Training regulator cancels registration of Hands On Computer Training Pty Ltd
- Please also refer to this statement about this regulatory decision
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has cancelled the registration of Hands On Computer Training International Pty Ltd (RTO number 2058) as a provider of vocational education and training (VET) services.
Hands On Computer Training International Pty Ltd trades as Australian Institute of Commerce and Technology (AICT) and has been providing VET to international and domestic tertiary students and secondary school students in state, Independent and Catholic schools in Western Australia.
ASQA, the national regulator for vocational education and training, has taken this decision following comprehensive regulatory scrutiny of the training provider over a number of months.
ASQA Chief Commissioner Chris Robinson said AICT was not registered to deliver some of the training that it had been issuing qualifications for during 2015 and 2016.
“ASQA also contends that the provider has not operated consistently with the requirements of the VET Quality Framework - which all registered training organisations are required to satisfy as a condition of registration - for the qualifications it is registered to offer,” he said.
ASQA’s decision will take effect from 5 September 2016. The provider is able to seek a review of ASQA’s decision in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). It is also able to seek a stay of the decision pending a hearing of the review application. ASQA has also issued Hands On Computer Training with a cease and desist notice for them to immediately stop them providing training and issuing qualifications that it is not registered to offer.
Mr Robinson said the authority had been working with the Australian and Western Australian governments and Catholic and Independent schools to minimise disruption to current and former students.
“Arrangements have been put in place to ensure students can transfer to a legitimate training provider to complete their studies,” Mr Robinson said.
Important information for current and former students
School students
Arrangements have been made to support current and past school students who studied these courses while at school, to gain the affected qualifications through alternative providers.
Current or past school students or parents/carers should contact the school attended when these qualifications were studied.
School leaders and VET coordinators with questions regarding these processes should contact:
- Public schools: Michelle Ostberg on (08) 9402 6129 or 0421 858 421 or michelle.ostberg@education.wa.edu.au
- Catholic Education schools: Genevie Baker on 0427 386 499 or baker.genevie@ceo.wa.edu.au
- Independent schools: Wade McLeod on (08) 9441 1621 or wmcleod@ais.wa.edu.au
International students
International student currently enrolled with Hands on Computer Training are encouraged to contact the training provider directly in the first instance about any concerns about their studies.
Under the Australian law, there are significant protections available to international students should a training provider be deregistered by the national regulator. In the first instance, a deregistered training provider is required to either place students with another provider at its cost or provide students with a refund of unspent tuition fees.
If the deregistered training provider is not able to assist students, the Tuition Protection Service (TPS) will assist students to ensure they can continue their studies with minimal disruption. More information about the TPS is available on the TPS website www.tps.gov.au
Should students have any further concerns regarding continuation of their studies, they should contact the TPS either by phone; within Australia: (02) 6240 9593; outside Australia: +61 2 6240 9593; or via email operations@tps.gov.au
For Student Visa information, please visit the Department of Immigration and Border Protection's website www.border.gov.au or phone 131 881.
Other students
The Department of Training and Workforce Development will be contacting current and former students of AICT regarding their training. In the meantime, if students have any concerns they would like to raise the Department can be contacted on Training.Markets@dtwd.wa.gov.au.