Time to submit your “Quality Indicator data” to ASQA

What are the “Quality Indicators”?

RTOs are required to collect and report their performance against the following quality indicators:

Learner engagement
Employer satisfaction

Learner engagement

This quality indicator focuses on the extent to which learners engage in activities that are likely to promote high-quality skill outcomes. It includes learner perceptions of the quality of their competency development and the support they receive from their RTOs. The source of data to measure this indicator is a survey called the Learner Questionnaire. RTOs must gather and analyse this data each year.

Employer satisfaction

This quality indicator focuses on employer evaluation of learner competency development and the relevance of learner competencies for work and further training, as well as employer evaluation of the overall quality of the training and assessment. The source of data to measure this indicator is a survey called the Employer Questionnaire.

RTO’s must gather and analyse this data each year and submit on or before 30 June.

Why are “Quality Indicators” required?

The Quality Indicators give an overall picture of the outcomes being achieved by the RTO and how well it is meeting client needs. Information about the quality of training being provided by an RTO is relevant to a wide range stakeholders. The key audiences are the RTO’s management and their Registering Body. Other audiences may include learners, employers, senior management, individual staff members and potential learners and employers.

The QI’s provide valuable information that the RTO can use to assess their performance against the SRTOs 2015. The data can contribute to evidence that:

The RTO provides quality training and assessment across all of its operations
The RTO adheres to principles of access and equity and maximises outcomes for its clients
Management systems are responsive to the needs of clients, staff and stakeholders, and the environment in which the RTO operates
Quality can be monitored over time to identify both improvements and any downward trends.

Learner and employer survey results provide RTO’s with a basis for undertaking benchmarking activities with other RTO’s, or to compare different respondent groups, if they decide to do this as part of their continuous improvement processes.

Learner and employer survey data can be used to demonstrate the quality of the RTO’s training operations, and to build confidence in the RTO.

What is best practice regarding the “Quality Indicators”?

A targeted student should be provided with a “Learner Questionnaire” and an employer with “Employer Questionnaire”. The data should be then collected and analysed using:

Survey Management, Analysis and Reporting Tool (no longer available for download) or
ASQA’s Quality Indicator annual summary report template (DOC).

This information should be submitted to ASQA prior to 30th June annually.

The surveys should be validated to ensure the student /client feedback is addressed and the RTO provides continuous improvement to develop better learning and learning outcomes.

The resulting changes should be documented and feedback should be communicated to the relevant committee/panel/member of the organisation.

The changes should also be documented in the RTO’s Continuous Improvement Register.

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Sukh Sandhu

Executive Director

Sukh has been working in the VET and Higher Education Industry for over 25 years. In this time, he has held several roles with RTO's and Higher Education Providers (HEP) including CEO roles for International Colleges and National Compliance and Quality Assurance Manager roles for several RTO's, TAFE's and Universities. Sukh has also worked for the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) as a Business Systems Project Official. Sukh is a Canadian permanent resident and Australian citizen.

Sukh has had extensive project management experience in risk management, compliance, administration and as a training consultant. He has extensive knowledge in government compliance standards and has participated in nearly one hundred audits across Australia and provided consultancy advice regarding ASQA/VRQA, TEQSA, ACPET, DET-HESG, VQF/Higher Education, ELICOS, NEAS, ANMAC, AHPRA, CRICOS, ESOS and ISO.

Sukh is a member of several independent professional organisations and government bodies including, ACPET, VELG, ACS, AITD, MARA, MIA, ISANA, APEX, IEEE, The Internet Society (Global Member), AISIP, IAMOT, ACM, OISV, APACALL, IWA, Eta Kappa Nu, EDSIG and several others.

Sukh's qualifications include two MBAs, three masters in IT and systems, a Graduate diploma of management learning, Diploma in training design and development, Diploma in vocational education training, Diploma of work, health and safety, Diploma of Quality Auditing, Advanced diploma of management, Advanced diploma in marketing, human resources, information technology, and a number of other courses and qualifications. He has been working as a lecturer and as a trainer and assessor since 1998, Sukh has been a vocal advocate of audit reforms and system centred auditing practices rather than auditor centred auditing practices for many years.