National Standards for Group Training Organisations

Purpose

A review of the National Standards for Group Training Organisations was undertaken by Escalier Consulting Pty Ltd on behalf of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments (Escalier Report). The unpublished Escalier Report presented a view to Governments on the essential components of a new quality model and the requirements for such a model.

The objective of the Standards is to ensure nationally consistent, high-quality group training services for the clients of Australia’s Group Training Organisations (GTOs), including apprentices/trainees and host employers.

The Standards are based on the recommendations of the Escalier Report, as well as taking account of other VET standards, including the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and the Standards for the National VET Regulator (NVR) Registered Training Organisations 2011.

Compliance with the Standards is a condition for GTOs to be registered.

Name of Standards

These Standards are the National Standards for Group Training Organisations.

Application of Standards

These Standards apply to each organisation intending to be registered and listed on the national group training register.

Definitions

In these Standards:

Access and equity means the policies and approaches that ensure that group training services are responsive to the diverse needs of apprentices and trainees and provide adequate support to host employers to meet the needs of their apprentices and trainees. Through the implementation of these policies and approaches, the benefits of participating in group training are available to everyone on an equitable basis, including: women where under-represented; people with disability; people from non-English speaking backgrounds; Indigenous Australians; and rural and remote.

Audit means a systematic, independent and documented process for assessing evidence to determine whether the operations of an organisation comply, or continue to comply, with the National Standards for Group Training Organisations.

Chief Executive Officer means the most senior executive of the GTO.

Completion of National Training Contract means completion of the on-the-job and the

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off-the-job components of an apprenticeship or traineeship, leading to the issuing of a qualification by the registered training organisation and completion of documentation as it applies to apprenticeships or traineeships in that state or territory.

Continuous improvement means a planned and ongoing process that enables a GTO to systematically review and improve its policies, procedures, products and services in order to generate better outcomes for clients and to meet changing needs. It allows a GTO to constantly review its performance and to plan ongoing improvements to its performance. Continuous improvement involves collecting, analysing and acting on relevant information collected from clients and other interested parties, including the GTO’s staff.

Group Training means a service whereby an organisation employs apprentices and trainees under a National Training Contract and hires them to host employers under a written agreement and charges the host employer for the apprentice/trainee services.

Group Training Organisation (GTO) means an organisation, usually a company, providing group training services to apprentices, trainees and employers that is registered against the National Standards for Group Training Organisations.

Host employer means an organisation that hosts, under a written host employer agreement, an apprentice or trainee employed at that time by a GTO, provides supervision and on-the-job training and pays the GTO for the apprentice/trainee services.

Host employer agreement means a written agreement between the GTO and the host employer that specifies the responsibilities of each party in relation to the training of the apprentice/trainee and the charge out rate payable by the host employer for each apprentice/trainee.

Industry means the bodies that have a stake in the services provided by GTOs.

National Logo for Group Training means the logo that a GTO is entitled to use signifying that it has complied with the requirements of the National Standards for Group Training Organisations.

National Standards for Group Training Organisations means the nationally agreed quality arrangements for group training agreed to by the Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (SCOTESE) or its successors.

National Training Contract means a contract for an apprenticeship/ traineeship, made between an employer and an apprentice/trainee, which is registered with the appropriate state/territory government department or agency, as may be required by state/territory legislation or regulation.

Quality means the ability of a set of inherent characteristics of a product, system or process to fulfil requirements of customers and other interested parties*.*From AS/NZS ISO 9000: 2000

Risk management means the systematic application of management policies, procedures and practices to the tasks of identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating and monitoring risk.

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Rotation means an apprentice or trainee moving from one host employer to another as part of his/her apprenticeship or traineeship with the GTO.

RTO means a registered training organisation.

Scale of Operations means the number of apprentices and trainees employed by the organisation and hosted to host employers.

Scope of Operation means the main industry areas in which the organisation operates.

Staff means, when used in this document, the employees of the GTO other than apprentices and trainees.

Standards means when used in this document the National Standards for Group Training Organisations. Each Standard has a heading and a short statement of the principles behind the Standard.

Training Plan means a program of training and assessment that is developed by the RTO in accordance with the nationally agreed Principles for Training Plans and agreed to by the employer and apprentice or trainee.

Draft components of proposed new quality standards model:

1 Core business

1.1 Marketing

1.1.1 The GTO’s marketing and advertising of group training services is ethical and accurate.

1.1.2 The GTO uses the Group Training logo only in accordance with its conditions of use.

1.1.3 The GTO’s marketing and advertising materials have clear information regarding the services they provide, the role and responsibilities of the host employer and accurate information regarding all the requirements of the apprenticeship/traineeship.

1.1.4 Marketing is informed by industry needs and economic/labour market conditions.

1.2 Recruitment, Employment and Induction

1.2.1 The GTO facilitates timely commencement of training contracts.

1.2.2 The GTO complies with State and Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and policies as they relate to the employment and training of apprentices and trainees in each state and territory in which they operate.

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1.2.3 Apprentices and trainees are screened to ensure they are work ready and have the capacity and aptitude for the occupation for which they are being recruited.

1.2.4 The GTO assists apprentices and trainees to understand the apprenticeships system, their National Training Contract and their responsibilities to the host employer, GTO, RTO and school (if under school-based arrangements.

1.2.5 The GTO ensures each apprentice and trainee is fully inducted into the organisation and into each host organisation upon commencement.

1.2.6 The GTO provides clear and accurate advice to assist host employers understand the apprenticeships system and ensure they agree, by means of a host employer agreement, to their role and responsibilities in training and supporting the apprentice or trainee while in their workplace and working cooperatively with the GTO and RTO.

1.2.7 The GTO, in placing the apprentice/trainee with a host employer under a written agreement, provides remuneration under the relevant industrial instrument and charges the host employer a financially appropriate rate for the apprentice/trainee services for the duration of the training contract.

1.2.8 The GTO ensures each apprentice and trainee is engaged with a RTO in a timely manner and that a Training Plan is in place that is appropriate to the qualification and occupation being undertaken and has been agreed by the apprentice or trainee and each host employer.

1.2.9 The GTO balances the number of apprentices and trainees it employs with demand from host employers.

1.2.10 The GTO provides clear advice to all stakeholders involved in an apprenticeship/traineeship training contract.

1.3 Monitoring and Support

1.3.1 The GTO regularly monitors each apprentice or trainee’s progress against the Training Plan, facilitates the integration of training and employment through host employers and provides ongoing coaching and mentoring to ensure continuity of the National Training Contract and the quality and breadth of the training experience.

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1.3.2 The GTO monitors the status of training contracts and takes timely action when required to vary or complete training contracts.

1.3.3 The GTO has defined plans in place to manage and support apprentices and trainees in times of economic downturn or stand down that facilitates the retention of the apprentice or trainee and are consistent with State and Commonwealth legislative requirements.

1.3.4 The GTO manages the risks of employing an apprentice or trainee and commits to providing continuity of employment and payment of wages when there is temporarily no host employer.

1.3.5 The GTO:

1.3.5.1 provides ongoing assistance, coordination and accurate advice to host employers to ensure they provide appropriate on-the-job training, supervision, support and mentoring to the hosted apprentices/trainees;

1.3.5.2 ensures a Training Plan is in place, that is a living document regularly updated to reflect the current status of the apprentice/trainee’s training and consistent with competency-based progression (where appropriate) and competency based completion requirements;

1.3.5.3 ensures that where there are any performance issues with the apprentice/trainee, that this is properly documented by the GTO and that the apprentice or trainee receives appropriate feedback; and

1.3.5.4 reports issues to the STA in accordance with legislation, policy and National Training Contract requirements.

1.3.6 The GTO develops and validates strategies and methods for monitoring of apprentices, trainees and host employers in consultation with relevant industry sectors.

1.4 Outcomes and completions

1.4.1 The GTO monitors the commencement, retention and completion of the apprentice’s or trainee’s employment and the performance of the host employer to maximise the potential for the successful completion of their qualification and hosting rotation.

1.4.2 The GTO ensures that apprenticeships and traineeships offered are sustainable and likely to lead to genuine employment outcomes.

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2.1 Financial

2.1.1 The GTO must be able to demonstrate to its registering body that it will be financially viable at all times during the period of its registration.

2.1.2 On request, the GTO will provide the registering body with authorised evidence of:

Assets to liability ratio

Debt to equity ratio

Debt ratio

Retained earnings per apprentice/trainee

Profit or loss and loss as a percentage of revenue

2.1.3 The GTO’s accounting will comply with Corporations Law and Australian Accounting Standards.

2.1.4 The organisation’s accounts will be audited annually by:

a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, or

a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, or

a member of the National Institute of Accountants who holds a current Public Practice Certificate; or

a registered company auditor.

2.2 Governance

2.2.1 A GTO shall be an incorporated entity recognised by the appropriate government agency.

2.2.2 The GTO will have appropriate corporate and management structures consistent with its scale and scope of operations.

2.2.3 The GTO’s Chief Executive must ensure that the organisation will comply with these Standards and any legislative, regulatory or state and territory guidelines.

2.2.4 The GTO must have a business plan in place that is consistent with its scale of operations.

2.2.5 The GTO’s senior officers and directors or substantial shareholders who are in a position to influence the management of the GTO must satisfy fit and proper person requirements unless these

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requirements have already been met through other legislative provisions.

2.3 Business practices

2.3.1 The GTO will have appropriate systems, policies and procedures in place across all of its operations.

2.3.2 The GTO will, in accordance with relevant legislation, assure the accuracy, integrity, confidentiality and security of records, including their storage, archiving and disposal, including the backup and storage of electronic records.

2.3.3 The GTO will ensure the accuracy and integrity of its documents through appropriate document control, including authorisation/issue, version control and disposal.

2.3.4 The GTO will inform all staff and clients of the policy, legislative and regulatory requirements that affect their duties or participation.

2.3.5 The GTO must hold appropriate public liability insurance, based on the size and scope of its operations.

2.3.6 The applicant has a defined strategy for the implementation of a systematic continuous improvement approach to the management of operations, including for:

marketing of apprenticeships/traineeships;

recruitment and induction of apprentices, trainees and new host employers;

monitoring of apprentices, trainees and host employers; and

maximising outcomes and completions of apprentices and trainees and host employers, including collecting and analysing stakeholder and client feedback and satisfaction data on the services it provides.

2.4 Staff

2.4.1 The GTO ensures that all aspects of its operation, including marketing, recruitment, induction, monitoring and support of apprentices or trainees and host employers, are undertaken by staff who:

are appropriately trained and qualified; and

continue to develop their knowledge and skills through identified and planned ongoing professional development.

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3 Ethical practice

3.1 Conflict Resolution

3.1.1 The GTO ensures that its clients and stakeholders have access to clear information on how the GTO manages conflicts of interest within its group training operations and across other functions within the organisation or in related organisations.

3.1.2 The GTO manages and resolves conflict with its clients and stakeholders, including apprentices, trainees and host employers, in a structured manner.

3.2 Access and Equity

3.2.1 The GTO will seek advice from access and equity agencies to ensure the most appropriate service is provided to apprentices/trainees.

3.2.2 The GTO adheres to the principles of access and equity and maximises outcomes for its clients.

3.2.3 Before clients enter into an agreement, the GTO informs them about the training and support services to be provided, and about their rights and obligations.

3.2.4 The GTO provides apprentices/trainees with the training and support services that meet their individual needs.

3.2.5 Apprentices/trainees are provided with timely access to current and accurate records of their participation and progress.

3.2.6 The GTO provides appropriate mechanisms and services for apprentices/trainees to have complaints and appeals addressed efficiently and effectively.

3.2.7 The GTO will ensure that the outcome of all complaints and appeals are clearly documented and the effected parties officially informed.

3.3 Ethics

3.3.1 The GTO is ethical in the provision of group training services, including in its relationships with other GTOs.

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