How can I demonstrate that I have maintained the currency of my industry skills and my trainer/ assessor competencies?

There is a range of evidence that registered training organisations (RTOs) can provide to demonstrate that they are contributing to:

• the continuous development of a trainer’s or assessor’s vocational education and training knowledge and skills, and
• the trainer’s or assessor’s industry currency and competence.

It is important to remember that it is an RTO that must demonstrate compliance with the standards, rather than individual trainers and assessors.

RTOs seeking to prove that they are serious about the quality of their training and assessment should:

• support their trainers/assessors in meaningful industry engagement
• support their trainers’/assessors’ professional development in teaching and learning methods and in understanding the requirements of the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and
• foster a culture of critical evaluation and innovation.

Evidence to demonstrate the currency of trainer/assessor skills might include documentation related to:

• attendance at relevant professional development activities
• participation in networks, communities of practice or mentoring activities
• participation in industry release schemes
• personal development through the reading of journals
• participation in projects with industry, and
• shadowing or working closely with other trainers and assessors.

RTOs should be able to demonstrate how development activities contribute towards:

• trainers’/assessors’ understanding of the requirements of the VET environment
• trainers’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are providing learning programs that are in line with current industry requirements)  
• assessors’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are assessing to the standards required by industry), and
• improving the way in which trainers/assessors train and assess.

Vocational competency must be considered on an industry-by-industry basis and with reference to any guidance provided in the relevant training package or accredited course.