About registered training organisations
What is a registered training organisation?
Registered training organisations (RTOs) are the providers of nationally recognised training.
Only registered training organisations are permitted to issue nationally recognised qualifications and statements of attainment from training packages.
To become an RTO, a training provider must be audited and evaluated by a state or territory training authority to ensure that it can provide training and assessment services in accordance with a set of national standards known as the Australian Quality Training Framework.
Secondary schools, TAFE colleges, private providers, industry associations, employers, community education providers and universities can all be RTOs.
The Australian Quality Training Framework
The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) comprises of nationally-agreed standards to ensure the quality of vocational education and training services throughout Australia.
The AQTF Standards for registered training organisations require RTOs to:
- have documented systems for quality training and assessment
- conduct an internal audit at least annually
- have documented agreements with other organisations when they provide training or assessment in partnership
- have written procedures for recruitment, induction and professional development of staff
- use trainers and assessors with specified competencies
- follow explicit requirements for quality assurance in assessment
- have a recognition of prior learning process in place and offer to recognise the prior learning of all learners on enrolment
- follow specific requirements for developing, validating and implementing learning and assessment strategies.
Full copies of the AQTF standards and general information on the AQTF can be accessed at http://www.nqc.tvetaustralia.com.au/aqtf_2010
