Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert has today announced funding for a new professional development program which will help training providers identify students’ training needs.
Speaking at the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) National Conference in Melbourne, Mr Herbert said the new program is a significant step in improving training outcomes for students.
$300,000 will be provided to deliver this particular program, which is the first instalment of up to $1 million in funding that will be dedicated to professional development and training for staff of Victorian contracted RTOs this year.
More than 500 training providers in Victoria receive government funding to provide training courses. Each provider will be offered two places on the training program.
The initiative comes in response to the review of Quality Assurance in Victoria’s VET System (the review), which found that students often report that courses that were too easy, too hard, not delivered in a way that was right for them, or didn’t give them the skills they expected.
Mr Herbert said that identifying the type of training that’s right for each student is crucial for improving job outcomes and boosting completion rates.
The program, ‘Putting students first: delivering suitable and appropriate training’, will be administered by the VET Development Centre, and is available to staff at every Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that delivers government-funded training through the Victorian Training Guarantee, including TAFEs, private RTOs and Learn Locals.
ACPET will have a strong role in the evaluation of this first stage of the initiative and will help guide future funding allocations.
The Labor Government has accepted all 19 recommendations from the review in order to raise the bar for government funded providers, and restore student and employer confidence in the training system.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert
“The Andrews Labor Government is committed to making sure the needs of students and industry are met through a quality training system.”
“As part of our work to transform Victoria into the Education State, we’re making sure that Victorians can be confident in the quality of training available to them across the state.”
“I encourage all ACPET members who deliver Victorian Government-funded training to participate in this excellent professional development opportunity.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020