Foreword from the Chief Executive Officer

A high-quality VET sector and ensuring students receive the skills and training necessary for secure work and career opportunities is critical for a prosperous society and securing Australia’s future economic growth.

Importance of the Standards for RTOs

The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (the Standards) support RTOs to deliver nationally consistent,high-quality training that leads to quality outcomes for students, employers and the Australian community. This is achieved by setting out the requirements organisations must meet to be registered as a training provider, cultivating a shared understanding of what constitutes quality training delivery for all users of the VET system, and embedding quality aspirations for providers. Skills Ministers have  committed  to  reforms  to  deliver  on  the  skills  and  workforce  needed  for  a  high-performing  economy.  There  is  a  focus  on qualifications, quality and data under the Standards and support for growing the VET workforce.

Amendments to strengthen the Standards

The Minister for Skills and Training approved amendments to the Standards that will support the expansion of the VET workforce, include new training products from the updated Training and Education training package, and strengthen provider obligations in respect of the Fit and Proper persons requirements.

Roles and responsibilities

RTOs play an essential role in ensuring training delivery is of a high quality and meets the diverse range of student, employer and industry needs.

As  the  National  VET  Regulator,  ASQA’s  role  is  central  to  assuring  consistent,  high-quality  VET  through  effective  and  vigilant regulation, supporting the development of the sector’s capability and capacity for the delivery of quality VET.  Quality outcomes and sustained  compliance  with  the  Standards  are  achieved  when  RTOs  systematically  monitor  and  evaluate  their  performance  and continuously improve.

Purpose of the guide

This guide is intended to assist organisations seeking to register as a training provider, as well as registered training providers through critical examination of their practices, systems and performance.
It provides guidance to understand the Standards that apply to RTOs, including the intent and information about each of the quality areas, Standards and clauses. Also included are tips for how to collect and present evidence of compliant practice, and case studies with examples to assist RTOs to examine, implement and improve their practices.

I encourage all current and prospective providers to use this guide to understand their regulatory requirements – and as a basis for assessing and continually improving their training outcomes and performance across the Standards. This will ensure that Australia’s VET sector continues to offer the highest possible quality training now and into the future.

Saxon Rice
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Skills Quality Authority
March 2024