Information for former students of DSA Ventures Pty Ltd (DSA Ventures, trading as Australian Academy of Elite Education 45442)

Statement of regulatory action

18 December 2024

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has cancelled the qualifications and/or statements of attainment of more than 550 former students of DSA Ventures Pty Ltd (DSA Ventures, trading as Australian Academy of Elite Education 45442) as part of its ongoing program of regulatory action.

DSA Ventures was registered to deliver to domestic students and was not funded by government to deliver VET qualifications.

An ASQA compliance investigation found DSA Ventures did not meet the conditions of registration, including Fit and Proper Person and Financial Viability Requirements; had issued qualifications and/or statements of attainment without adequate assessment; and did not ensure students had successfully satisfied all requirements prior to issuing VET certification.

Given the nature of the issues identified in this matter and to protect the public, ASQA issued notices of intent to cancel qualifications and/or statements of attainment to 1,220 former DSA Ventures students who had an opportunity to respond to ASQA before any decision was made.

Of the 1,220 former students who were sent notices, more than 550 did not provide a response within the designated timeframe. As a result, ASQA has today cancelled their qualifications and/or statements of attainment.

The affected former students of DSA Ventures collectively hold a variety of qualifications and/or statements of attainment across building and construction related areas. ASQA has concerns about safety risks to the community and former students if these former students have not had their skills and competencies appropriately assessed to meet the requirements of the relevant training packages.

ASQA has received responses from more than 660 former students and is considering their responses. ASQA will advise those individuals of an outcome as soon as possible.

ASQA continues to work collaboratively with other government agencies and state and territory governments and regulators in relation to the impact of this action and other qualification cancellation decisions on former students, as well as any workplaces affected.

ASQA is committed to lifting quality and integrity across the VET sector and the integrity of our qualifications is a primary focus. There is no place for any provider who seeks to undermine the sector or exploit students.

ASQA’s ongoing program of regulatory action also saw it cancel the registration of three other unrelated RTOs last month to ensure public confidence in the qualifications gained through Australia’s VET sector.
These decisions are part of an ongoing program of regulatory action supported by ASQA’s strengthened capacity to target illegal behaviour and non-genuine providers that threaten the integrity of VET.

Updates and previous regulatory actions at: www.asqa.gov.au
Media contact: media@asqa.gov.au

Former Student Factsheet

Why have I received a Notice of decision to cancel?

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has cancelled the registration of DSA Ventures Pty Ltd (DSA Ventures, trading as Australian Academy of Elite Education 45442). The cancellation took effect from 4 December 2024 and was published on the National Register.

As a result of the cancellation of DSA Ventures’ registration, ASQA undertook a process to issue notices of intent to cancel qualifications and/or statements of attainment issued by DSA Ventures since January 2023.

ASQA issued a Notice of Intent to you to cancel your qualification(s) and/or statement(s) of attainment on 6 December 2024.

What happened if I didn’t provide a response?

If you decided to respond to the Notice of Intent, you had to do so within the period specified in the notice, i.e. no later than 7pm (AEDT) 7 days after receiving the written notice dated 6 December 2024.

ASQA provided all former students an opportunity to respond to the notice of intent. As you have decided not to respond, ASQA has cancelled your relevant qualification(s) and or statement(s) of attainment. ASQA has also provided you a Notice of the decision to cancel via email.

Can I provide a response after the period specified in the notice?

ASQA will not consider any responses after the due date and has cancelled your qualification.

What evidence did ASQA consider?

ASQA required former students to submit information and/or evidence that you undertook valid training and assessment and could demonstrate achieving the learning outcomes or competencies required.

Your response and evidence was required to:

Demonstrate that DSA Ventures provided you with appropriate training and/or assessment; and
Responses must have been supported by evidence as outlined in the table below:

Relevant evidence

Evidence that, on its own, will not be sufficient in this decision

Documents related to your training and assessment with DSA Ventures. For example:

completed assessment tasks
assessment feedback
marked assignments
evidence of completing work placements
an outline of the period of their enrolment and what training and assessment and/or work placement occurred during that period.
subject guides or timetables

Evidence of current related work/other relevant training:

letters of support from current or recent employers (within last 12 months)
VET qualifications or Statements of attainment issued by another RTO in a similar or same field
higher education qualifications issued in Australia in a similar or same field
evidence that overseas qualifications in a similar or same field have been assessed as equivalent to Australian qualifications by another RTO or organisation.

written statements which describe your skills and experience
proof of employment in industry
letters of support from employers
qualifications or statements of attainment from another education provider

Who made the decision?

The decision was made by the Chief Executive Officer of ASQA in her capacity as the Regulator.

When does the decision take effect?

Your Notice of decision to cancel specifies the date this decision takes effect.

Will the decision be made public?

In accordance with the requirements of section 216(1)(a)(vi) of the NVR Act, ASQA will publish this decision. However, ASQA will not include your personal details in the publication.

What if I disagree with ASQA’s decision to cancel my qualification?

You have the right to have the decision reviewed. As this decision was made by the Regulator, you cannot apply to ASQA to reconsider the decision. You may apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (the ART) (formerly the Administrative Appeals Tribunal) for a review of the decision. The ART is an independent review authority that has the power to affirm, vary, or set aside ASQA’s decisions.

More information on the review process can be found on the ART website.

What do I need to do next?

If you received a Notice of decision to cancel, you are now required to return your qualification(s) and/or statements of attainment(s) to ASQA at this address:

Attention: Qualification Cancellations
Australian Skills Quality Authority
GPO Box 9928
BRISBANE QLD 4001

If you received your certificates in a digital format from DSA Ventures, you must return them to ASQA by email: dsastudents@asqa.gov.au.

The documents must be returned to ASQA within 7 days of the date of this notice. You may incur a penalty if you do not comply.

If you continue to use your qualification(s) and/or statements of attainment(s) ASQA may take further action and penalties apply.

ASQA will notify the Office of the Student Identifiers Registrar. They manage the register that holds each individual’s Unique Student Identifier (USI) Record.

Why didn’t I receive a Notice of decision to cancel?

ASQA has received your response and is considering the information and/or evidence that you undertook valid training and assessment and could demonstrate achieving the learning outcomes or competencies required.

What happens next?

ASQA will notify you of the outcome of its decision and provide you with information on the next steps.

What options do I have to get appropriate qualifications?

We recommend searching for a registered training provider or training course on Your Career. Your Career is Australia's directory of training. It includes information on training in Australia for school leavers, students, apprentices, and employers.

When choosing a training or education provider, it is important to consider whether the provider and the course will meet your needs and expectations. Our Choosing a course and provider section includes a consumer checklist with important questions to ask a potential provider.

You could undertake a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment with another provider. RPL may be based on evidence collected through formal, non-formal and informal learning to determine the extent to which a person has achieved the required learning and/or competency outcomes to be awarded a unit of credit; this is often matched with ‘gap’ training, to meet the full competency requirements of a unit or course.

Formal learning, as the term relates to RPL, may mean units of credit which are related, but not equivalent to, the credit being sought, or credits which are no longer current.

Non-formal learning refers to learning, which is structured and focused, but which is delivered outside the Australian Qualifications Framework; for example, seminars, continuous professional development activities, and non-accredited training.

Informal learning refers to learning which is gained without syllabus or curriculum without any formal or non-formal direction – in the vocational sector this often relates to skills acquired through the workplace, which have not been directed by an instructor or structured to lead to a recognised outcome.

You can provide a variety of documentation. This includes, but is not limited to:

records of previously completed training
assessment items
assessment records and/or
declarations from a student’s employer.

You can also speak with your employer about training opportunities.

Am I entitled to a credit transfer?

As your qualification(s) and/or statements of attainment has been cancelled, you will not be able to seek a credit transfer.

I am an overseas student with a DSA Ventures qualification, will this affect my visa?

If you used the qualification that you have now received a Notice as part of your student visa application process, you should consider telling your current training provider that you are engaging with ASQA in this process if your qualification(s) and/or statement(s) of attainment:

is/are required for you to undertake the current or a future course
was/were presented to your training provider for you to be issued a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

Can I get a refund on the cost of getting my qualification with DSA Ventures?

There are a number of consumer protection agencies that may be able to assist.

Australian Capital Territory: Access Canberra

New South Wales: NSW Fair Trading

Northern Territory: NT Consumer Affairs

Queensland: Office of Fair Trading Queensland

South Australia: SA Office of Consumer and Business Services (CBS)

Tasmania: Tasmania Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)

Victoria: Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)

Western Australia: WA Consumer Protection - Department Of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has advice for Problem with a product or service you bought | ACCC on their website.

If you have a VET FEE-HELP or VET Student Loans debt that you believe you should not have, you can VET student loan complaints | Commonwealth Ombudsman for information and advice, or phone 1300 362 072.

If you are an overseas student, then you are able to contact the Overseas student complaints | Commonwealth Ombudsman for assistance.

I am not sure I have the necessary Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) for qualification, what can I do?

If you have now gained the relevant experience in industry, you could undertake an RPL assessment with another RTO.

Who can I call for help?

Call ASQA on 1300 701 801 (dial +61 3 9613 3910 from outside Australia).

If you are experiencing distress help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in Australia. If you need help now, call:

Lifeline – 13 11 14
Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636.