Issued: 31 July 2019
Reviewed 04 April 2022
General
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) General Direction - Learner transition requires Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to update the enrolment of students within 12 months (or 18 months in some circumstances) of a qualification being superseded. This requirement applies equally to apprentices and trainees as to other vocational students. The mapping from a superseded to an updated qualification is specified in a new Training Package or an updated version of the same Training Package.
Where an apprentice or trainee may be disadvantaged by a transition period RTOs can apply to ASQA for consideration of an extended transition period of a training product for a group of learners or a single learner. Please refer to ASQA guidelines relating to the application process.
RTOs have an obligation to notify Training Services NSW when they are updating the enrolment of an apprentice or trainee from the qualification specified on the training contract.
RTO Notifications
RTOs that will be updating the enrolment of apprentices and trainees should provide an email and/or spreadsheet to the local Training Services NSW regional office listing the names and TCIDs of the apprentices and trainees whose enrolment will be updated. The correspondence should also specify:
- the name and national code of the updated qualification in which the apprentices or trainees will be enrolled,
- the date on which the apprentices/trainees have been or will be enrolled in the updated qualification.
Although RTOs will need to gradually update Training Plans to reflect the change of qualification, they are not required to provide updated Training Plans at the time they notify Training Services NSW regarding an ASQA qualification rollover.
Large RTOs are requested to consolidate information advising Training Services NSW regarding ASQA qualification rollovers. Training Services NSW preference is to receive a single spreadsheet each semester setting out the names and TCIDs of all apprentices and trainees whose enrolment will be updated. A separate worksheet tabs should be used for each individual qualification.
RTOs may provide information about ASQA qualification rollovers directly to Training Services NSW. Alternatively this information may be relayed to Training Services NSW via an Apprenticeship Network Provider.
As a part of the application process RTOs should confirm that they have advised both the employer and the apprentice or trainee that they will be updating the qualification.
Technical Variations
Equivalent Qualifications
When notified by an RTO that an apprentice or trainee is to be enrolled in an updated qualification, and the qualification is equivalent, Training Services NSW must vary the apprenticeship or traineeship. Such variations may be processed as technical variations authorised by the Commissioner for Vocational Training under section 21A (2) of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001. They do not require the consent of the parties to vary a National Training Contract.
Technical variations can only be approved where the training.gov.au website confirms that the proposed qualification supersedes the qualification currently specified on the National Training Contract/s.
Senior managers in Training Services NSW regional offices have delegated authority to approve technical variations on behalf of the Commissioner.
Non-Equivalent Qualifications
Where new qualifications are deemed not equivalent, they will not be attached to the old Vocational Training Orders (VTOs), and the old qualifications will not be attached to the new VTOs as an alternate course of study. They will also not be automatically eligible for a technical variation.
If there are significant changes to a qualification a Technical Variation will not be accepted and a VT2 Application to vary an apprenticeship or traineeship by consent must be submitted to Training Services NSW for approval by the employer and learner.
Where the qualification does not have significant changes, Training Services NSW may consider a request for a technical variation by an RTO on a case-by-case basis. If approved, a technical variation may proceed. If not approved, a VT2 Application to vary an apprenticeship or traineeship by consent must be submitted.