thomson bridge pty ltd...primary contacts refer to: lisa parkinson jason watson thomson bridge pty...

Thomson Bridge Pty Ltd Student Handbook

Version 1.2, September 2016 RTO No. 40754

Primary Contacts

Refer to: Lisa Parkinson

Jason Watson

Thomson Bridge Pty Ltd

Suite 16, 1330 Ferntree Gully Road

Scoresby 3179

Victoria, Australia

ABN 83 161 836 513

RTO No. 40754

Tel 1300 15 66 85

www.thomsonbridge.com

DOCUMENT RELEASE

Document Title ThomsonBridge Student HandBook 2016_09_12

Name Title Date

Author: L. Parkinson Managing Director 03/02/2014

Reviewed by: J. Watson Principal 03/02/2014

REVISION HISTORY

Revision Number

Date Section Amendment Details Author

1.0 02/08/2013 All Original Draft L. Parkinson

1.1 5/09/2014 All Review J. Watson

1.2 12/09/2016 All Review L. Parkinson

Contents 1 INTRODUCTION _______________________________________________________ 5

2 THE AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (AQF) - BACKGROUND ____ 5

3 OUR TRAINING COURSES ______________________________________________ 6

4 LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE ____________________________________________ 6

5 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY __________________________________ 7

6 PRIVACY _____________________________________________________________ 7

7 ADMISSION AND ENROLMENT __________________________________________ 7

8 PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS ________________________________________ 8

9 CREDIT TRANSFER AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL) __________ 8

10 STUDENT CONDUCT _________________________________________________ 8

11 COURSE FEES _______________________________________________________ 9

12 TRAINING GUARANTEE _______________________________________________ 9

13 PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS ___________________________ 9

14 RE-SIT AND RE-ASSESSMENTS _______________________________________ 10

15 LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACY SKILLS ________________________ 10

16 ACCESS AND EQUITY _______________________________________________ 10

17 RESOLVING COMPLAINTS ___________________________________________ 10

18 ASSESSMENT ______________________________________________________ 11

19 ISSUING OF CREDENTIALS ___________________________________________ 11

P a g e | 5 Thomson Bridge – Student Handbook

1 Introduction Thank you for considering Thomson Bridge Pty Ltd (Thomson Bridge) for your training and skills development needs. We aim to ensure that your training time with us is rewarding. Thomson Bridge is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and is committed to high standards in the provision of industry based and nationally recognised training and assessment services for corporate clients, employees and contractors. We conduct courses for our corporate clients who are seeking to refresh, extend and/or verify the competencies of their employees and contractors. Upon satisfactory completion of our courses, students will receive a certificate acknowledging their completion. Additionally students will receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for the relevant Units of Competency that are included in our current scope. For further information on our scope of nationally accredited units of competency, please refer to www.training.gov.au and enter our RTO code or name. This handbook provides information to prospective students and their employers about the services we offer and the policies and procedures that we have adopted to assure the quality of these services.

2 The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) - Background

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national set of standards which assures nationally consistent, high-‐quality training and assessment services for the clients of Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system. Standards for the National VET Regulator (NVR) registered training organisations (SNR) were developed as part of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 under the authority of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations were introduced in 2011. The SNR now applies to most registered training organisations throughout Australia. (Some exceptions apply in Victoria and Western Australia.) Compliance with the SNR is a condition for all NVR registered training organisations under the Act. The objectives of the SNR are to ensure nationally consistent, high-‐quality training and assessment services for the clients of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. The Standards form part of the VET Quality Framework. As defined in section 3 of the Act, the VET Quality Framework is comprised of the Standards for NVR registered training organisations, the Australian Qualifications Framework, the fit and proper person requirements, the financial viability risk assessment requirements and the data provision requirements.


3 Our training courses

Please refer to our website, www.thomsonbridge.com for a full disclosure of our courses. These are reviewed and updated on a regular basis and we are able to tailor course and training programs that meet your company and site requirements. We deliver nationally recognised Units of Competency that are consistent with our industry-‐based training from the following National Training Packages:

• Transmission, Distribution & Rail Training Package; and • Generation Training Package.

Refer to training.gov.au for a detailed list of our Qualifications and Units of Competency currently on our Scope.

4 Legislative compliance Thomson Bridge complies with the relevant legislative requirements of state and federal governments relevant to its operations as an RTO and its scope of registration. Our staff are regularly informed in staff meetings of the impact legislation has on the way they conduct their duties, with particular reference to vocational education and training, workplace health and safety, workplace relations, anti-‐discrimination and equal opportunity.

Our Company complies with the relevant legislation and regulatory requirements of the following:

• National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (and subsequent amendments)

• Relevant State based acts and legislation such as the Electricity Acts and Regulations • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 • Privacy Act 1988 and relevant State legislation • Anti-‐discrimination Acts at the Federal and State levels.

o Federal laws:

§ Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 § Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) § Disability Discrimination Act 1992 § Racial Discrimination Act 1975 § Sex Discrimination Act 19841991.

o State laws and Territory laws:

§ Australian Capital Territory Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT) § New South Wales Anti-‐Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) § Northern Territory Anti-‐Discrimination Act 1996 (NT) § Queensland Anti-‐Discrimination Act 1991 (QLD) § South Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA) § Tasmania Anti-‐Discrimination Act 1998 (TAS) § Victoria Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (VIC) § Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)


5 Occupational Health and Safety Thomson Bridge is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all students. We aim to achieve the highest degree of occupational health, safety and security by adhering to Government Legislation and the company-‐wide OH&S policies and procedures of the relevant employer. Students are required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment or relevant industry attire as directed for scheduled practical training sessions. 6 Privacy If you enrol in one of our courses, we will need to seek personal information from you or, in some cases, from your Employer. In doing so, we are committed to protecting your privacy and your personal information. We will only collect the personal information that we need for our normal business activities. We may disclose information to other organisations as required under law, to other training providers under mutual recognition arrangements. If your personal details change, please inform us so that your details can be amended. You have the right to access the personal information that we hold about you at any time and provide any necessary corrections. You also have the right to request access to records of your individual assessment results. 7 Admission and enrolment Your Employer will arrange training services with us on your behalf. However, you may contact us on 1300 15 66 85 to discuss the training program. Additional information is found on our website at http://www.thomsonbridge.com. Students are nominated for enrolment by their Employer. Enrolment applications will be assessed to ensure that the student meets any pre-‐requisites that have been set for the selected course. Students will be informed of successful enrolment and sent information on the course and their course induction. This information includes

• Student Enrolment Form • Course or program content • Student Handbook • Location of training • Pre-‐requisites for entry into the program • Assessment methods • Catering arrangements • Qualification to be issued upon successful completion.

This information is usually dispatched in electronic format via email. Students are requested to complete the Enrolment Form five business days prior to course commencement. Upon enrolment, students’ details will be entered into our RTO database system. This process initiates the establishment of the students’ individual file, which is then used to record all future details pertaining to you as a student. This file and the management of the file will be in accordance with the Company’s RTO training records policy, which forms part of our Policy and Procedures Manual and is available upon request. Students who do not meet the prerequisites for the selected course will be notified and will be invited to contact Thomson Bridge to discuss their training needs and alternative opportunities. This conversation will typically involve participation by the Employer.


At the time of enrolment, the prospective student is invited to contact the designated Trainer to discuss any specific need or concern that the individual has that may impact their ability to confidently undertake the training and/or assessment.

8 Prerequisite requirements For courses that have prerequisite skills and knowledge requirements, documentary evidence that the necessary prerequisites have been met is requested prior to the student commencing the course. The evidence must be provided before we can issue a statement of attainment to a student.

9 Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Under mutual recognition arrangements, we are able to recognise all AQF qualifications and statements of attainment issued by other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) from across Australia. Accordingly, in some circumstances, students may be able to gain credit for part of their training course based on the qualifications and/or statements of attainment that they already hold, however evidence must be provided. If a student does not have a relevant qualification, but feels that they may already possess the skills and knowledge that are defined by a particular unit of competency, they may seek to have these skills and knowledge recognised through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. Provided that sufficient evidence can be shown to support the skills and knowledge being claimed, the relevant unit of competency can be recognised and awarded with no further training being required. Students wishing to apply for RPL should speak to their Training Consultant at the time of enrolment. If you wish to apply for Recognition of either your past qualifications or experience you will need to do so within two weeks of enrolment. Fees are typically charged at an hourly rate of $200 for RPL services and should be discussed with your Trainer and your Employer before this process is undertaken. Please note that RPL may not exempt you from completing a course that your Employer requires you to undertake as part of the company’s enterprise health and safety policy, and their compliance with relevant Acts pertaining to health and safety in the Energy sector. 10 Student conduct We expect that students will comply with all reasonable directions given by our Trainers and reserve the right to refuse any student from continuing a course at any stage. We also expect that each student will respect the rights and property of other students and take good care of all equipment and facilities that are used during training. We will initially undertake private counselling of any student who is disruptive, who displays a reluctance to participate in training, or who attempts to enjoin others in disruptive behaviour. If following such counselling, disruptive or obstructive behaviour continues, the student(s) will be warned and, in the case of training being provided to a company group, the formal point of contact for the company will be advised. If after this warning such behaviour continues, the student(s) will be asked to leave the course. Any person who attends a course under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or who displays abusive or threatening behaviour towards a trainer or another student will be asked to leave


the program immediately. Students asked to leave the course under these provisions will not complete the course.

11 Course Fees Our course fees are paid by your Employer and are fully inclusive of all training and assessment activities, and printed course notes. The qualifications that we award to students are also inclusive of our course fee. Within reason, we will also provide replacement testamurs, free of charge, upon request. Each student (or their Employer) is responsible for their own transport and accommodation costs that may be incurred as part of their participation in our training course. Catering arrangements will be advised prior to commencement of each course. In the event that a student is unable to complete the course or undertake the assessment due to ill health, we are prepared to consider alternative times for you to resume the course and complete the assessment. These arrangements can be discussed between us, you and your Employer.

12 Training Guarantee It is the intention of the Directors of Thomson Bridge that all students will receive the full training services paid for by their Employer, including training and assessment. Our Company has in place a corporate structure, governance and financial management systems and processes to guarantee the training for students enrolled with Braendler. Specifically, the integrity, business experience and training expertise of our Senior Management and Trainers ensure continuity of training and completion of training for our students. The continuous improvement and quality management practices employed by Thomson Bridge and its staff are designed to pro-‐actively identify any anomaly that might cause a business interruption or training failure, and address this situation before any student is affected. The recruitment, induction and staff professional development policies and procedures ensure best practice and minimise the potential for business interruption or training failure. In the extremely unlikely event of a business interruption or training failure, students' training is guaranteed by the financial management policy and procedure of Thomson Bridge. Clients (Employers) are typically invoiced for payment at the completion of the course. Additionally please refer to the following sections for details on the following:

• Payment Terms, Cancellation and Refunds -‐ Section 13 • Re-‐sit and Re-‐assessments – Section 14.

13 Payments, Cancellations and Refunds As a student, your training course is arranged and paid for by your Employer. Our standard practice is to invoice our client after the completion of the training services. Cancellation fees apply under the following circumstances:

• If an arranged group booking is cancelled with more than ten (10) working days notice from commencement of course, there will be no charge.


• If an arranged group booking is cancelled less than ten (10) working days before commencement of the course a fee of 50% of the agreed costs will be payable by the client.

As stated in section 12, if a Course is commenced by us and our Trainer is unable to complete the training or the assessment, we will:

• firstly, seek to identify a suitably qualified Trainer to continue with the course; or • secondly, provide the client with the choice of a pro rata refund for the period that has

not been completed or resumption of the course at a mutually convenient time.

14 Re-sit and Re-assessments There are options available to students who are unable to complete the course or undertake the assessment due to ill health, or who are deemed not yet competent on completion of training and assessment. These options include participation in the next available course or assessment conducted by Thomson Bridge for the students’ Employer or alternatively a separate course or assessment period for that particular student. These options may attract additional fees and will be discussed in detail between the student, the Employer and the Trainer on a case by case basis.

15 Language, literacy and numeracy skills All students have the option to be assessed in order to ascertain if their literacy and numeracy skills are sufficient to successfully undertake a training program provided by our Company. Where a student feels that they may require assistance, they should speak confidentially with their nominated Trainer prior to enrolment. Those who require further assessment will be referred to a qualified expert. Any costs incurred will be the responsibility of the students’ Employer and should be discussed with your direct report. 16 Access and equity Thomson Bridge is committed to providing equal opportunity and access to all persons wishing to participate in our courses. We recognise that an individual’s access to training and assessment should not be adversely affected by restrictions placed on the location or context of assessment beyond the requirements specified in the relevant Training Package. We will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments to ensure equity in assessment for people with disabilities. Adjustments include any changes to the assessment process or context that meets the individual needs of the person with a disability, but do not change competency outcomes. When assessing people with disabilities, we will apply good practice assessment methods with sensitivity and flexibility. Access and equity issues are also considered during the development of our courses and in the structure of our training delivery and assessment. Should you have any special needs that warrant a flexible learning and assessment approach, please contact your Training Consultant before commencing your training.

17 Resolving complaints We aim to resolve any student complaints or appeals in a fair and equitable manner and in accordance with the principles of natural justice. In the event that you have a complaint about the training you have received, the conduct of a staff member, or any concerns regarding a decision that we make in relation to you, we have adopted a complaint resolution process to ensure that your concerns are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner.


In the first instance, we encourage students to raise their complaint as promptly as possible with your Trainer so that we might respond immediately and address matters as quickly as possible. Our complaint resolution process also includes additional steps which you may take if your concerns are not resolved at this initial point. For further information, please refer to our Complaints and Appeals policy, which is available upon request. Our staff can provide you with a hard copy or softcopy via email. 18 Assessment Most of our training courses are competency-‐based. This means that students are required to demonstrate that they have achieved the mandated level of skills and knowledge which are assessed through a range of different assessment tasks. Assessment is progressive throughout the course and will include observation of student progress, involvement in class activities, case studies, written tests, class exercises and similar. Students may be assessed by one or more of the following methods:

• Practical Exercise – an opportunity to display problem solving and decision making skills in a simulated context.

• Observation – the completion of a specified task or set of procedures, normally performed under close supervision, using a detailed checklist.

• Class Work, Oral questioning – a response is provided to a series of questions presented in order to demonstrate understanding of principles or reasoning behind the action taken.

• Written Questionnaire – a written response item consisting of a question/s with answers of a single word, a few words, a sentence, or a paragraph.

We will also discuss with each student individually, the options that are available to them if they are deemed ‘not yet competent’ at the completion of the training course. These options include the possibility of being reassessed at a later date or alternatively undertaking the full training course again at a later date. Rescheduling training and/or assessment will require the approval of your Employer and may incur additional fees. 19 Issuing of Credentials Students who meet the necessary prerequisites and are assessed as competent against one or more units of competency will typically be awarded a Statement of Attainment, a nationally recognised credential within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Students will also receive a certificate of completion which certifies that they have attended and completed the course. Students will be issued with their credential within 30 working days of successful completion of the program provided that evidence of meeting prerequisite requirements has been provided and course fees have been paid.

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