VET News

TAE Training Package: Case For Change Approved by the AISC

The TAE Training Package was last reviewed in 2015 and uploaded in 2016.  In the five years since, the VET teaching, training and assessment landscape has drastically changed. 

The Education Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has considered that the TAE Training Package is currently not fit for purpose and does not fully address the needs of the VET sector for the following reasons:

• TAE units of competency do not deliver the variety, nor depth, of skills and knowledge that are relevant in a modern VET teaching, training and assessment environment;
• The packaging rules of TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment do not provide adequate flexibility for learners pursuing the variety of VET teaching, training and assessment job roles that exist in the modern labour market;
• The TAE Training Package does not make use of ‘stackable’ skill sets that allow for a ‘scaffolded’ approach to skill development and attainment of qualifications;
• The TAE Training Package is not structured to support the range, and diversity of career pathways available to workers in the VET industry, meaning that existing qualifications (beyond TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment) are often underutilised;
• The structure and content of the TAE Training Package does not address the skills gaps of those working in other education sub-sectors such as VET for Secondary Students or enterprise training.

As a result, the Education IRC proposed a holistic review of the TAE Training Package to ensure it aligns with the current skills needs of the VET sector and provides greater pathways into the profession.

What is being proposed?

1. Holistic review of the TAE Training Package: a review of six qualifications and 55 units of competency. This project will run until December 2022.
2. E-assessment project: the creation of two new units of competency in to address the gap identified in e-assessment. This project will run January 2022.

The Case for Change was approved at the recent AISC meeting which took place in August 2021 and includes:

• 1 x complete training package review
• 2 x new units of competency
• 1 x new skill set

What should you expect?

In the coming weeks, the Education IRC and PwC’s Skills for Australia (PwC's SfA) will publish details around timelines, opportunities for stakeholder input and instructions on how you can best contribute.

Given the nature and importance of this work, we intend to speak with all critical stakeholders, including: peak bodies; key VET practitioner networks; a diverse range of RTOs; VET teachers, trainers and assessors; regulators and any stakeholders passionate about improving the skills of our diverse VET workforce.

Further details will be circulated in mid-September 2021. At a high level, you should expect to hear more about:

Phase 1 consultation opportunities for the TAE Holistic Review (Oct-Nov 2021). In this phase, the IRC and PwC’s SfA will host a series of webinars, consultations, open forums and surveys. The series will seek to:

• clarify the purpose, objectives and scope of the review, and 
• begin discussing detailed training product feedback and insights to shape the next version of the TAE Training Package.

Review and validation opportunities for the E-assessment project (Oct-Nov 2021). This series will test and validate new units of competency in e-assessment in the TAE Training Package.

To stay informed you can subscribe to the Skills Services Organisation, PwC's Skills for Australia, here.  Select 'Education' for updates on the TAE training package.

Date posted Sep 2, 2021