Remedial action

When ASQA performance assesses (audits) a training provider, we look at the quality of the training and assessment that the provider is currently delivering and has delivered to former students.

In some cases, ASQA will find that the provider has not delivered training and assessment properly for a particular qualification or for some students.

When this happens, ASQA may ask the provider to undertake remedial action to make sure that their current and former students have received the quality of training and assessment that they are entitled to.

In some cases, a training provider may offer students ‘gap training’ or the chance to undertake ‘gap assessments’ to allow the students to develop the skills and knowledge they need. This gap training helps students to make sure that they have the required skills and knowledge expected for their qualification.

Training providers may offer gap training to current students, or students who have graduated in the past six months.

To ensure credibility of qualifications from the VET sector, training providers must meet the requirements of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy, which states that issued qualifications and statements of attainment can be revoked under the terms of the issuing organisation’s policy.

Training providers must have controls in place to ensure qualifications, statements of attainment and records of results are not issued unless the student has completed all requirements. This means in some cases, a training provider may seek to revoke a qualification where a student has not completed all the requirements.

Students who have already graduated may be asked to undertake ‘gap training’ or ‘gap assessment’ by their former RTO.

This means the RTO has identified a ‘gap’ in the student’s training and/or assessment and the RTO is seeking to help the student remedy that gap. RTOs may need to offer this training and/or assessment to current students or students who have graduated in the past six months.

Students are not obligated to undertake gap training offered by an RTO if they are no longer enrolled. However, in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), RTOs must have controls in place to ensure qualifications, statements of attainment and records of results are not issued unless the student has completed all requirements. This means in some cases, an RTO may seek to revoke a qualification where a student has not completed all the requirements.

Students should also consider that their original training may not have provided them with all the skills and knowledge that they need. Gap training and assessment can provide students with the opportunity to supplement or improve the skills and knowledge they developed when undertaking their qualification.

Students should not be charged a fee for gap training or assessment provided by an RTO beyond the original enrolment fee.