Do we really know what the rules are when it comes to being an assessor? What is the difference between a trainer and an assessor anyway? And how is this all going to change?
We need to start paying closer attention to the assessment conditions in units of competency, as the landscape may be changing quite significantly.
Before we look at what it means to be an assessor we should look at the NVR Standards. Below is a snapshot:
SNR 4.4 & 15.4 Training and assessment is delivered by trainers and assessors who:
a) have the necessary training and assessment competencies as determined by the National Quality Council or its successors; and
b) have the relevant vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered or assessed; and
c) can demonstrate current industry skills directly relevant to the training/assessment being undertaken; and
d) continue to develop their vocational education and training (VET) knowledge and skills as well as their industry currency and trainer/assessor competence.
What are the “necessary” training and assessment competencies, and what do they mean by current industry skills?
Well, according to the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC) you need to hold the TAE40110 or TAESS00001 Skill Set (or demonstrate equivalence) and demonstrate competence to ‘at least’ the level being assessed, as well as continue to develop your skills, knowledge and currency. Although these requirements have always been present under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) arrangement, the importance of this particular fragment has never been more significant. Why = Streamlined Training Packages.
A common misconception may be that the only thing that has really changed between a current training package and a streamlined training package is:
- the formatting;
- the removal of the range statement; and
- addition of foundation skills.
In fact, one of the major – somewhat subtle – differences is the requirement within the “Assessment Conditions”. One of those being that the standards for training packages specifies assessor requirements, including any details related to qualifications, experience and industry currency. Therefore, we should expect the next version of our training packages to list these requirements explicitly.
So what’s really changed?
We’ve always needed qualifications, experience and industry currency to be an assessor. The difference now: it’s likely that the skills council will list how many years of work experience are required in the industry sector, and what it will take to maintain industry currency.
For example if we look at a new CS&HISC unit, it states:
“Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors. In addition, assessors must hold: a current advanced first aid certificate or at least three years’ experience as a health professional, nurse or emergency services provider”.
Whereas a Skills DMC unit goes one step further:
“An assessor must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and five (5) years of work in the Industry sector”.
This poses the next question: What if we don’t have the required amount of industry sector experience in order to assess as per these conditions?
We can still deliver training but with the NSSC conditions stating that an assessor cannot assess under supervision, it seems at first thought that we might be stranded. The Skills Councils have pre-empted this so it’s likely that we will see the addition of some surplus conditions.
Skills DMC for example, are already on the front foot by allowing “co-assessment” with a subject matter or industry technical expert. These partnerships provide opportunity for assessment to be completed in a manner where the expert possessing the vocational competency and experience is able to assist (not supervise) in the evidence gathering process.
The assessor facilitates the requirements of the training package to ensure that the integrity of the assessment requirement is maintained. The final determination of competence is then made by the assessor, who will define the validity and adequacy of evidence gathered as sufficient to meet the assessment requirements.
It’s likely that most Skills Councils will now adapt a similar approach in order remain in line with training package requirements. Knowing this, we will need to start paying closer attention to the assessment conditions, and begin to plan and focus on gaining and maintaining industry currency with a more structured approach. Perhaps we may just need to refine how we go about our current process. Either way, it gives us an opportunity to forge closer bonds with industry and maintain currency at the coalface, which can only serve as a positive for the future of our industries.
Credits:
Skills DMC – Companion Volume:
http://goo.gl/26YyDw
NSSC Trainer Assessor Determination:
http://goo.gl/pWKei
NSSC Standards for Training Packages:
http://goo.gl/9mc5lT
