VET News

Blog: Back to School for You!

With January coming to a swift end I am sure we are all aware of what that means… back to school time! It can be the beginning of change, adjustment and anticipation for our kids (or the horrible onslaught of extra traffic for others) but as parents and guardians it can also be a time of adaptation. Even as a trainer or assessor you see the bursts, or lack thereof, of emotion from your students. It can be daunting!

So, how do you feel? Anxious? Excited? Worried? A crazy mix of all three? It’s easy to be influenced by the what-ifs and uncertainties but it’s also important to realise what an incredible opportunity learning is and how positive it is for our minds to grow, no matter how young (or old) you are. 

As individuals, at our core, we are lifelong learners. Whether formal or informal, being exposed to a constant flow of knowledge and information within the VET industry is the norm. It is this importance of lifelong learning that is highlighted within Clause 1.16 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015.

Within ASQA’s related FAQ information, the ‘why’ is articulated well:

 RTOs should be able to demonstrate how development activities contribute towards:

• trainers’/assessors’ understanding of the requirements of the VET environment
• trainers’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are providing learning programs that are in line with current industry requirements)  
• assessors’ vocational skills and knowledge (so that they are assessing to the standards required by industry), and
• improving the way in which trainers/assessors train and assess.

This commitment may seem scary but with our kids, or students, it’s routine - each year they are opened up to opportunity and value in the form of knowledge. So why shouldn’t we take the same opportunity to expand our minds as well? Embracing the excitement and positivity of continually developing ourselves through learning can only be of benefit – be it a professional requirement or not!

So I say; read that book, listen to that podcast, talk to like-minded professionals, attend that conference and learn until your brain bursts!

Date posted Jan 30, 2019