Glossary

Access and equity

means the policies and approaches that ensure that vocational education and training is responsive and equitable to the diverse needs of all participants. Particular focus is given to ensure it meets the needs of: people with disabilities; people from non-English speaking backgrounds; Indigenous Australians; women in under-represented areas; and rural /remote learners.

Accreditation

Refers to the formal recognition of a course by the State or Territory course accrediting body in line with the Standards outlined by the State and in the AQTF

Accredited course

Refers to a structured program of vocational education and training that has been accredited by the State Training Authority and leads to an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification or Statement of Attainment.

Appeal process

This process allows for the person being assessed, or an employer, to have an assessment reviewed. This may result in part of an assessment being repeated or carried out in a different way.

Assessment

Assessment is the process of collecting evidence and making judgments on the ability of an individual to perform certain tasks or skills.

Assessment guidelines

Refers to an endorsed part of a training package which outlines the assessment conditions, requirements and guidelines

Assessment process

The assessment process is the steps agreed to by the applicant and the assessor to most suitably complete the required assessment activities.

Assessor

An assessor is someone who has the skills and knowledge to conduct assessments.   Registered training organisations must use assessors who possess the appropriate assessment qualifications required by the training package guidelines.

Audit

Refers to the systematic, objective and documented process to determine if an RTO complies with the ATQF

Australian National Training Authority (ANTA)

Refers to the Commonwealth statutory authority established in 1994 to provide a national focus for vocational education and training (VET). It was established under the Australian National Training Authority Act 1992 [subsection 5 (1)]

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

Refers to the policy framework that defines all qualifications in post-compulsory education and training incorporating school, industry vocational and academic qualifications into one system.

Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)

Refers to the set of nationally agreed standards to ensure the quality of vocational education and training services throughout Australia agreed to by the Ministerial Council.

Competency Unit

A competency is a fixed arrangement of knowledge and skill required in the workplace for a particular task. Elements are lists of outcomes that make up the competency unit.>All the elements together fully describe the competency unit.

Endorsement

Refers to the formal process of recognition of Training Packages undertaken by the National Training Quality Council.

Evidence

Evidence is information gathered that provides proof of competency. It can take many forms and be gathered from a number of sources.>Evidence must be valid, authentic, sufficient and current to enable the assessor to make the assessment judgment.

Flexible learning

Refers to an approach to training that adoption of a range of learning strategies that cater for different learning styles, circumstances, interests, needs or opportunities.

Ministerial Council (MINCO)

Refers to the ANTA Ministerial Council made up of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers responsible for VET

Mutual recognition

Refers to the national requirement for RTO’s to accept and recognise the decisions and qualifications of other RTO’s.

National Training Framework (NTF)

Refers to the national framework designed to allow qualifications to be standardized and recognised in any State or Territory in Australia. It is endorsed by the ANTA Ministerial Council and made up of the Australian Quality Training Framework and nationally endorsed Training Packages.

National Training Information Service (NTIS)

Refers to the National Register for information about Registered Training Organisations, Training Packages and accredited courses.

National Training Quality Council (NTQC)

Refers to the body established by the ANTA Ministerial Council as a Committee of the ANTA Board to oversee quality assurance (including the AQTF) and endorse Training Packages.

New Apprenticeships

Refers to the structured training arrangements, usually involving on- and off-the- job training, for a person employed under an Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Contract. There are a number of traineeships approved in NSW for Community Services and Health (see Useful Contacts)

Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of materials, such as original documents, work samples, certificates, etc. that are put together for a specific purpose.

Pre-requisite

Competency units or qualifications, which are required to be achieved and assessed before others, are called pre-requisite competencies.

Qualification

A qualification is the formal declaration, issued by a Registered Training Organisation, that a person has achieved all the requirements of a national Training Package or an accredited course.

Reasonable Adjustment

Reasonable adjustment is when the assessment method is altered to meet individual applicant’s needs while remaining valid and reliable.

Recognition process

This term may be called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Recognition of Current Competency (RCC), Skills Recognition, or simply Recognition. They all refer to the process of accepting a person’s skills and abilities regardless of how, when or where the learning occurred.>This includes through any combination of formal or informal training and education, work experience or general life experiences.>The assessor must be confident that the applicant currently possesses the competencies being recognised. The assessor may use a variety of evidence that could include documentation, references from employers and workplace observations. The assessor must ensure that the evidence is authentic, valid, reliable, current and sufficient.

Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

Refers to a training organisation that has met the standard for training and assessment according to national requirements (Australian Quality Training Framework).

Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

Refers to a training organisation registered by the State registering body (eg VETAB in NSW), in accordance with the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). RTOs registration includes a list of the courses, the training packages qualifications and other services they may offer. This is known as their scope of registration.

Registration

Refers to the formal approval and recognition of a training organisation by the State registering body eg VETAB in NSW, accordance with the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF).

Scope of registration

Refers to the list of the courses, the training packages qualifications and other services or products an RTO is registered to offer.

Self-assessment

Refers to a process that allows applicants being assessed to collect and provide evidence on their own performance against the competencies in a certain qualification.>This method is often used to help the applicant and the assessor to determine what evidence is available and where the gaps may be.

Special consideration

Reasonable adjustment may be made to the assessment process to meet individual needs of the applicant. Applicants may need particular attention because of personal needs, such as language difficulties, disabilities, cultural requirements, etc. All information provided to the assessor and RTO about special needs remain confidential.

State or Territory registering body

Refers to the body responsible within the state or Territory for all the processes related to the registration of training organisations, including the imposition of sanctions(eg VETAB in NSW).

Statement of Attainment

Statement of Attainment is a record of recognised competencies. The Statement of Attainment may contribute towards a qualification if an applicant has further training, assessment or recognition. The Statement of Attainment is issued by an RTO when competencies have been successfully assessed.

Statement of Attainment

Refers to a record of recognised learning which outlines the competencies gained by the participant but does not meet the requirements for a qualification.

Traineeship

Refers to the structured training arrangements, usually involving on- and off-the- job training, for a person employed under an Traineeship Training Contract. One of the pathways to achieve a qualification

Traineeship Training Contract

Refers to the contract that a trainee and their employer sign which is registered with the Department of Education.

Training Package

Refers to a set of nationally approved competencies, assessment guidelines and qualifications for a specific industry or work sector.

Training Plan

Refers to a structured program of training and assessment which is required under an Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Contract.

Unit of Competency

A competency is a fixed arrangement of knowledge and skill required in the workplace for a particular task. Elements are lists of outcomes that make up the competency unit.>All the elements together fully describe the competency unit.