Ombudsman for dodgy colleges

Dozens of Victorian education providers will be scrutinised by a new investigation unit looking into dodgy training courses across the state.

The new squad, headed by a former Victorian Ombudsman investigator, will conduct detailed investigations into “unscrupulous training providers”, and closely examine the quality of courses on offer.

The team is currently focusing on online courses, and those in security and hospitality.

“We will not give providers a blank cheque for taxpayers’ money – especially when the safety of the community could be put at risk because of substandard training,” Training and Skills Minister Steve Herbert said.

Providers’ contracts can be terminated if they lodge claims for training that didn’t take place, offer incentives like laptops or iPads, or if they engage in unauthorised subcontracting.

The latest contracts terminated were for Australian Vocational Education and Training Academy and the National Training Centre of Australia, a government spokesman said.

Since the state’s education quality blitz started in 2015, 57 training providers have been earmarked for investigation and 15 training contracts have been terminated.

Among the colleges that have been terminated include: MWT Institute, Imperial College, Management Institute of Australia No. 2, North Melbourne College, Yum Production, Waterford College, Education Access Australia, Australian Management Academy, Heron Assess * 2016: South Pacific Institute, Australian Learning Training and Education Centre, Australian Vocational Education and Training Academy, National Training Centre of Australia.

References: AAP

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.