By CLAIRE FIELD

The recent NCVER VET workforce survey report provides the opportunity for a fundamental rethink on teaching and learning

Consider the evidence…

Of people employed as trainers and assessors:

* 52.6 per cent were employed full-time and 47.4 per cent part-time

* 93.3 per cent had a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or higher-level qualification

* 89.4 per cent had a Certificate III or above as their highest qualification related to their industry or field of training delivery

That is, nine in 10 trainers and assessors hold qualifications relevant to the skills they are teaching and more than nine in 10 hold the required teaching qualification.

These results enable decision makers to change how they interpret the trainer and assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations.

It is regulatory overkill to require detailed mapping of every unit of competency that a trainer teaches against every course they have studied and all the work tasks they have previously undertaken.

We need auditors to focus on the qualifications and experience of those trainers and assessors who do not hold the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and/or a qualification relevant to the skills they are teaching. And where new technology or a major change is introduced to an industry – then providers need to show that their staff have been properly professionally developed.

With half of all trainers and assessors working full-time it is imperative that the focus of the sector’s efforts shifts to trainer and assessor professional development.

On a related note – if you are currently leading a team (in VET or higher education) and want some reassurance on managing the challenges in a COVID-19 world – check out the latest episode of the podcast.

Claire is the host of the ‘What now? What next? Insights into Australia’s tertiary education sector’ podcast.