• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Definitions
• Section 4 - Policy/Regulation
• Section 5 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Overview of VET Teacher Competency Requirements
• Part C - Teacher Files
• Part D - General VET Teacher Requirements
• Part E - Trainers Working Under Supervision
• Part F - Specialist Teaching Areas with Additional or Supplementary Qualifications or Experience Requirements
• Section 6 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure outlines the requirements and processes for the maintenance of all required documentation relating to:

1. teacher vocational competency and currency as required by the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, specifically Clauses 1.13 – 1.16;
2. additional qualification, experience and registration requirements relating to accredited curricula and/or teaching registration;
3. the requirements of the VET Funding Contract with the Department of Education and Training.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all program areas and teaching staff in Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs within the Polytechnic.

Section 3 - Definitions

(3) Refer to relevant definitions provided within the National Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015.

(4) Certified Copy

(5) Teacher – Synonymous with Trainer/Assessor Teacher is the term used in employment contracts and position descriptions to describe a staff member employed in training and assessing roles.

Section 4 - Policy/Regulation

(6) Nil

Section 5 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Overview of VET Teacher Competency Requirements

(7) Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, trainers and assessors must meet specific requirements relating to qualifications and competency prior to employment in a training and/or assessing role. These requirements are fully documented in Part D of this Procedure. In addition, the Standards require that trainers and assessors actively seek opportunities to build further skills and knowledge both as trainers and assessors, and in their specialist vocational area.

(8) No individual can be engaged in the role of trainer and/or assessor unless they hold the required qualifications and meet the required competency levels. Standard 1.17 – 1.20 allows for individuals to provide training under the supervision of a qualified trainer, providing they hold the Skill Set itemised in Part E.  Trainers who are under supervision cannot determine assessment outcomes.  Approval for teaching under supervision must be obtained from the relevant Director prior to appointment.

Part C - Teacher Files

(9) People and Culture set up and securely store personnel files for all trainers and assessors at the Polytechnic. This includes certified copies of vocational, and training and assessment competency and currency of the teacher on commencement. Files must be maintained for:

1. ongoing and fixed-term teachers;
2. sessional teachers;
3. supervised trainers;
4. teaching contractors; and
5. teachers delivering training or assessment on behalf of the Polytechnic as part of a documented third party arrangement.

(10) Teachers are responsible for setting up and maintaining their Teacher Electronic File information in VU Develop. Each file must contain:

1. VET Teacher Vocational Competency and Currency Mapping.
2. A current CV.
3. Certified copies, or appropriately verified copies of qualifications, transcripts of results and other evidence to support the entries on any of the forms listed in (a) to (c) above.

(11) Teachers must each maintain the above forms electronically so that they can be updated as required. The documentation on the teacher file must be updated as follows:

1. VET Teacher, Vocational Competency Mapping is updated whenever the teacher is required to teach a new unit, or if a training package or accredited course is updated resulting in changes to unit codes, titles and/or content (note – new or updated units are added to the bottom of the list without deleting any of the existing records. Records from this table can only be deleted on instruction from the teacher’s Manager).
2. VET Teacher Vocational, Industry and Training & Assessment Currency Record is updated continuously during the teacher’s employment contract. All activities undertaken by the teacher to maintain current skills and knowledge in their vocational area or as trainers/assessors must be recorded, and supporting evidence uploaded to the appropriate area in VU Develop.
   1. Part A – Vocational Currency must be updated whenever the teacher undertakes activities that help to keep their vocational skills and knowledge current. At a minimum this should be done once annually and when a new unit is being delivered.
   2. Part B — Training and Assessment Currency must be updated whenever the teacher undertakes activities that help to keep their training and assessment skills and knowledge current. At a minimum this should be done annually and when a unit is updated.
      
      It is the teacher’s responsibility to maintain these records electronically. At each update, relevant supporting evidence must be uploaded to the relevant area in VU Develop.
      
      Teachers must check their VU Develop entries:
      1. annually or when new courses or teaching responsibilities are added;
      2. prior to any internal or external audit; and
      3. as directed by their Manager
3. Managers must make sure that an annual review of teacher files is conducted to ensure the currency of all documentation.

Part D - General VET Teacher Requirements

(12)  The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, list current trainer and assessor requirements as follows:

Part E - Trainers Working Under Supervision

(13) Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, a VET teacher who does not hold the required training and assessment qualifications may work under the supervision of a qualified VET teacher if the requirements listed below are met. These requirements apply to the delivery of all training products except those from the TAE Training and Education Training Package (see Part F for requirements relating to the TAE training package).

Individuals working under supervision must have both:
•    vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered;
•    current relevant industry skills.

These individuals must hold at least one of the following:
•    TAESS00003 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set (or its successor);
•    TAESS00007 Enterprise Trainer—Presenting Skill Set (or its successor);
•    TAESS00008 Enterprise Trainer—Mentoring Skill Set (or its successor).

From 1 April 2019, people working under such supervision arrangements will be required to hold one of the following: 
•    TAESS00007 Enterprise Trainer—Presenting Skill Set;
•    TAESS00014 Enterprise Trainer—Presenting Skill Set (or its successor); 
•    TAESS00008 Enterprise Trainer—Mentoring Skill Set;
•    TAESS00013 Enterprise Trainer—Mentoring Skill Set (or its successor);
•    TAESS00003 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set;
•    TAEASS15 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor Skill Set (or its successor).

(14) The proposed trainer must be formally supervised by a teacher who has both the vocational competency and the required training and assessment qualifications as listed in Part D.

(15) The supervising teacher is responsible and accountable for the quality and compliance of the training conducted.

(16) The trainer being supervised must not conduct assessment. They may gather assessment evidence under an assessment process developed or approved by the supervising teacher, but may not make assessment judgements.

(17) The trainer being supervised and the supervising teacher must meet / communicate regularly throughout the training period and records of these meetings / communications must be documented on the Polytechnic VET Teacher Supervision agreement.

(18) At the conclusion of the training, the final version of the Polytechnic VET Teacher Supervision agreement must be printed and signed by both parties. This final copy must be placed on the supervised trainer’s file. 

Part F - Specialist Teaching Areas with Additional or Supplementary Qualifications or Experience Requirements

(19) Trainers delivering the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or any assessor skill set from the TAE Training Package are required to hold one of the following credentials, as listed in Schedule 1, item 7 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015: 
•    TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training;
•    TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (or its successor);
•    TAEA50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development;
•    TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development (or its successor);
•    a higher level qualification in adult education.

or alternatively, a trainer can work under the supervision of a person that holds one of these credentials.

The requirements do not apply to delivery of TAE units of competency within qualifications or skill sets from other training packages or within accredited courses.

(20) Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) teachers are required to hold VIT registration:

1. To obtain and maintain VIT registration a teacher must provide evidence of:
   1. Relevant qualification, both in study area and in education;
   2. Currency of knowledge in study area through structured professional development; and
   3. English language requirements.
2. Where a teacher holds provisional VIT registration because they do not yet have sufficient teaching hours experience to meet VIT requirements, they are permitted to teach until they achieve the required hours for full registration. Provisionally registered teachers should apply for full registration as soon as they have met the eligibility requirements.
3. Where a teacher has applied for VIT re-registration / registration, they may only teach if they are listed on the VIT Register of Teachers.
4. In addition to the above, teachers must hold TAE40110 (and the additional units as listed in clause (12) of this Procedure) / or TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, or a teaching qualification at diploma level or above in adult education.

(21) Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) teachers are required to hold:

1. TAE40110 (and the additional units as listed in clause (12) above) or TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, or a teaching qualification at diploma level or above in adult education.
2. For those VCAL teachers teaching VET units in the Industry Skills or Work Skills streams, qualifications as described in Part D of this Procedure for VET teachers must also be met.

(22) Teachers engaged in teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL) Framework courses and the Certificates in Spoken and Written English (CSWE) must hold:

1. A recognised bachelor degree and a recognised postgraduate TESOL qualification at AQF 8 or higher (note that CSWE specifically requires a course of study in which course content of no less than 100 contact hours, or distance learning equivalent, covers the grammar of the English language) and  language learning; and
2. TESOL methodology which includes a practicum*; or
3. A Bachelor of Education with a TESOL major or equivalent which includes a practicum*;
   
   *The practicum (included in clauses 22(b) and 22(c) above) must be at least 60 hours long and include, for example, supervised teaching, observation, field visits, resources evaluation, team teaching, volunteer tutoring etc. If a course undertaken has less than 60 hours practicum, teachers must demonstrate teaching experience equivalent to 60 hours, or must make up the difference in duration by individually organising a supervised practicum. Appropriate documentation of such a practicum should be kept.
4. In addition to the above, teachers must hold TAE40110 (and the additional units as listed in clause (12) of this Procedure) or  TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor and must also hold vocational competency and currency (as described in Part D of this Procedure) when delivering any units imported from a training package or accredited course.

(23) Those teaching in the Certificates in General Education for Adults framework must meet the following requirements:

1. In the context of the delivery and assessment of the Core Skills Reading and Writing units, relevant vocational competencies refers to demonstrable expertise in teaching literacy. This can include holding an AQF level 7 or above teaching qualification with a relevant method. Where a teacher / assessor does not hold a formal relevant qualification they would need to demonstrate relevant knowledge of the theory of literacy development and its application. This can include adult literacy pedagogy and the socio-cultural factors affecting literacy learning, including language as a social and cultural phenomenon and the importance of context.
2. In the context of the delivery and assessment of the Core Skills Numeracy and Mathematics units, relevant vocational competencies refer to demonstrable expertise in teaching numeracy. This can include holding an AQF level 7 or above teaching qualification with a relevant method. Where a teacher / assessor does not hold a formal relevant qualification they would need to demonstrate knowledge of the theory of numeracy development and its application. This can include adult numeracy pedagogy and the importance of context.
3. Teachers working within the Certificates in General Education for Adults, must also hold vocational competency (as described in Part D of this Procedure) when delivering any units imported from a training package or accredited course.
4. Adult literacy and / or numeracy teachers must also hold TAE40110 TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, or a teaching qualification at diploma level or above in adult education.

(24) 22302VIC Certificate I in Work Education, 22481VIC Certificate II in Work Education and 22301VIC Certificate I in Transition Education (and their successors) teachers must have:

1. demonstrable expertise in teaching in the special education field.
   
   This expertise can be demonstrated by either holding a formal qualification such as:
   1. Bachelor of Education with a Special Education specialisation area
   2. Graduate Diploma in Special Education
   3. Master’s degree which includes a Special Education specialisation such as:
      1. Master of Special Education
      2. Master of Education (Special Education needs); OR
   4. Evidence of relevant knowledge of theories, methods and practices in teaching learners with a range of intellectual disabilities through a combination of activities such as:
      1. ongoing relevant professional development
      2. engagement with disability teacher networks
      3. peer review of teaching / third party report detailing performance
      4. documented relevant teaching experience
2. TAE40110 (and the additional units as listed in clause (12) of this Procedure) or TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, or a teaching qualification at diploma level or above in adult education; and
3. vocational competency (as described in Part D of this Procedure) when delivering any units imported from a training package or accredited course.

Section 6 - Guidelines

(25) Nil