This year the conference will be co-hosted with TAFE SA, and held for the first time in Adelaide, this 21st anniversary conference will be an opportunity to celebrate, collaborate and connect.

NCVER is calling on practitioners and researchers, including early career VET researchers or those new to the VET sector, to share their research and knowledge in a range of ways. As well as standard presentations and the pre-conference professional development workshops, included this year is a new stream for refereed papers.

Closing date for submission of abstracts is 10 February 2012. For more information and details on how to submit an abstract, visit

http://www.nofrills.ncver.edu.au/

The door of possibilities of developing an RTO are many. Doing it all yourself, using a consultant, using a mentor, having someone do it all for you. Continually in my business I am approached by people who want me to prepare all the RTO material for them; place it into a beautiful box, with a shining ribbon so they can then present the material, systems and information at the audit.

Unfortunately this business model, usually does not work very well.

The reasons are many, however they basically boil down to the following:

• Getting someone else to do all the work, means you have been removed from the decision making process and more often than not, you don’t understand what has been done
• Using someone who knows how to put it all together, might be easier for you, however I have found that people then don’t have a thorough understanding of the Standards and Conditions and how you will meet the requirements
• Meeting the ongoing compliance is harder for you, as you haven’t set up the RTO in a way to work with your situation.

From my experience the best model is to work alongside the people wanting to develop the RTO, providing coaching and empowerment to develop a business structure that works. Working closely with someone enables decisions to be discussed and agreed upon together. With this model you do allot of the work, but you are guided through the areas, to ensure you are reaching the mark. It is that guidance and experience that is invaluable.

You need to give your new business the best chance of success with some careful planning and preparation. The strategic planning side is something you know, and one of the reasons you decided to go into business. The business plan will help you define your products and services, set your goals and milestones, and work out how to make your business vision a reality. The consultant should spend allot of time with each individual to try and ascertain their needs and specific situation, putting these conversations into a plan that everyone agrees upon.

It is important to have a consultant who can draw upon case studies and experience to be able to implement these into your new RTO.  From my experience, every day we are helping businesses of various sizes identify and resolve issues, implement new plans and strategies, and improve their overall performance.

When choosing a consultant it is also important to have that connection; one who uses an approach that fits how you want to communicate and work. From my point of view, it is also important to have that connection so we understand each other and can clearly discuss the situation at hand.

The benefits of using a consultant are huge, with time, experience and not lastly someone who can provide an objective viewpoint. When developing your business you can become so accustomed to your own particular patterns of thinking and operating that you are no longer able to think or decide as objective individuals. A professional RTO consultant can look at a situation or problem objectively and make recommendations based on compliance and your company’s success.

A successful RTO Consultant relationship means someone who can take you through the RTO development whilst coaching and empowering you to achieve a successful business culture of meeting compliance, providing quality services, continuous improvement and professional development.

Communicate and Connect – communication skills to build relationships for coordinators and team leaders in Community and Aged Care.

Available now for free download or purchase of a hard copy kit, the comprehensive Workplace English Language Literacy (WELL) and Numeracy resource kit is mapped up to Level 3 against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).

The resource is ideally suited for supporting Core Skills in the workplace without the specific need for a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) expert.

Go the following website to view more details: https://www.cshisc.com.au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=101&category_id=6&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=48&vmcchk=1&Itemid=48

This Australian produced DVD gives an introduction to what is required to work safely when undertaking restricted height and basic level scaffolding work.

The DVD clearly explains each step required to erect, alter and dismantle modular scaffolding.

It covers areas such as the importance of fall protection, planning the job, hazards, scaffolding parts, components and tools, and the actual erecting and dismantling of modular scaffolding.

The accompanying CD contains learners’ worksheets that can be customised, as well as a trainers’ guide.

Scaffolding Basics can be used as learning support material for people working towards their National High Risk Licence Unit CPCCLSF2001A Licence to erect, alter and dismantle scaffolding – basic level.

This resource is also aligned to CPC30908 Certificate III in Scaffolding fromt he Construction, Plumbing and Services Integrated Framework (CPC08 Training Package) and relates to the competencies:

• CPCCM2008A Erect and dismantle restricted height scaffolding
• CPCCSC2002A Erect and dismantle basic scaffolding

The link is here http://www.ideasthatwork.com.au/industry/scaffolding-basics/

Enjoy.

• formal establishment of the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
• gradual roll out of the National VET Regulator (NVR), across Australia, with South Australia and Queensland due to transition in the first quarter of 2012
• ASQA provide a General direction—transition and teach out
• Regulating RTO delivery of elective units—new ASQA fact sheet published
• ASQA new Self-assessment checklist for ‘Application for initial registration’
• New evidence requirements for ‘Change to scope’ applications – the online application on ASQA shows changes.
• A report was released for young people in training: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2455.html
• Older workers research findings report released http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2422.html
• LLN for the Mining Industry was recently developed by the Mining Industry Skills Centre with funding through the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program to assist learners, workers and trainers in the development of core literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) skills for the sector.
• Many training packages were updated – check to see if your was – you will need to make changes to your scope and tools.
• ASTDI commenced
• TLISC was rebranded
• More funding announced for VET e-learning projects 
• There are moves afoot to establish a national VET professional body

As always in the VET sector no doubt 2012 will be exciting, challenging, rewarding and a further opportunity to make a real difference with your RTO and your clients.

Now is the time to review what happened last year and make plans and goals for the new one. Small businesses as well as RTOs are often so busy during the year that now is the time. The time to take that time out and review. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the importance of taking some time during the break to consider the relationship between your business goals and purpose.

Although you should be looking at continuous improvement throughout the year, and making it a matter of course in your business; this time of year is symbolically the best time to do planning. It is a great time to organise a half day on a deserted beach or a quiet coffee shop to be still long enough to connect with your sense of direction in 2012.

In your RTO it is time to review areas that get forgotten when you are busy “doing” business.

Some of the areas that get neglected are: 

• Your trainers and Assessors – have they had a performance review lately? Or updated their PD?
• Your policies and procedures – the VET system has changed in 2011 and  these changes need to be reflected in your policies and procedures
• AQF – did you make the latest changes needed?
• Quality reporting – have you collected your data in preparation for the June QI reports.
• Effective marketing – did your advertising campaigns work in 2011, are you planning any for the 2012?
• Assessments – have you conducted a validation or moderation session in the past 2 months?

These are all important areas that need to be reviewed. Don’t forget to record everything you do, updated or change.  

If social media is how you do business and you allow your staff time in business to use them, then consider the potential value the employees bring to your business through these transactions.

The articles sited showed examples of companies stopping the user access to the networks of other users on the site who often leverage each other’s contact lists to establish and maintain business contacts, and the post-employment ownership over social media. These are issues which you could expect to see litigated more frequently, unless these issues are resolved, as they are in relation to ownership of intellectual property and confidential information/trade secrets, by way of written agreement by the parties prior to a dispute arising.

Interesting food for thought for your RTO….

Merinda explains here …  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWGO8mLenzQ&feature=related