Bogus qualifications lead to $75,000 penalty

A Gold Coast man who fabricated four bogus vocational education and training (VET) qualifications for himself and used them in an attempt to gain employment has been ordered to pay a pecuniary penalty of $75,705.

On 27 April 2018 the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) successfully obtained declarations from the Federal Court that Andrew Scott Reid fabricated the qualifications and listed them in his resume in contravention of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.

Between December 2015 and April 2016 Mr Reid fabricated the qualifications in Management, Project Management, Marketing and Local Government Administration and provided them to prospective employers.

Chief Commissioner Mark Paterson said ASQA began investigating Mr Reid following a complaint made by a registered training organisation (RTO).

“The RTO had become aware that Mr Reid was using certificates purportedly issued by it when in fact Mr Reid had never been a client of the training provider,” Mr Paterson said.

“The RTO found that the certificates were identical, except for the name of the person to whom it was issued, to certificates issued to a former student.”

As a result of its investigation, ASQA commenced a civil prosecution against Mr Reid.

Mr Paterson said the Federal Court also ordered Mr Reid to pay ASQA’s costs in the agreed sum of $70,000.

“Fabricating bogus qualifications and using them in an attempt to deceive potential employers risks undermining the integrity of Australia’s VET system,” Mr Paterson said.

“ASQA will use the powers available to it to take action against anyone who engages in this type of behaviour.”