New VET regulator establishes itself in the Top End

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has appointed Jane Holt as its Darwin-based Compliance Manager for the Northern Territory as it moves to cement itself as the new national vocational education and training (VET) regulator.

ASQA Chief Commissioner Chris Robinson said ASQA had assumed responsibility for the regulation of the more than 50 VET providers based in the Northern Territory, as well as the accreditation of VET courses, on July 1, 2011 as part of a move to develop a nationally-consistent training sector.

“Initially as ASQA was establishing itself, the work of ensuring Northern Territory-based VET providers were complying with the regulations was being managed from our Canberra office,” Mr Robinson said.

“However ASQA has now established an office in Darwin and appointed two staff, including Compliance Manager Jane Holt, to manage the regulatory services locally.”

Mr Robinson said it was critical that students, employers and governments providing support for tuition have full confidence in the quality of training outcomes delivered.

“That is why ASQA was created - to streamline VET regulation, increase consistency across the states and territories and address emerging quality issues,” he said.

Mrs Holt said more than 20,000 Territorians participate in VET training every year.

“As the national VET regulator, ASQA undertakes audits, compliance checks and risk assessments on RTOs to ensure the training being provided meets the standards set,” Mrs Holt said.

“While the Northern Territory has its own unique labour force requirements, ASQA’s consistent and risk management regulatory approach will assist local VET providers.”

In ASQA’s first year of operation it received more than 4,800 applications for initial registration, registration renewal or change of scope.

Mr Robinson said around 5% of these applications were found to have serious issues of non compliance with VET standards.

“The majority of training providers in Australia are working hard to deliver high quality training outcomes,” he said.

“For the 5% that do not meet the required standards there are clear consequences and we are unapologetic about taking strong action against providers to ensure those standards are met.”