The Importance of RTO Compliance Support

If you have been successful in becoming a Registered Training Organisation, you are likely aware of how involved and time-consuming it can be to maintain compliance with the VET Quality Framework or Australian Quality Training Framework. RTO compliance support has become a highly demanded service, and for good reason.

Time and time again, small institutions have underestimated this process and have assumed that once RTO approval is earned, it is not difficult to keep. Unfortunately, this simply isn’t the case, and many of these businesses simply can’t satisfy the requirements. The fact is that organisations need to allocate ample resources to this effort prior to and throughout the time they are a RTO.

Part of this involves setting out policies and procedures detailing the internal processes that will take place in line with the respective training package, legislative instruments, assessment tools etc… The Regulators conduct audits of RTO’s at various stages of the registration period. Some RTOs are audited more often than others and this may relate to one or a combination of reasons, for example, the RTO may have a high risk qualification on scope, or the regulator has received complaints about the RTO.

The implementation of a rigorous Internal Audit process is highly recommended and will help the RTO to ensure it provides a quality educational experience for its students whilst maintaining compliance. It is generally suggested that RTO’s conduct internal audits on a yearly basis and/or mini audits to self assess the organisation according to the government standards, the RTO policies, procedures and ensuring that intent is actioned. The completion of internal audits makes it much easier to uncover non compliances that may then be corrected in a timely manner. Conducting internal audits demonstrates an institutions commitment to risk analysis and mitigation, which is recognised by the registering authorities as a good quality assurance practice.

A Professional Education Consultant will generally be able to uncover numerous potential contraventions within the RTO; findings will be presented in the audit report - for correction by the RTO prior to a regulators audit. Education Consultants are able to offer services including audits, regulator audit report review and analysis, scope increase, re-registration advice, staff training, support for new RTOs registration, development of policies, procedures and to guide rectifications.