Conference Concludes

QI Think Tank: Are you using student data as a Quality Management Tool?

This session has been designed to help generate ideas! It will explore through interactive discussion, how Quality Indicator (QI) Surveys can be used to inform RTO practices. A pragmatic look at how implementation and interpretation can make qualitative data a quantitative resource!

Instead of viewing QI surveys as simply another compliance requirement, let's explore how to make survey data a valuable tool to inform continuous improvement. 

Key learning:

• What can student data tell me?
• How can I collect better data?
• How can I use this data to inform my training practices?
• Is subjective data even useful for quality management?

What Can we Learn from the Validation of Assessment Tools and Outcomes

This session, presented by John Dwyer, is designed to provide a “think tank” for attendees to generate ideas about what we can learn from and through, validation activities.

John will share his ideas and understandings relating to:

• Validation as a process – what are we trying to achieve; what can we learn?
• Validation before and after using assessment tools – what can we learn?
• Validation relies on the principles of assessment and the rules of evidence – how; what can we learn?
• Training and Assessment Strategy (TAS) as a validation device – what can we learn?
• Mapping as a validation device – what can we learn?
• Marking guides as a validation device – what can we learn?
• Validation of completed student assessment work – what can we learn?

Maintaining Sanity in a World of Change - assisting your brain to ‘help’ not ‘hinder’ your progress

This session is unashamedly about Rekindling your Spirit with simple techniques to maintain both the passion and the vision. The impossible IS possible, as long as we take time to work with our brain’s natural cycles, and have a mindset of flexibility.  As busy professionals we need to be aware of the concepts and skills available to help us Understand, Retain and Act upon what we need to know, as quickly as possible. With so much to do, and in so little time ‘what are your options?’ you ask.

This session includes some excellent ideas to help with that – options, ideas, tips, tricks, skills and strategies designed to help you work smarter.

Expect to learn skills that you can take back and use immediately in your workplace, with your team, as well as in your own personal life. The pace of change can be quite daunting and exhausting, draining your energy and your focus. Don’t let that stand in your way today, or in the future.

Find out how to feed your tired brain and learn tips to work smarter, not harder.

Start each day knowing you can make a difference; and do just that with the takeaway skills you can’t afford NOT to learn with this practical and inspiring presentation . Maintain Sanity in times of change, with a sense of real passion to thrive.

Afternoon Tea & Networking

How to Get Your Staff on Board the Compliance Bus

Whilst the outcomes of a self-assessment or an audit will trigger a compliance ‘rush’, compliance shouldn’t be the object of our function. Rather it should be the result of implementing robust systems and great learning and assessment experiences!

However, RTO and Compliance managers can sometimes struggle with ensuring that staff understand the importance of the role they play to maintain consistency in these areas.  Keeping ourselves and our staff enthusiastic about doing what is necessary to maintain quality can be tricky. So how do you get teaching, admin and managerial staff on board the Compliance Bus and to that quality destination?

In this session, Marc will discuss how to build ‘buy-in’ and will share strategies and techniques that can be used to support a culture of quality. He will provide some great advice based on his experience (as an owner and operator of an RTO) about how to embed compliance as part of ongoing practice and how to troubleshoot managing the behaviours of those who miss the bus!

Keeping Ahead of the Game: Maintaining TAE currency

As VET teachers within Queensland Schools, maintaining currency as a trainer and assessor can be a very rewarding and also a sometimes-challenging concept, especially when considering scheduling professional development activities across a busy curriculum timetable.

The Standards require that Trainers and Assessors maintain : Current knowledge in vocational training and learning that informs their training and assessment and that they undertake professional development in the fields of the knowledge and practice of vocational training, learning and assessment including competency-based training and assessment*

As the updated TAE requirements came into effect on 1 July 2019, there are some new ways we need to look at how we plan, undertake and evidence our professional development.

With a strong emphasis on the mandatory competencies, this session also addresses the new core units of competency:

• TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools, and
• TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy

This session will provide ideas about how VET teachers within Queensland Schools can keep ahead of the game, by aligning key activities to the vocational training and assessment skills and knowledge acquired across the core units of the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

*https://www.asqa.gov.au/standards/chapter-4/clauses-1.13-1.16

The Future of Work in Queensland 2030 – Evolution or revolution?

A highly skilled workforce will underpin our future prosperity, and VET plays a major role in the supply of skills. Jobs Queensland is investigating the Future of Work[1] to 2030, to highlight what it will mean for employment and skills policy in Queensland.

Phase one of this landmark project explored drivers that will influence the future of work: technology; demographic and social changes; and policy, institutional and regulatory influences. Globalisation is both a cause and effect of these drivers.  We found that change is not new, but what is new is who will be impacted and the extent of the impact, which will be largely felt at the task level. There is broad demand for higher-level skills, even for entry-level roles. As tasks change, demand for upskilling and reskilling will grow and propel a trend of lifelong learning across a variety of tertiary institutions and within workplaces.  

This will affect your workforce. Jobs Queensland modelling [2] forecasts growing demand for professional roles, including school teaching, within Queensland. Secondly, it raises questions of how you will prepare your students for their future.

We can prepare now - through skills and employment policy - to ensure our school leavers of 2030 transition into a lifelong pattern of learning and quality work.    

[1] Jobs Queensland (2019), ‘Future of Work’ [website], Ipswich: Queensland Government. Available at: https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/projects/future-of-work/ 
[2] Jobs Queensland (2018), ‘Anticipating Future Skills’, Ipswich: Queensland Government. Available at: https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/anticipating-future-skills/

Lunch & Networking

What Do I Need to Consider When Using Third-Party RTOs?

Is your school using external Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to deliver courses to your students? 

Are you considering whether you should remove some qualifications from your scope of registration and engage with these external parties instead? 

This session will explore what some of the key considerations are when deciding whether to enter into one of these third-party arrangements to deliver training to students in your school, what the responsibilities of each party are, and what you need to consider in terms of risk to your students.

Assessment: HOTSPOTS to be aware of

The most common non-compliances found at audit nationally, relate to Assessment. The intention, with the inclusion of the unit TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools to the Trainer and Assessor credentials, was that some of these issues may be mitigated. 

The challenges of assessing VET in schools are numerous however meeting the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence are critical to producing the best possible outcomes for students. This session aims to identify areas where gaps are commonly identified in the assessment system through the eyes of an auditor and experienced QLD School’s consultant.

It drills down into:

• Common gaps in assessment
• Best practice
• Documentation and alignment to practice
• Hotspots to focus on moving forward

The Australian VET Alumni: Sharing best practice in VET

Real stories of excellence in vocational education and training (VET) shared by the Australian VET Alumni and a presentation of the Alumni’s new website (launching July 2019) detailing how Australians can engage with the Alumni, book them for appearances and read and watch their stories.

Australian VET Alumnus Mabel Park State High School will be sharing how it is driving more interest in health qualifications through its collaboration between industry, government and 14 secondary schools across the Logan region. The Mabel Park State High School Health Hub collaboration was the winner of the 2018 Queensland Industry Collaboration Award and was a finalist at the 2018 Australian Training Awards. Judy Fewtrell, Training and Employment Head of Department will present on behalf of Mabel Park State High School.

Alumnus Odin Lowsley will present his story of career success after fast-tracking his education to gain qualifications to move into a career in graphic design sooner than a traditional education path would allow. After completing a Certificate III in Multimedia in Year 10, Odin went on to complete a full time Diploma of Graphic Design at TAFE Queensland, rather than continue to Year 11. He graduated at the top of the 2017 class and was accepted to study a double-degree at Griffith University (Business and Design) at the age of 16. Odin Lowsley is the current title holder of Queensland Vocational Student of the Year, and was the 2018 runner up to the award in its national category. Odin is now a member of the Australian VET Alumni.

Aligning Policy and Practice

As legislation dictates policy in the VET system, alignment of policy/procedure and practice become critical factors when managing a healthy RTO. 

Through the results of QLD School internal auditing and consulting services provided by Velg Training and Fiona Bogaart, QLD Schools Consultant (ViSE), this RTO Manager session aims to focus on:

• Best practice
• Contextualisation of documentation to meet individual school requirements
• Maintaining robust, systematic processes clearly aligned to policy
• How to ‘spot’ the gaps and address them

Milliner's Delight: The many hats of a VET teacher - and how to make that compliance cap fit!

Working in VET, the Compliance Cap is critical.  Join this session to explore how to make sure your compliance cap is fitting just right and sitting on tight. As a teacher you've got papers to mark, lessons to plan, staff meetings to attend.  You studied at uni and have your teacher's registration.  You're a trusted mentor, guide, educator, motivator, instructor... and you're a qualified trainer and assessor responsible for compliance too.  That's a lot of hats to wear! 

VET and RTO requirements may seem parallel to your classroom aims, but really, the Compliance Cap can perfectly complement all your other hats. This session will unpack how your everyday processes can incorporate and support RTO compliance.  We’ll look at areas of focus to ensure your delivery of training and assessment is top notch, student outcomes are aced, and your Compliance Cap is the perfect fit!

Skills for Queensland: What might drive your VET strategy?

Session Overview Coming Soon

Morning Tea & Networking

Keynote Speaker: Understanding How Gen Z Transition into Further Education and Employment

With almost half of Australian high school students still having no idea what they want to do after school, many young people are feeling forced to choose pathways that they are ill-prepared for and later abandon, costing the Australian economy millions. We at Year13 are firm believers that young people should be exposed to a vast array of career and study options early in their high school years, rather than during the final months when the stress of exams evoke a higher sense of urgency. The intention of this presentation is to provide a comprehensive picture of the transitional period for young Australians and, through this, empower government, education and employment industries to better engage with the youth cohort.

While VET provides necessary skills for the advancement of society, significant issues have developed in the attraction and retention of students. The VET education system is also heavily misunderstood by youth and their influencers. Many young people are unaware of the breadth of subjects and courses offered by both TAFEs and private RTOs. This presentation will be based on Year13's research papers 'After the ATAR' & “After The ATAR II”, made up of over 12,000 responses from around Australia.

QCAA: A Regulator's Perspective on Audits

• Overview of audits from 2018
• Common non compliance's
• What schools are saying about the new model

Minister's Address (Hon. Shannon Fentiman, MP)

Welcome Address by Velg Training and Major Sponsor Connect & Grow Representative

Registration