What Does an RTO Consultant Do?
Establishing a Registered Training Organisation is a great way to give back to the community while operating a viable business. However, because education is an important sector, RTOs are subject to strict state and federal government requirements.
Starting an RTO can be a tricky experience, especially if you haven’t done it before. That’s why most new RTOs work with an RTO consultant when setting up their business.
In this article, we’ll learn more about the role of RTO consultants, as well as how they can support your business.
Establishing a New RTO
Australia’s education system includes a huge range of public and private institutions. To expand the educational opportunities available, the Australian Government allows Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to offer a variety of short training packages.
RTOs typically provide Certificate and Diploma-level qualifications that help students gain hands-on skills without the need for university or TAFE education.
While these learning products are an excellent opportunity, the industry has been plagued by low-quality RTOs and training materials. To prevent this issue, all new RTOs must be registered by applying to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
Applying to ASQA to establish a new RTO is a relatively straightforward process. However, it requires significant documentation, and the business needs to meet stringent quality standards to ensure success.
What Does an RTO Consultant Do?
Given that the RTO application process can take several months, failing an ASQA audit can be a major expense for your business. To get around this issue, most RTOs work with an RTO consultant who can help them navigate the application process, prepare necessary documentation, and challenge unfavourable rulings from ASQA.
Working with an RTO consultant gives you access to support services such as:
- Governance development – RTOs are required to develop a series of internal governance and planning documents that will manage the way the business operates. A consultant can support you in creating these documents so that they align with ASQAs requirements.
- Business strategy – New RTOs must demonstrate that the business is viable. This protects students from RTOs that fail rapidly, leaving them out of pocket and without a qualification. Your consultant can support you in creating a strategy that will appeal to ASQA and lead to a successful business model.
- Quality checks – There are stringent requirements surrounding the quality of training and assessment offered by RTOs. RTO consultants will review the content of your courses and ensure it meets these standards.
- Training – RTO staff, trainers and managers may need training in specific areas of running an RTO. Your consultant can provide this training to ensure students and trainers have the best experience possible.
- Audit preparation – ASQA conducts an audit of all new RTOs (as well as existing RTOs when applying to add a new course to your scope). This process involves ASQA checking the quality of your training materials, reviewing your documentation, interviewing staff members and providing a ruling. An RTO consultant can help you prepare for this process to ensure everything is in place.
- Compliance assistance – ASQA maintains strict standards for new RTOs. Understanding these requirements can be a challenge, especially since they are always evolving. Your RTO consultant is an expert in the latest rules and regulations, so they can ensure your application and RTO are compliant.
The services offered by your RTO consultant will depend on your needs. You can hire a consultant to support you throughout the application process, or you could work with one on shorter-term projects like audit preparation.
Whatever the case may be, an RTO consultant is the best way to ensure you pass the application process first time around, saving your business time and money.
Why You Should Work with an RTO Consultant
There are two major advantages that come from working with an RTO consultant:
- Save time – Establishing a new RTO is the work of months (or even years!). You need to develop the business, create training materials and prepare your application. If you’re rejected for any reason, it can mean tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars down the drain. Given that approximately 50% of all applications are rejected, it’s important to work with an RTO consultant to ensure your application is successful.
- Save money – Time is money, and if you’re saving time then you’re also cutting your costs. But RTO consultants can also save you money in other areas, such as by providing relevant training, or sourcing high-quality training materials that meet ASQA’s guidelines.
Consulting Support for Disputes with ASQA
Applying to register a new RTO culminates with ASQA conducting an audit and handing down their decision.
The audit process is highly involved. During the period, ASQA will examine all of your documentation in great detail, inspect the content of courses, interview staff and assess your business. If ASQA finds an issue, your application will be rejected, or it may be approved with conditions attached.
But this doesn’t need to be the end of the story.
ASQA is operating in an evolving industry. The standards that govern RTOs are always changing, and many of them are open to interpretation. This has created an issue where ASQA assessors aren’t necessarily infallible in their decisions.
If you receive a decision from ASQA that you’re unhappy about, an RTO consultant can help challenge the ruling and reach a more favourable outcome.
This process usually occurs in private negotiations. As experts in the field, having an RTO consultant as your representative is the best way to navigate the dispute and convince ASQA that your business meets their quality guidelines.
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