Purchasing Secondary Courses and Vocational Training from External Providers

Roles and responsibilities

The following outlines the key roles and responsibilities of parties involved in purchasing VET arrangements but is not an exhaustive list.

Student

• Discusses aspirations, choices and relevance of the VET qualification and/or units of competency to their course of study with parent/carer and career adviser and subject teachers
• Decides, together with their parent/carer and career adviser, which VET qualification and/or units of competency will form part of their course of study
• Attends training as organised by the school and notifies the school and RTO (if applicable) of absences
• Undertakes and completes the appropriate VET qualification and/or units of competency to the best of their ability, including any mandatory work placements

Parent/carer

• Supports and assists their child to make appropriate and informed course and career choices
• Gives permission for the student to undertake the VET qualification and/or units of competency, including any training outside of normal school hours and any required travel arrangements
• Gives permission for the student to undertake and Structured Workplace Learning
• Reports any absences to the school as required
• Maintains communication to support the school and RTO with any issues during the VET qualification and/or units of competency
• In giving permission for the student to undertake the VET qualification and/or units of competency, provides details of any known medical condition which may affect the student and any medication or treatment which may be relevant, and gives consent to the release of any necessary health information in relation to the student by the Principal pursuant to the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
• Makes any payments as required by the program which are covered by the Parent Payment Policy

School

Before contracting the VET qualification and/or units of competency:

• Provides advice to the student in developing their career plan, including advice about the VET qualification and/or units of competency, course and RTO details
• Where possible offers the VET qualification and/or units of competency on the basis of student aspirations and demand
• Consider the advantages and disadvantages between purchasing and auspicing arrangements with an RTO for the delivery of the VET qualification and/or units of competency and selects the most optimal option/s
• Checks that the RTO is registered with the VRQA or ASQA and has on their scope of registration the VET qualification and/or units of competency to be delivered
• Negotiates individual arrangements with RTOs ensuring key deliverables can be provided within agreed timeframes
• Chooses an RTO to contract based on market options, value for money and track record of quality delivery
• If the VET qualification and/or units of competency is a VCE VET Program, ensures the subject meets the VCE VET unit requirements
• Checks the contribution towards the VCE including the VCE Vocational Major, or the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) of the VET qualification and/or units of competency on VASS to ensure the student is eligible to complete their chosen senior secondary certificate
• Where the RTO is providing access to scored assessment, ensures the RTO clearly understands the associated responsibilities
• Conducts a risk assessment and takes all reasonable steps to reduce risks in the provision of the VET qualification and/or units of competency
• Informs the RTO of any student issues that need to be addressed to minimise health and safety risk while attending training, including medical information and treatment, and specific student needs
• Provides the student with information on the VET qualification and/or units of competency
• Provides a school staff member to regularly communicate with the student for ongoing pastoral and duty of care requirements
• Develops a sustainable funding model using the Student Resource Package and targeted VET funding
• Complies with the Parent Payments in Victorian Government Schools policy in the delivery of the VET qualification and/or units of competency
• In instances where classes are discontinued and the arrangement with the RTO ceases, the school organises alternative arrangements with the support of the RTO

During delivery of the VET qualification and/or units of competency:

• Arranges for appropriate SWL to match the VET qualification and/or units of competency being undertaken
• Retains core responsibilities for the student including, duty of care, maintenance of records, reporting etc
• Manages the contract and ongoing relationship with the RTO for the delivery of the VET qualification and/or units of competency

Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

Before contracting the VET qualification and/or units of competency:

• Ensures registration with VRQA or ASQA and ensures that the VET qualification and/or units of competency to be delivered is on their scope of registration
• Ensures the packaging of units of competency to be delivered within the VET qualification and/or units of competency are ‘fit for purpose,’ meet training package requirements, and are age appropriate for school students to undertake within a senior secondary certificate
• Negotiates individual arrangements with schools ensuring key deliverables can be provided within agreed timeframes
• Takes all reasonable steps to reduce risk in the provision of the VET qualification and/or units of competency
• Provides a key contact person to regularly communicate with the school
• Meets relevant standards as required by VRQA or ASQA
• Notifies the school of attendance information and absences when there is delivery outside the school site

During delivery of the VET qualification and/or units of competency:

• Engages with the school in an ongoing relationship under the contract
• Delivers the VET qualification and/or units of competency under purchase or auspice arrangements
• Is responsible for the assessment of and reporting on the student for the VET qualification and/or units of competency under purchasing arrangements (not auspicing arrangements) and ensuring assessment and reporting meets contractual obligations
• Is responsible for the supervision of students undertaking VET at the RTO’s site
• Is responsible for issuing VET certificates or statements of attainment in a timely manner as indicated in the contract
• Where the regular trainer is unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances, the RTO is responsible for organising alternative arrangements as follows:
  • where delivery is taking place at the school, RTO has the responsibility to arrange a replacement trainer. The replacement trainer should have the appropriate VIT registration of Permission To Teach. If the replacement trainer does not have VIT registration of Permission to Teach, they may attend class as a guest speaker under the supervision of a school teacher
  • where delivery is taking place at the RTO, the RTO has the responsibility to arrange a replacement trainer to take the class and supervise students