According to almost all ASQA reports, getting an assessment right is one of an RTO’s most difficult compliance issues, with a substantial number of RTOs, audited being found to be non-compliant with clause 1.8 (ASQA’s 2017 report showed around 72% RTOs failed audit on assessment resources). This is what we notice as well whenever we have conducted any internal audits through CAQA.
It is a wise decision to get your training and assessment strategies and resources validated by independent industry experts to get honest feedback and an unbiased opinion.
The purpose of the assessment tool
The main purpose of an assessment tool, student assessment, or assessment pack is to ensure that trainers and assessors can effectively establish whether a learner is competent or not yet competent in a training product. There are three ways a trainer/assessor can establish competence:

• Tell me what you can do (Demonstration of knowledge)
• Show me what you can do (Demonstration of skills)
• Make me something (Application of knowledge and skills)

Let’s look into some of the most important aspects in detail now:
Understand how the assessment materials meet the training package requirements
This step necessitates you concentrating on how the assessment materials fit the requirements of the training package. This is the step when you understand what competence in this particular unit of competency will look like.
Focus points include understanding of:

• What is the AQF level where the unit of competency will be used?
• What is the unit descriptor/application of the unit saying about work activities included in the unit of competency?
• What are the prerequisite or corequisite requirements related to the unit of competency?
• What level of skill is required for this unit according to where (which qualification) the unit of competency will be used
• What are the elements, performance criteria, range of conditions, foundation skills, knowledge evidence, performance evidence, assessment conditions
• Read the assessment conditions and foundation skills: What are the conditions under which this work activity should be conducted
• Are there any other specific requirements applicable to this unit of competency?

Before moving on to practical task activities, the learner must first demonstrate that he or she understands the subject through demonstration of knowledge.
KNOWLEDGE – you need to have knowledge before you can perform
Look over the requirements for the training package and have a close look at the knowledge evidence to see if it says once is sufficient. If it does not state that, it implies that you must address each of the knowledge evidence criteria at least twice. We can address the knowledge evidence requirements using a variety of activities such as questions and answers, case studies, report writing, and other knowledge-based assessment methods.
PERFORMANCE – means that you have to do something
Then it’s time to look at performance criteria and performance evidence, and once again, pay attention to whether or not there are instructions on how many times this should be addressed. If this is not the case, each performance criteria and the performance evidence must be addressed in the assessment tasks and activities at least twice, if not more, utilising a variety of assessment methods and activities such as projects, portfolios, practical task activities, workplace tasks and observations and so on.
Focus on the action verbs and action keywords
Focus on all action verbs and action keywords included in the training package when developing your assessment resources. Each and every action verb and keyword must be addressed through the assessment resources.
Bloom’s taxonomy of measurable verbs is a good starting point to understand more about the action verbs.

Ensure if something is plural you have addressed them more than once.
If there is anything mentioned as plural such as strategies, you must ensure the assessment resources have at least two (2) or more strategies mentioned in them.
You must establish if each component of the training package requires evidence in the form of knowledge, skill or product.
Comprehensive mapping to training package requirements
A comprehensive mapping document is required to ensure all training package criteria has been addressed appropriately and comprehensively. Mapping is a cross-referencing activity where each component of the unit of competency is cross-referenced to one or more assessment criteria or questions in the assessment activities and tasks. Mapping is more a content validity process and not a process validity process.
Refer to the following articles for more information
Mapping document of assessment resources – do you need one? https://caqa.com.au/2021/10/04/mapping-document-of-assessment-resources-do-you-need-one/
Focus on evidence collection and assessment methods
Focus on evidence collection and assessment methods after ensuring that the assessment resources meet the training package requirements. The focus points should include:

• What are the assessment methods selected for evidence collection?
• Are these suitable and appropriate for evidence collection?
• What are the other methods that may be used for evidence collection?
• Where and how should evidence be collected?
• What resources are required for evidence collection?

Foundation skills, assessment conditions, performance evidence, performance criteria and knowledge evidence should be taken into consideration when designing the evidence collection and assessment methods.
The evidence collection and assessment methods should change according to the AQF level where the units of competency will be used. For example, for a Certificate II, III level true or false, match the following statements with, multiple-choice questions, fill in the blanks might be appropriate but for Certificate IV and Diploma short answer questions, closed book, time-limited exams, contrast and separate, and other assessment methods could be used. We have included an AQF summary for you to understand how each AQF level requires a different set of requirements.

AQF Level	Summary	Qualifications	Purpose of this Qualification
1	Graduates at this level will have knowledge and skills for initial work, community involvement and/or further learning	Certificate I	basic functional knowledge and skills to undertake work, further learning and community involvement.
2	Graduates at this level will have knowledge and skills for work in a defined context and/or further learning	Certificate II	qualify individuals to undertake mainly routine work and as a pathway to further learning.
3	Graduates at this level will have theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for work and/or further learning	Certificate III	to qualify individuals who apply a broad range of knowledge and skills in varied contexts to undertake skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.
4	Graduates at this level will have theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for specialised and/or skilled work and/or further learning	Certificate IV	to qualify individuals who apply a broad range of specialised knowledge and skills in varied contexts to undertake skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.
5	Graduates at this level will have specialised knowledge and skills for skilled/paraprofessional work and/or further learning	Diploma	to qualify individuals who apply integrated technical and theoretical concepts in a broad range of contexts to undertake advanced skilled or paraprofessional work and as a pathway for further learning.
6	Graduates at this level will have broad knowledge and skills for paraprofessional/highly skilled work and/or further learning	Advanced Diploma Associate Degree	to qualify individuals who apply specialised knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake advanced skilled or paraprofessional work and as a pathway for further learning.
7	Graduates at this level will have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning	Bachelor Degree	to qualify individuals who apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake professional work and as a pathway for further learning.
8	Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional highly skilled work and/or further learning	Bachelor Honours Degree Graduate and Vocational Graduate Certificate Graduate and Vocational Graduate Diploma	to qualify individuals who apply a body of knowledge in a specific context or range of contexts to undertake professional or highly skilled work and as a pathway for research and further learning.
9	Graduates at this level will have specialised knowledge and skills for research, and/or professional practice and/or further learning	Masters Degree	to qualify individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice and as a pathway for further learning.
10	Graduates at this level will have a systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and/or for professional practice	Doctoral Degree	to qualify individuals who apply a substantial body of knowledge to research, investigate and develop new knowledge, in one or more fields of investigation, scholarship or professional practice.

You must look if the assessment methods accurately and properly describe how many questions students must do correctly to be deemed satisfactory in the assessment task or activity and then check mapping to ensure your recommendation does not compromise the integrity of the assessment.
Always remember that each of the evidence collection and assessment methods must flesh out the details related to the assessment activities and tasks such as what, why, where, how, when something must occur.
Check the content for validity and reliability
Ensure all content is complete, error-free, plagiarism and copyright issues free, you also need to ensure that:

• Assessment resources have sufficient and clear information regarding what, when, how, where, why for your assessment template and all assessment tasks and activities.
• Assessment resources have robust benchmarking and/or trainers’ guidance.
• Assessment resources are allowing the trainer/assessor to assess the skills and knowledge of students through different assessment tasks over a period of time to ensure consistency and sufficiency.
• Each and every question and assessment task has very clear guidelines around what is expected from the students in terms of both quantity and quality.
• You have customised the off-the-shelf resources according to your RTO needs and requirements and not using them as-is.
• Your assessment resources are written by industry experts with subject matter experts and are industry-relevant and current.
• Your assessment resources address all requirements of the training packaging rules
• Your assessment resources have detailed and valid performance checklists/observation checklists for assessing and observing the students before, during and after any skill assessment activity or workplace task
• Your trainers and assessors gather sufficient, valid evidence for competency assessment
• Your organisation offers appropriate simulated environments for conducting assessments
• The authenticity of assessment, particularly in distance and online delivery is established and maintained
• The context and conditions of assessment. For example, an assessment tool is developed to cater for a particular language, literacy and numeracy requirements, the learner’s workplace experience or other learner needs that require reasonable adjustment.
• The context of the assessment may also take into account assessments already completed, and the competencies demonstrated in these assessments. By looking at the context, you can consider the conditions under which evidence for assessment must be gathered.
• All activities are conducted adequately using the required:
  • equipment or material requirements
  • contingencies
  • specifications
  • physical conditions
  • relationships with team members and supervisors
  • relationships with clients/customers
  • timeframes for completion.
• Assessment methods or tasks are suitable to the requirements of the units of competency and students are assessed on the tasks and activities according to the requirements of the training package.
• The language used is simple English
• The evidence required to make a decision of competency is clearly outlined
• The types of activities and tasks students need to perform are clearly outlined
• The level of performance required for each assessment activity is clearly outlined
• Adequate exposure to workplace conditions, including appropriate simulated environments, is provided
• Sufficient knowledge-based assessment tasks and activities such as written questions and case studies etc.
• Sufficient practical based assessment tasks and activities such as projects, role plays, workplace tasks and observations etc.
• Assessment resources are error-free and free from any grammar, copyright or plagiarism issues

Assessment resources meet principles of assessments and rules of evidence
When constructing or reviewing the assessment tools, RTO compliance experts such as compliance managers, RTO management and trainers and assessors must ensure that the principles of assessment and rules of evidence are strictly followed.
The regulatory requirements specify that this is not only good practice but also a requirement for RTO registration. Validity, reliability, flexibility, and fairness are all requirements of the assessment evaluation process.
Validity
The validity of an assessment outcome refers to the extent to which the interpretation and use of the outcome can be supported by evidence. When the assessment methods and assessment materials used reflect all the training package requirements such as elements, performance criteria, etc. the assessment is considered valid. The assessment outcome is also considered valid when the evidence gathered fully supports the assessment outcome.
Reliability
The degree to which the assessment outcomes are consistent and accurate is referred to as reliability; that is, the extent to which the assessment will produce similar outcomes for students with equal competence at different times or places, regardless of the trainer who is conducting the assessment.
Flexibility
When students have the chance to negotiate specific components or aspects of their assessment (for example, timing) with their trainers and assessors, this is referred to as flexibility. All students should be thoroughly informed (for example, through an assessment plan) of the purpose of the assessment, the assessment criteria, the methods and tools that will be used, as well as the context and timing of the assessment, prior to taking part in it.
Fairness
A fair assessment does not favour or disadvantage any particular learners or groups of students in a discriminatory manner. Depending on the situation, this may imply that assessment procedures be tailored to specific learners (such as those with disabilities or those from diverse cultural backgrounds) in order to guarantee that they are not disadvantaged as a result of their circumstances. An evaluation should not set too high demands on students, as this may hinder them from demonstrating competency in the subject matter (for example, an assessment should not demand a higher level of English language or literacy than that required to perform to the workplace standard outlined in the competencies being assessed).
Evidence is governed by a set of rules.
A well-designed assessment tool will aid in ensuring that the evidence gathered is of the following types:

• Valid – there is a clear relationship between the evidence criteria of the unit of competency and the evidence on the basis of which the assessment judgement is made;
• Sufficient – the performance criteria and evidence guide is addressed; competence is demonstrated over a period of time; all dimensions of competency are addressed; competence is demonstrated in a variety of settings;
• Current – the evidence reveals that the student possesses current knowledge and skills, and
• Authentic – the evidence may be confirmed to show that it is the student’s own original effort.

In conjunction with industry, assessment evaluation strategies, methodologies and tools should be developed, and they should be evaluated on an appropriate sample of students before being implemented.
Easy to contextualise to your learner cohorts
Contextualising assessments and learner materials are one of the most thought-provoking tasks that RTOs face. Many RTOs are deemed non-compliant due to their contextualisation methods.
Regardless of whether you have developed the assessment resources in-house or you have purchased them as off-the-shelf resources, you must customise and contextualise each training product.
The customisation and contextualisation should occur in terms of

• training context,
• learner characteristics,
• delivery modes,
• cultural context,
• technology requirements,
• AQF level,
• intent if the unit of competency is not addressed appropriately,
• formatting,
• grammar,
• Your RTO’s templates and style guides

For more information, please read the following articles
https://caqa.com.au/2021/10/04/contextualisation-why-you-must-contextualise-the-training-and-assessment-resources/
https://caqa.com.au/2018/06/08/contextualising-assessment-resources-part-2/
How to make a reasonable adjustment in summative assessments
https://caqa.com.au/2021/07/14/how-to-make-reasonable-adjustment-in-summative-assessments/
Easy to modify to different delivery modes
Assessment resources should be adaptable to a variety of delivery modes, including online, offline, distance learning, workplace, and blended learning.
Clear guidance to the assessor
Assessment resources should provide clear instructions to assessors in terms of what they should look for.

• what was expected from the learners
• what they (trainers and assessors) should observe
  • have clear assessment (evidence-gathering) methods based on training package requirements
  • have clear assessment (evidence-gathering) tools
• how they (trainers and assessors) should assess
  • have clear benchmarks and standards against which a student’s work is assessed
  • have clear evidence requirements to assess sufficiency and competency
  • have clear guidelines related to when assessments should occur and how they should occur
• who should collect the evidence and when?
  • When determining who can collect evidence, the guidelines for training package assessment may be of use to you. It is critical that the instrument and instructions for your assessment tools clearly state what is expected of the students, the trainer/assessor, workplace supervisor or a third-party evidence gatherer. It is also critical that the instrument and instructions for your assessment tools provide a clear structure for the evidence gatherers to follow.
• where they (trainers and assessors) should record
  • Focus on the requirements of the training package – is there any specific conditions, requirements and guidelines?
  • If workplace assessment is not possible or suitable, your alternative is to choose settings and procedures that allow students to demonstrate their competence to the level of performance indicated.
  • In a simulation, students should complete or deal with a task, activity, or problem in an off-the-job situation that is designed to mirror the workplace environment.
• how they (trainers and assessors) should record
  • What are the RTO requirements and documentation?
• who they (trainers and assessors) should report
  • Where do the assessors and trainers report the outcome of the assessment?
  • What is the procedure?
  • How students are informed about the assessment outcome?

Clear instructions to the learner
All assessment materials should provide very clear instructions to the learners in terms of:

• What
• When
• Where
• How
• Why
• Reasonable adjustments required

Observation checklists and benchmarking
All assessment resources should have comprehensive observation checklists and benchmarking to ensure

• Learners know what is expected of them
• Assessors know the scope of assessment in terms of what they should observe and assess, resources required and what should be considered when assessing
• Clear guidelines and information related to how to use the observation checklists

All equipment, resources and facilities are available to conduct the assessment
Assessment conditions should be followed strictly and the training organisation should ensure that all equipment, resources and facilities are available to conduct the assessment.
Language, Literacy and numeracy requirements of the unit
The assessment tool must reflect the language, literacy and numeracy requirements related to the work task and work activities required to be assessed. Your focus points should include:

• Reading
• Writing
• Numeracy
• Oral communication
• Learning

Ensure students are ready for the summative assessment
You must ensure that all students are ready for the summative assessment before you assess them.
For more information, please refer to
Formative vs Summative Assessment: A Comparison https://caqa.com.au/2022/01/31/formative-vs-summative-assessment-a-comparison/
Conduct pre and post validation checks
You must pre and post validate all assessment resources before and after you use them for your learners.
For more information, please refer to:
Different phases of assessment and learner validation processes (Part 1), Click here.
Different phases of assessment and learner validation processes (Part 2), Click here.
Different phases of assessment and learner validation processes (Part 3 of 4), Click here.
Different phases of assessment and learner validation processes (Part 4 of 4), Click here.
fact sheet, Click here.
Having a license of purchase
Training organisations should double-check that they have an authorised copy of the training and assessment resources from the publisher of the resource before using them for training purposes.
In a number of audits, the regulatory body has requested proof of purchase because a number of stakeholders are aware that there are some offenders in the sector who do not purchase the actual copies of the resources, resell when they do not have authority, or obtain materials in other illegal ways.
For more information, please click here.
How to protect the copyright of your training and assessment materials Margaret Ryan (lawyer and trade marks attorney), for more information click here.
References:
Guide – developing assessment tools https://www.asqa.gov.au/resources/guides/guide-developing-assessment-tools

Anna-Louise Allen has been a leader in education and a catalyst for change and innovation in teaching and learning throughout her career. Anna-Louise commenced as a technical school teacher in the western suburbs teaching Geography. She had held leadership positions in schools, run the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria and worked in a variety of government agencies.
Anna-Louise has published textbooks, industry articles and a wide range of training materials for use in both the school and vocational sectors. More recently Anna-Louise was well known for her fair and informative audit style, conducting audits for both the State and National Regulator and a range of funding bodies. She is a strong advocate for the Learn Local sector and has a passion for assisting some of the more vulnerable members of our community.

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Here is a copy of Anna-Louise Allen’s interview conducted by Sukh Sandhu.
Q1: What led you to choose a career in the field of vocational education and training, and how has your entire experience been thus far?
I have always been a person who feels passionate about my career choices. This coupled with a touch of Happenstance theory has led me on my exciting and varied career in education and training.
As a technical school teacher, I have always forged strong connections with industry. I have seen myself as a conduit between education, industry and government which meant that working in the vocational education and training sector was a natural progression.
Q2: It has been a pleasure to attend a number of your professional development workshops, which you have been conducting since the early 2000s. Do you have a favourite topic that you prefer presenting and why?
Quality is a big driver in both business and education. In the VET sector this can sometimes be viewed as a dirty word particularly when it is called Compliance!
Quality is a habit which is inherent in everything we do. It drives ongoing continuous improvement, where small incremental improvements make a big impact on quality and your bottom line. It is about doing great work that inspires learners to engage and enjoy their learning. It is also about ensuring that they have the skills and knowledge to make valuable employees. I like working with trainers and teachers to come up with creative approaches to topics that encourage the application of knowledge and skills to do a great job.
Q3: How can RTOs maintain a balance between the quality of the services they provide and the number of clients to whom they can provide those services, based on your extensive knowledge and experience?
Satisfied customers can become raving fans for your business, which means they will not only come back to study with you again, but will also tell their friends. Quality is not the enemy but rather the strategy to ensure customers for life.
Think about the car you drive or your favourite pair of shoes or handbag. If it is quality, it was probably produced by a quality production system. Often that system involved extensive automation, coupled with innovation and creative thought. Education is no different. A quality system that is informed by industry and clients coupled with creative designers and trainers will produce engaging learning and satisfied students who excel and achieve.
Q4: What are the five most important characteristics of a successful CEO of an RTO?
The CEO must have:

• Vision
• Passion
• High level communication skills
• Leadership skills
• A great listener.

Q5: What are the five most imminent risks to RTO businesses, and what should RTOs be doing to mitigate these threats?

• Relationship management
• Complaints management
• Clear lines of communication
• Strong brand
• Policies, procedures and systems that are understood by all.

The five strengths are potentially the greatest risks. Without strong relationship management an RTO or any business can very soon be out of business. Relationship management is also critical when communicating with both the happy and dissatisfied client. Everyone in the RTO has a key role to play in relationship management.
How you manage and handle complaints is also critical to success. Aim to solve them before they escalate. Make sure that your marketing and branding clearly defines what a client can expect from your business and then make sure that you deliver.
Your systems and internal training will be critical in making sure that clients receive the service they expect. Empower all your staff to be proactive and aim to solve problems as they arise.
Q6: What improvements would you like to see made to our standards and regulatory frameworks in order to improve the overall quality of training and assessment?
I am not a fan of the big stick approach. Unfortunately, over the years I have seen a lot of bad behaviour that has required stern and often legal intervention. It will be a great day when we can provide education and training that supports the development of the individual while providing a safe and welcoming learning space for everyone.
The VET sector has often been characterised by a significant movement of talent in and out of training providers. The loss of skills and knowledge resulting from this churn has a large impact on the overall quality of training and assessment. It also means that we are continually re-skilling the workforce in the expectations of clients and government.
Regardless of the sector, there needs to be standards and modes of operations. I would like to change the way we view the regulatory framework, seeing it as a basis for supporting quality within the Vocational Education and Training sector.

What is industry consultation in the RTO context?
It is a process in which the training representatives of a training organisation consult with representatives from the industry to determine whether they are using the most appropriate facilities, equipment, and resources for delivering the training, whether their trainers and assessors have the most up to date qualifications and skills, whether their training and assessment strategies, methods, technology, and training and assessment resources meet the needs of industry. The goal is to get an understanding of the best practices and resources available in the sector, as well as to modify those resources to better match the needs of that industry.
What do Clause 1.5 and Clause 1.6 say? Why does it state that the RTO’s training and assessment practices should be relevant to the needs of the industry and informed by industry engagement/ participation?
The training organisation in the vocational education and training sector delivers and assesses any training product to ensure that the learners are prepared to work in the industry or are better able to operate effectively in the industry after completing the training course. The training organisation must ensure all of their training and assessment practises, including identifying compliant RTO learner and assessment resources, all assessments meeting the principles of assessments and rules of evidence, and other applicable requirements; delivering training and assessments in a compliant manner to learners, including the skills and competencies of the trainers and assessors delivering and assessing the training; and participating in validation, contextualisation, customisation and all other activities related to the training and assessment, are in line with current methods, technology, products and performance expectations for the workplace tasks specified in the training package or VET accredited course and standards of registered training organisations.
Clause 1.6 states ‘a range of strategies’, what are those?
A range of strategies refers to various approaches and methods that a training organisation must employ in order to conduct industry consultations. The RTO must collaborate with industry stakeholders to develop appropriate contexts, methods, resources, and engage trainers and assessors in the delivery and administration of training and assessment practises. Consultation strategies can include a variety of methods such as face-to-face meetings, surveys, interviews, advisory committees, workplace visits, email exchanges, workshops, and other forms of engagement.
What you should discuss when you engage with the industry.
The requirements of Clause 1.6 clearly states what you must discuss. We have added a few examples of what the content of these discussions may include based on our audit experiences and industry best practice.
Training and Assessment Strategy:
i. Training and assessment strategy (TAS) for each training product for each learner cohort
ii. Choice of electives
iii. Pre-requisites
iv. Corequisites
v. Appropriate contexts and methods
vi. Delivery modes such as face to face, online, on the job, distance learning, blended mode of delivery
vii. Delivery schedule/order in which units should be delivered and assessed
viii. The needs of groups or individual learners such as reasonable adjustment in training delivery or assessment
ix. Meeting the needs of the training package or accredited training product
x. Specific admission requirements especially where the entry requirements are not included within the training package or accredited training product
xi. Required trainer and assessor competencies
xii. Assessment guidelines and qualification packaging rules
xiii. Assessment evidence requirements specified in the training products such as units of competency
Training and Assessment Practices
xiv. Regulations or laws governing the industry and/or standard operating procedures, equipment and machinery used at the enterprise level
xv. Aspects of the work environment (for example, shifts or seasonal changes to schedules) that will affect delivery and assessment
xvi. Employer preferences about the way in which a program is delivered
xvii. Facilities, equipment and supervision that will be available for work placements
xviii. How simulated work environments should be set up to reflect workplaces
xix. Advice on contextualising or adapting purchased assessment materials to suit workplace contexts.
xx. Validation practices
xxi. The length of a unit of competency
Training and Assessment Resources
xxii. Assessment resources
xiii. Learner resources
xxiv. Support staff or resources
xxv. Facilities
xxvi. Equipment
xxvii. Technology
xxviii. Simulated work environments
xxix. Agreements for the use of resources and facilities
Currency of industry skills of trainers and assessors
What changes should be implemented as a result of engagement with industry and employers?
A number of changes can be implemented as a result of engagement with industry and employers, such as:

1. changes to training and assessment practices and resources based on advice from industry regulators about new regulatory requirements
2. implementation of workplace visits for trainers and assessors to ensure currency of understanding about workplace practices, based on advice from employers.

Who are suitable industry representatives for industry engagement and consultation purposes?
People who work in team leadership, supervisory, or management positions and who have the ability to recruit others are the most appropriate industry representatives for industry engagement and consultation because they can provide the best advice in terms of:
a. the skills and competencies they seek in the learners
b. the quality of resources they are considering for
c. the quality of training and assessments they would use at their workplace.
Can you give some specific examples of suitable industry representatives for industry engagement and consultation purposes?
Suitable industry representatives can include:

• Team leaders
• Managers
• Directors
• Members of industry advisory committees
• Work-based training providers
• Training advisory bodies
• Other relevant industry bodies
• Ongoing networking with industry organisations, peak bodies, or employers
• Enterprise RTOs
• Unions
• Licensing and regulatory bodies
• Networks of relevant employers and industry representatives to participate in assessment validation
• Exchange of knowledge, staff and resources with employers, networks and industry bodies.

How often do I need to do industry consultations and industry engagements?
Although there are no set timeframes or frequency requirements specified in the regulatory standards and guidelines, we recommend that you perform this process at least once or twice a year.
Industry consultation and engagement should be planned, scheduled, and conducted on a regular basis. Industry participation should be a regular part of the validation process and should be scheduled as part of the validation schedule. Evidence of current industry engagement, on the other hand, is necessary for the purpose of renewing a registration. Ideally, “currency” should be available within 12 months of the registration period.
When is industry consultation compulsory?
Industry consultation and engagement is compulsory if:

• Your training organisation is adding a new training product to its scope of registration
• The legislative or regulatory standards, guidelines or requirements change
• The training product is superseded
• A new training and assessment strategy is developed for a new learner cohort
• On a regular basis using a range of strategies to meet the requirements of standards for registered training organisations

Can I do my industry consultation and engagement with another RTO? For example, I do their consultation, and they do mine.
The short answer according to our experience is “no”. The regulatory body expects training organisations to genuinely involve industry representatives (outside the training organisations, wherever possible) to participate in the industry engagement and consultation processes.
What is the rationale behind conducting industry engagement and consultation?
In order to benefit from industry engagement, it is necessary to understand what the information collected from this engagement will be used for and how it can assist the RTO. It will;

• Assist in the development of training and assessment strategies
• Help choose the most appropriate training and assessment materials, equipment, facilities and resources
• Provide feedback on the RTO’s delivery of training and assessment,
• Ensure that the RTO’s trainers and assessors have current industry knowledge and expertise.

Industry engagement helps to ensure that graduates have industry-relevant skills and knowledge and are able to apply them in the workplace which means that the training and assessment programs are industry-relevant.
Is there any template prepared and published by the regulatory bodies for industry engagement and consultation?
A template has been prepared and published by the regulatory body for accredited course application https://www.asqa.gov.au/course-accreditation/renew-course/stage-2-course-review-and-redevelopment you may find it useful to include some of the particulars in this template.
What are the documents that I need to demonstrate compliance to Clause 1.5 and Clause 1.6?
There is no prescribed forms or evidence mentioned in the standards. We recommend that you have regular ongoing communication with the industry and implement a system that can demonstrate how you engage (using a variety of methods) in order to systematically monitor your training and assessment strategies, resources, facilities, equipment, and practises to ensure ongoing compliance, as well as how you systematically evaluate and use the feedback received from the industry.

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For more information, please call CAQA or email us at info@caqa.com.au.