net.au
     
  • The Curriculum Support Services Network (CSSN) is another source of information www.vetinfonet.det.wa.edu.au
     
  • Industry Training Councils in Western Australia (ITCs)
     
  • Industry Training Advisory Body ( National)
     
  • AVETMISS codes required for the application template
     
  • ANZSIC Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classifications.
     
  • ANZSCO Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation
     
  • ASCO (type in ASCO)
     
  • ASCED (type in ASCED)