VET News

Sync & Swim - How RTOs can leverage today’s technology

Technology has become a vital part of our lives and changed the landscape of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry. With easier access to information and the ability to connect and collaborate remotely, training now takes place beyond your facility and without paper.

How though, can Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) adopt and utilise the advances in technology and avoid treading water?

Here are 5 great ways:

1. Get mobile

Laptops, phones and tablets have become affordable and accessible items for all demographic levels. With the adoption of smart phones, people now have a powerful computer in their pocket wherever they go.

Mobile technology is the facilitator for applications that allow RTOs to conduct work remotely. For example, Cloud Assess is a truly mobile assessment app. Intuitive and user friendly, it supports the delivery of vocational assessment.

As most students and assessors have access to mobile technology, evidence gathering, via an assessment tool or using video and camera functionality, is easy. With Cloud Assess the information can be uploaded immediately, or when in range. This means those who need access can do so whenever and wherever required.

Richard Seaborn, Director at WH&S More Skills states, “My favourite feature of Cloud Assess is how it can be used remotely and connects all relevant parties to the right information.”

The added bonus is that you can remove paper from your RTO which increases productivity, decreases costs and makes progress easy to see.

2. Invest in  good systems for the right reasons

Alongside the rise of mobile technology, cloud computing has created a world where information is no longer confined to the hard drive on one person’s computer. It can be uploaded to the cloud and shared instantly.

There are many free cloud based applications that offer great functionality for a small number of users, such as Trello for project management. When selecting a system that will assist in driving the business, flexible and secure systems should be at the top of your list.

When choosing a learning or assessment management platform, to avoid mistakes and a slow procurement process, be equiped with an understanding of exactly what challenges your RTO needs to fix.

For example:

• What are the demographics of your customers? Do they have an email address to login or would they prefer a mobile phone login?
• What features are required to support the needs of your customers such as Digital Sketch Pads and the ability to record audio responses rather than text?
• Do you still need to conduct your training face to face? If yes, are you looking for a learning management system or an assessment solution?
• How will you manage subsequent assessment attempts and do you need to retain each attempt?
• Do you need a system that assists with the automation of policy, process and communication using workflow?

Always make sure that you dig a bit deeper and do your research. Good measures of a leading system can be found reading customer reviews and testimonials.

3. Automate manual and repetitive tasks

A recent study showed the biggest challenge to achieving work-life balance for small businesses was the overwhelming amount of administrative tasks. Repetitive tasks can easily be automated now, including essential parts of the process of your student experience.  100s of RTOs across Australia use Cloud Assess to streamline the journey their learners go on, from enrolment to completion and beyond.

For example, Support and Progression (part of ASQA's new audit framework for RTOs) can be supported extremely effectively using workflow. Communicate and remind learners of deadlines etc at timely points along their learner journey.

Cloud Assess Workflow allows you to predefine the automation of emails and notifications to your students throughout their journey. It helps everyone stay on track, plus it takes minutes to set up and saves you hours.

4. Select tools that will help you provide the best service

To keep ahead of the pack it is imperative to gather the thoughts and opinions of your customers.

With the flexibility to build your own surveys using Cloud Assess Forms, you can automate your feedback questionnaires using workflow. Then, systematically analyse responses and act accordingly.

5. Create a “stack” of your own preferences

When selecting software for each division of a company it is often referred to as a “stack”.

RTOs have a very niche set of rules and guidelines to follow within the education sector, and as such a one size fits all approach can be more of a compromise than a solution. It’s said that, specialist vendors tend to better understand the needs of niche areas and quickly develop accordingly.

Ensure you pick solution providers who will integrate with other systems so that you have the flexibility to pick the best systems to deal with your business challenges and processes, without compromise.

When selecting a system, check what security measures they have in place to keep your data safe. Where is your information and how can it be accessed? You are legally obliged to protect personal information belonging to your customers.

In conclusion

Embracing technology and utilising it in the right way will provide you with a competitive edge. Select systems that help take away some of the burden of your process.

With Cloud Assess providing RTOs with a truly paperless, transparent, efficiency driving, compliance adhering, student experience. Isn’t it time you checked it out.

For more information on how you can transform your assessment process with Cloud Assess, visit: www.cloudassess.com.au or click here to request a demo

Date posted Nov 29, 2017