The Education Industry Reference Committee (IRC) is exploring ‘stackable’ skill sets. The aim is to support entry-level trainers and assessors working under supervision prior to attaining their full qualification. In this article, I will answer the following questions:

• What knowledge and skills would benefit a new trainer starting work at an RTO?
• Why would a person do ‘stackable’ skill sets instead of the full qualification?
• Do we need ‘stackable’ skill sets developed for the TAE Training Package?

What knowledge and skills would benefit a new trainer starting work at an RTO?

The immediate knowledge and skills that would benefit a new trainer who is starting work at an RTO are:

• Knowledge about the Australian VET system
• Training skills
• Assessment skills

Knowledge about the Australian VET system

The TAEDES402 Use training packages and accredited courses to meet client needs unit of competency can be used to introduce new trainers to the Australian VET system.

Training skills

A trainer needs the knowledge and skills to plan, organise and deliver group-based learning. This is covered by the TAEDEL401 plan, organise and deliver group based learning unit of competency.

The Standards for RTOs allow an RTO to supervise a new trainer prior to them attaining their TAE qualification, TAE skill set or TAE units of competency. The new trainer can deliver training under supervision, but can not conduct assessments.

Assessment skills

The Standards for RTOs prohibit people without the four specified assessment units of competency from conducting assessments. Therefore, it is good if a new trainer can attain these units as soon as possible:

• TAEASS401 Plan assessment activities and processes
• TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools
• TAEASS402 Assess competence
• TAEASS403 Participate in assessment validation.

The ‘stackable’ TAE40116 qualification

I have developed resources for the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification. My TAE40116 training program has been given a ‘stackable structure’, starting with The VET Framework. This covers the essential knowledge to help the new trainer understand VET terminology and concepts about competency-based training. The next topic covered is Competency-based assessment. And the following diagram shows the ‘stackable sequence’ of topics.

The ‘strawberry on top of the stack’ is the elective unit. My recommendation is to select the TAEDEL301 Provide work skill instruction unit of competency and integrate it with the TAEDEL402 Plan, organise and facilitate learning in the workplace unit of competency.

What is being proposed by the Education IRC?

The following has been published to inform us about what is being proposed by the Education IRC.

Reference: TAE Town Hall Series November 2021 (PowerPoints, Slide 10)

There are several issues with what has been proposed. It does not provide a quick pathway to skill-up new trainers to allow them to deliver training and assessment services. And the proposed Assessment Skill Set is missing one of the four specified units of competency that are required to conduct assessments.

The following diagram is an alternative approach. It would provide a quick pathway to skill-up new trainers to allow them to deliver training and assessment services for an RTO.

The above approach does not formally cover VET terminology and concepts about competency-based training. Therefore, the following diagram shows another alternative approach that would be better.

And finally, if we continue with the madness of creating TAE skill sets, the following diagram provides the ‘stackable’ skill sets to support the up-skilling of new trainer employed by an RTO.

Why would a person do ‘stackable’ skill sets instead of the full qualification?

Most RTOs prefer to employ a trainer who has previously attained their full TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification. I have only come across a small number of people who have been employed as a trainer without having the TAE40116 qualification. These people have been plumbers, TESOL/ESL trainers and one expert from the pest control industry.

The vast majority of people seeking employment as a trainer or TAFE teacher working in the Australian VET system will be required to attained the full TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification. Therefore, most people will continue to enrol into the full qualification. They will not want to enrol into a ‘stackable’ skill set because that will not provide the credential required for employment. RTOs that deliver the TAE units of competency will continue to offer the full TAE40116 qualification. It will be unlikely that ‘stackable’ skill sets will be offered because there will not be the demand.

Generally, a person will not want to do ‘stackable’ skill sets. And if they did, then they will struggle to find an RTO offering them.

Do we need ‘stackable’ skill sets developed for the TAE Training Package?

The TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification is already ‘stackable’. If it is implemented using my sequence for delivery, then the aim of supporting entry-level trainers and assessors working under supervision prior to attaining their full qualification can be achieved.

I know of one TAFE that delivered the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification for their own newly employed trainers. This program started with the TAEDEL301 Provide work skill instruction unit of competency. Followed by:

• TAEASS401 Plan assessment activities and processes
• TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools
• TAEASS402 Assess competence
• TAEASS403 Participate in assessment validation

And the other core units of competency were delivered to complete the full qualification. This provided a ‘fast-track’ approach to getting their new trainers delivering training and conducting assessments as soon as possible.

The solution is for RTOs to appropriately sequence the delivery of TAE units of competency. The solution is not about creating ‘stackable’ skill sets. There is no need for the Education IRC to introduce ‘stackable’ skill sets. This will be a waste of time and effort. And this will be a waste of tax-payers’ money.

It seems that the members of the Education IRC have lacked the knowledge and experience about the TAE Training Package, how it can be implemented, and how it is actually implemented. Stupid suggestions, such as ‘stackable’ skill sets, should be stopped. Did anyone on the Education IRC try to stop this initiative? And, what other stupid suggestions are going to be pursued during the holistic review of the TAE Training Package?

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Introduction

A decade ago, many RTOs were getting away without explicitly gathering evidence of the Required Knowledge specified by the unit of competency. If challenged by an auditor, the RTO would argue that if a person could perform the work task, then they obviously must have the required knowledge. Over the past 10 years it has become abundantly clear that this argument is unacceptable. Most RTOs will now explicitly gather the Knowledge Evidence specified in the unit of competency.

In 2012, the Standards for Training Packages were changed, and a ‘new format’ for units of competency was implemented. It has taken until 2021 before most units of competency have be converted into the ‘new format’. An exception has been units of competency from accredited course that have remained in the ‘old format’. The Standards for Accredited Courses were changed in 2021, and over time, this will make all units of competency follow the same format.

Old format

The following is an example of ‘old format’:

BSBWOR202A Organise and complete daily work activities 

New format

The following is an example of ‘new format’:

BSBPEF202 Plan and apply time management (superseded BSBWOR202A Organise and complete daily work activities)

In this example, the ‘new format’ has include the statement that the candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge. This has meant that RTOs must gather the specified Knowledge Evidence. (No more arguments with auditors.)

Note: Currently, a completely different way of describing industry skill standards is being explored with a possible introduction in 2022 or 2023. See the Australian Government’s Skill Reforms for more details about this initiative. It took a decade to fully implement the previous change. I wonder how long it will take to fully implement the next change.

Why is knowledge important?

A person needs knowledge and skills to perform work tasks. Therefore, without the required knowledge a person could not perform their work.

Also, it is said that if a person does not have the appropriate depth of knowledge they cannot respond to non-routine or emergency situations.

What knowledge is required?

The developer of a Training Package has consulted with industry to identify the required knowledge to perform work tasks. And a list of Knowledge Evidence items is given to us. Here is an example. The BSBPEF202 Plan and apply time management unit of competency has been used for the purpose of this example.

Knowledge evidence:

• time management techniques and strategies
• features of a time management plan
• organisational standards, policies and procedures relevant to own work role
• relationship between own work goals and plans and organisation’s goals and plans
• factors affecting work progress and performance improvement techniques.

The knowledge required by a person to perform a work task has already been identified for each unit of competency. We do not need to ask, “What knowledge does a person need to perform a work task?” But we may still need to ask, “When is the the knowledge used?” and “How much knowledge is required?”

When is the knowledge used?

The knowledge required to perform a work task is specified. Before the introduction of competency-based training and assessment, I use to work for one of Australia’s largest and most progressive organisations as an instructional designer. I would use the following structure to identify content for the development of curriculum.

The concept that people need knowledge and skills have carried over to the competency-based training and assessment approach embraced by the Australian VET system.

A unit of competency specifies the required knowledge but does not identify when that knowledge is used. Extra analysis is required to identify when each item of required knowledge is used to perform the work task. Here is an example. The BSBPEF202 Plan and apply time management unit of competency has been used for the purpose of this example.

Another way of presenting the above mapping information is:

It is helpful to know when the knowledge is used. This can provide a context for determining what and how much knowledge is required.

How much knowledge is required?

Often the required knowledge specified in a unit of competency is a broad description with very little details. Additional research and analysis may be need to determine how much knowledge is required.

Industry engagement

The Standards for RTOs, Clauses 1.5 and 1.6 requires an RTO to engage with industry to ensure the assessment resources are relevant and current. The aim of this engagement should include the identification of industry’s expectations for the knowledge required.

A person who is developing an assessment instrument to gather the specified Knowledge Evidence may seek further details from employers and industry representatives. Here is an example. The BSBPEF202 Plan and apply time management unit of competency has been used for the purpose of this example.

• What time management techniques and strategies are used in your workplace? (Can you give me examples about how these time management techniques and strategies are used in your workplace?)
• What are the features of a time management plan used in your workplace? (Can you show me a time management plan that is used in your workplace?
• What organisational standards, policies and procedures do you have in your workplace that relate to time management, development of work plans and communicating the progress on work plans to relevant personnel? (Can you show me a copy of these organisational standards, policies and procedures?)
• In your workplace, how are the work goals and plans of individuals aligned with organisation’s goals and plans? (Can you show me a copy of documented work goals and plans used in your workplace?)
• In your workplace, what factors affect work progress? (Can you give me some recent examples about these factors and how they have affected work progress?)
• In your workplace, what performance improvement techniques are used? (Can you give me some recent examples about how these performance improvement techniques have been used?)

Types of knowledge

The Standards for RTOs gives us the following definition:

“Competency means the consistent application of knowledge and skill to the standard of performance required in the workplace. It embodies the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations and environments.”

This acknowledges the need for a person to have knowledge to perform work tasks. There are different types of knowledge. Wikipedia gives us the following description:

“The term ‘knowledge’ can refer to a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); formal or informal; systematic or particular.“

Our understanding of knowledge can become philosophical or esoteric if we think too deeply about what it is. As a trainer or assessor working in the Australian VET system, we need a basic understanding about what knowledge is, without getting immersed in abstruse thoughts.

Also, Wikipedia identifies descriptive knowledge (facts) and procedural knowledge (skills). The Knowledge Evidence items from a unit of competency are descriptive knowledge. I would like to give another way of looking at different types of knowledge:

• Undefined knowledge
• Defined knowledge

Undefined knowledge

Knowledge that is undefined is not exact. It may vary depending upon various situations or circumstances. It could be disputed or debated. The following is an example of a question seeking an answer for undefined knowledge:

What is knowledge?

The answer to this question can vary. There may be more than one acceptable answer.

A person may need some knowledge that is defined and some knowledge that is undefined when performing a work task. The following are some considerations when the knowledge is undefined:

• A developer of an assessment instrument being designed to gather evidence of undefined knowledge will need to develop a range of sample answers that could be acceptable.
• An assessor will need to exercise flexibility when a candidate gives an acceptable answer that has not been provided by the developer of the assessment instrument.

Defined knowledge

Knowledge that is defined cannot be disputed or debated. Therefore, the following is an example of a question seeking an answer for defined knowledge:

What is the definition of competency in the Australian VET system?

There is only one answer to this question. The Standards for RTOs gives us the definition. Therefore, the answer is defined and indisputable.

Knowledge is usually defined when it relates to legislation or regulations, such as, workplace health and safety (WHS) legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives , also known as Bloom’s Taxonmoy, is a framework for categorising educational goals. The following illustrates the ‘original’ Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Having the ‘Knowledge’ involves the recall of it. ‘Comprehension’ refers to having a type of understanding and making use of knowledge without necessarily being able to apply it.

The Australian VET system requires ‘Knowledge Evidence’ to be demonstrated. But the problem is we can not see knowledge. It is hidden inside a person’s brain.

How can a person demonstrate they have knowledge?

We will ask a question or give an instruction to elicit a response. This is how we can determine if a person has knowledge, or not. The Bloom’s Taxonomy give us a useful approach to developing questions or instructions so that a person can demonstrate they have the required knowledge.

Bloom’s Taxonomy provides lists of action verbs that can be used to write educational goals or objectives. The following is a sample.

We can select verbs from these lists to write an instruction to elicit a response. For example:

“Define competency within the context of the Australian VET system.”

As an alternative, we can write a question rather than writing an instruction to elicit a response.

“What is the definition of competency within the context of the Australian VET system?”

Scenario-based questions

Scenario-based questions ask a candidate to describe how they might respond to a workplace situation. The following is an example.

A scenario would be given and the person would be asked questions or given instructions designed to elicit a response. For example:

“The above cartoon illustrates a workplace:

• Identify five hazards
• Assess the risks for each hazard you identified
• State a control measure to address each identified hazard
• Explain the procedure for reviewing the effectiveness of control measures.“

A person’s response can be used to determine if they have the required knowledge and to what extent they comprehend it. This scenario-based approach should not be used as performance evidence. It may be true to say that performance of a work task will require the application of knowledge but performance evidence should be gathered when the person performs the task in a real or simulated workplace (not by looking at a cartoon).

Explicit or implicit evidence

Explicit evidence is evidence that clearly has been gathered, leaving nothing implied. Gathering explicit evidence will leaves no room for debate about whether knowledge evidence has or hasn’t been gathered. However, if an RTO says that evidence of knowledge is implied when a person performs a work task, then there will be no record of knowledge evidence being gathered.

It is best to always develop an assessment task designed to explicitly gather all items of knowledge evidence. As a minimum, one question for each knowledge evidence item. However, sometimes one question is insufficient to gather the breath and depth of knowledge that is required. Ask as many questions as necessary to gather sufficient evidence.

In conclusion

This article is a follow-on from a previous article titled:

How to develop an assessment instrument for gathering knowledge evidence

The previous article was based around a 5-step process. It was a simplified process that may not have communicated some of the complexity of developing an assessment instrument for gathering knowledge evidence.

Questioning is the common assessment method for gathering evidence for the required knowledge (listed as Knowledge Evidence). It can take time to:

• Analyse the required Knowledge Evidence items
• Research sample answers for each item of knowledge
• Develop appropriate questions and sample answers.

As a reminder, the assessment instrument should be reviewed and trialled before being finalised and implemented.

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The TAE Training Package is currently under review. And this includes the development of one or more qualifications to replace the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification. This is the second of two articles about what may replace the TAE40116 qualification.

The first article took a historical look at the qualification packaging rules that have been used to develop training and assessment skills. In this article, I will look into my crystal ball and see what the future qualification packaging rules may look like.

At recent presentations about the TAE Review, it has be said that the average number of units of Certificate IV qualifications is 14. And because of this a future replacement for the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification may require a total of 14 units.

• If there is going to be 14 units, how many units will be core and how many units will be electives?
• What will the core units be? And what will be the available elective units?

How many qualifications will replace the TAE40116 qualification?

The current TAE40116 qualification covers the skills to work as a trainer and assessor in the VET sector. A qualification for this purpose will still be required. Some people are wanting a qualification for trainers and assessors who do not work in the VET sector. This raises the question, “can one qualification cater for two different contexts or are two different qualifications required?”

One qualification

There are some qualifications that are used for different purposes or contexts. For example, the CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support qualification. This qualification can be used for workers in the aged care sector or workers in the disability sector. Different elective units must be selected for people working in the different sectors. And depending on the ‘specialisation’, the qualification is issued as:

• CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
• CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)

Although the qualification code and title are the same, a person with the CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) would not be eligible to work in the aged care sector, and visa versa.

Will one qualification replace the TAE40116 qualification? If one qualification replaces the TAE40116 qualification, will it have elective units for people who want to work in VET and different elective units for people who do not want to work in VET. The qualification issued would have the same code and title but ‘specialisation’ in brackets. For example:

• TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (VET)
• TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (Non-VET)

More than one qualification

Another approach could be to develop two qualifications. One qualification for people who want to work in VET and a different qualification for people who do not want to work in VET. For example:

• TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
• TAE40222 Certificate IV in Workplace Training

Confusion at the point of enrolment

It will not matter if there is one qualification with ‘specialisations’ or more than one qualification to replace the TAE40116 qualification. There would be two different qualification outcomes issued based on different units of competency being attained. Good luck to RTO staff trying to explain which qualification or elective units a person should do at the point of enrolment. I would estimate that 90% of people enrolling into the TAE40116 qualification do not really know what they will be learning (not to any great detail). They have limited or no idea about different types of RTOs. And for most, the concept of working in a highly-regulated competency-based training and assessment system is unknown.

If a person gets the qualification that allows them to work in VET, then they could get a job as a trainer outside of the VET system. But if a person gets the qualification for working as a trainer outside of the VET system they would not be employable by an RTO unless they did some more training (gap training). How will this person feel when they are told that they would have to pay more money to do more training?

Disappointment and anger

Let’s say that a person has attained a qualification designed for a non-VET trainer. And let’s say this qualified person applies for a job as a VET trainer and assessor. They would be rejected. How will they feel? They will probably feel disappointed. Some may feel angry.

I think most people given a choice would do the qualification that keeps their future employment options open. This raises the question, “why create two qualification pathways or outcomes?”

Some people would answer this question by saying that the TAE40116 qualification is not fit for purpose. It has been designed for trainers and assessors to gain the skills to work in the VET sector. That is true, and that is why the TAE40116 qualification fits the purpose that it was designed for. The TAE Training Package has skill sets and units that could be used to fit other purposes but people are fixated on getting a qualification. This qualification would be designed for non-VET trainers and I would predict the enrolment numbers would be low. How many people would want to spend their money on getting an inferior qualification or a qualification that limits their employability as a trainer?

What is the difference between working in VET and not working in VET?

Working in VET sector

The following are the essential competencies required by trainers and assessors working in the VET sector:

• Trainers need to plan, organise and deliver group based learning
• Assessors need to plan, organise and conduct assessment
• Trainers and assessors working for an RTO are asked to participate at assessment validation meetings
• Trainer and assessors working for an RTO are asked to develop simple training and assessment resources
• Trainers and assessors need to know how to address LLN skills
• Trainers and assessors need to know how training packages and accredited courses are used as the foundations for delivering competency-based training and assessment services.

Potential change to the TAE40116 qualification include:

• Removal the TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools unit (as long as ASQA agrees and the Standards for RTOs Schedule 1 is changed)
• Implementation of TAEDEL405 Plan, organise and facilitate e-learning and TAEASS404 Conduct e-assessment of competence units (currently these units are being developed by the Education IRC).

Not working in VET sector

The following are the essential competencies required by trainers not working in the VET sector:

• Trainers need to plan, organise and deliver group based learning
• Trainers may need to develop simple training and assessment resources.

Some people have said that trainers working outside the VET sector need the following competencies:

• Conduct a training needs analysis (TNA)
• Evaluate training programs.

The competencies to be a non-VET trainer seem to be far less that what is needed to be a VET trainer and assessor. This raises the question, “do non-VET trainers need for a full qualification?”

14 units of competency

At recent presentations about the TAE Review, it has be said that the average number of units of Certificate IV qualifications is 14. And because of this a future replacement for the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification may require a total of 14 units.

What could the qualification packaging rules look like?

The following is my fanciful creation of two qualification packaging rules.

The following compares a qualification for VET trainers and assessors and a qualification for a non-VET trainers using the qualification packaging rules that I have created.

Future gap training

The above table shows a significant gap between the two qualification outcomes. A person with the non-VET qualification would need to do a whopping six additional units to become eligible to work in the VET sector. This may require an additional 2 to 4 months of study to complete (and additional course fees).

Future complaints

Also, the above table shows that a replacement for the TAE40116 qualification for people seeking employment in the VET sector may be similar to what we already have got.

I can already hear people complaining:

• It is too difficult for people to do the ‘Assessment (TAEASS) units’
• The inclusion of particular units, like the TAEDES505 unit, is unnecessary because most trainers and assessors don’t do this
• The inclusion of ‘AQF level 5’ units are an issue, because people find them difficult to do (or RTOs find them too difficult to implement)
• The qualification is too practical (it needs more theory, it needs to be more academic, it needs more knowledge content about things like pedagogy)
• There is duplication of content between the ‘e-units’ and the ‘non-e-units’.

I have written other articles showing how unnecessary it is for the development of two new ‘e-units’:

• Do we need a new e-learning unit of competency?
• Do we need a new e-assessment unit of competency?
• E-assessment and E-learning: the development of two TAE units that we don’t need

And it is possible that some people will still complain that the replacement qualification is not fit for purpose (although there are alterative ‘training products’ available that would be fit for purpose).

In conclusion

Is 14 the right number of units for the replacement for the TAE40116 qualification? Probably not. I addressed this in my first article. In this article, I have shown what a qualification with 14 units may look like.

The needs of non-VET trainers can be covered by existing TAE skill sets or TAE units. And the needs of part-time or volunteer trainers working in VET can also be covered by existing TAE skill sets or TAE units. Is it a waste of time to create two or more qualification outcomes? It probably will be a waste of time (and tax payers’ money).

Do teachers delivering a VET in School program need different competencies than other trainers and assessors delivering a VET program? No, these teachers need the same competencies. We just don’t need to create two or more qualifications to replace the TAE40116 qualification.

Do trainers working for a TAFE need different competencies than trainers working for a private RTO? Do trainers working for a private RTO need different competencies than trainers working for an enterprise RTO? Do trainers working for an enterprise RTO need different competencies than a trainer working for a community-based RTO? No. No. No. The Standards for RTOs do not, nor should it, identify different credentials (competencies) for trainer and assessors who work for different types of RTOs. At one point of time, I was working as a trainer and assessor for three different types of RTOs and I did not need different competencies to perform my work.

You may also like to read other related articles:

• What credentials do trainers need?
• What tasks do trainers do?
• What AQF level is appropriate for a qualification that targets a trainer working in the VET sector?

I do not believe that replacing the TAE40116 qualification will improve the quality of training and assessment services. But we are going to have a replacement next year. Let’s hope that a TAE Upgrade will not be required for the people who are currently working as trainers and assessors in the VET sector.

What do you think?