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Professional development
Standards: Clause 1.16
The RTO ensures that all trainers and assessors undertake professional development in the fields of the knowledge and practice of vocational training, learning and assessment including competency based training and assessment.
Related documents/links
ASQA website: Professional development
Professional development activities - examples
Any of these that relate to VET professional skills and knowledge:
- participating in external courses, workshops, seminars, and conferences
- participating in courses run by professional development providers
- participating in internal programs provided by your RTO
- demonstrating recent completion of a training product about VET and competency-based training and assessment
- reading relevant publications
- participating in learning networks about vocational training and assessment
- taking part in validation or moderation activities
- shadowing or working closely with other trainers and assessors under a mentoring arrangement.
QCI consideration
- Does your RTO have a documented strategy for developing the VET professional skills of trainers and assessors?
- Does your RTO keep evidence of the professional development activities of all trainers and assessors?
- Does your RTO have a process for addressing a situation where a trainer or assessor has not completed professional development in a timely manner? If so, when are staff made aware of this process?
Scenario 1
XYZ trainer refuses to pay for any professional development activities associated with their occupational area of expertise because they say it is the responsibility of the RTO to pay for them.
Question
Is this correct?
No. It is the responsibility for the RTO to ensure that the PD has been done. If there has been no PD within a reasonable timeframe, then the RTO may have to consider terminating the trainer’s employment, because it is a serious compliance risk. Any payment arrangements are at the discretion of the two parties and have no bearing on the obligation.
Scenario 2
An XYZ trainer pops into a workshop being conducted by another XYZ trainer for a few minutes. They both claim this as their PD in training and assessment skills.
Question
Are they correct?
No. If the observer completes a structured observation sheet and this is signed by the trainer being observed as feedback on their performance, then this would be acceptable as PD for the trainer who is delivering the workshop.
Alternatively, the observer may complete a structured observation sheet meant to help them recognise good teaching/learning practice. This would be signed by the trainer being observed and go on the observer’s file as evidence of professional development. It is about the design of the observation sheet.