Use Training Packages

1. Use Training Packages TAEDES402B

2. Are you delivering an course that will lead to a nationally recognised qualification? If so, you need a training package.

3. Training packages are ‘information kits’ that are designed to standardise training across RTOs. • They contain information all of the units that make up each course

4. The introduction of Training Packages in 1998 was designed to improve the vocational education and training system.

5. How are they made? • Training Packages are developed for an industry, by the Industry Skills Council (ISC) with coverage of the particular industry or sector and endorsed by the National Training Quality Council (NTQC). The ISC also reviews and maintains the Training Package and provides associated products and services.

6. Where are they stored? • Training packages are stored on www.Training.gov.au which is a database that anyone may access. • Access to the endorsed components of a Training Package are free • New training packages are added to the all the time

7. Sometimes, you have to use them • Endorsed components of a Training package must be used in training and assessment that leads to Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications and Statements of Attainment.

8. At other times, you might want to use a training package, even when you don’t have to. It will help you with content and benchmarks. • For example, if you were training your staff in customer service, you could use a training package, even though it was only in-house training.

9. You can choose how you deliver and assess using Training Packages as long as you follow the rules in the endorsed component.

10. What’s in them?

11. 1. Units of competency A list of the units, or topics, that make up each qualification

12. 2. Assessment guidelines This section sets out the rules for assessment and gathering evidence

13. 3. Qualifications Framework • This section provides the titles and codes of the nationally recognised qualifications contained within the Training Package and the packaging rules for qualifications.

14. In describing the competencies required by an industry, a Package makes no assumption about how someone may gain those competencies. • All employees have a range of skills, knowledge and experience. Many people may not have gained some or even all of their skills through formal training.

15. That means you can deliver the training as it suits your client (contextualise the training) • It means that you can offer an assessment-only pathway to learners who have already done training • It means that you can offer a recognition pathway to learners who already have the skills

16. Finding a training package • Type in the url: • www.training.gov.au • This is the home page of the database where all national training packages are stored. • It looks like this…

18. Further down the page, there is a space bar where you can type in a key word from a training package.

20. In this example, I have typed in the word ‘Beauty’.

22. This is the home page for the beauty training package. • It features: • Training package information (who made it etc) • Qualification information • Units of competence

23. To access a course (qualification) • Click on a qualification • For this example, I have chosen Certificate III

25. You can download the whole qualification as a word document or as a PDF file

26. This whole course is then broken into units of competency (topics, really) • Some units will be compulsory (core) and a set number of units will be elective. • The set number of elective units must be completed, but selection of the elective units may vary.

27. This is designed to allow you and your client to contextualise your training program • Because units are competency based and may appear in a variety of training programs, Some electives can sometimes be chosen from other courses. This depends on the packaging rules

28. Selecting units of competency

29. Units of competency can also be located by typing in a key word on the home page

30. The unit can be downloaded as a PDF or a word document.

31. All units of competency are developed in a similar format for clarity and ease. They all have: • unit code • unit title • unit descriptor • unit application statement

32. elements • performance criteria • required skills and knowledge • Key Competencies addressed by the unit and their level • range statement • evidence guide

33. Unit code • Each unit of competency has a unique code. • For example, TAEDES402AUse Training Package and Accredited Courses (this unit) consists of the following: • TAE signifies the Training and Assessment Training Package • DES signifies that this unit is part of the design field of the package • the number four (4) signifies that this unit is at Certificate IV level • 02 indicates that this is the second in the design series of units • A indicates that it is the first version.

34. Unit title • The unit title is a succinct statement of the outcome of the unit of competency. For example: • Manage stress in the workplace

35. Unit descriptor • The unit descriptor broadly communicates the intent of the unit of competency and the skill area it addresses. It provides further clarification of the unit title.

36. Elements and Performance Criteria • Each unit of competency has a number of elements and performance criteria to describe competency in the unit.

37. Elements • Elements describe the essential outcomes which must be met to achieve competency. Most units comprise 3 - 5 elements which together reflect the unit’s focus and scope.

38. Performance Criteria • Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of that element; that is, they set out the way in which people can show how they meet the outcome defined in the element.

39. Another way to think about this is that the element says what the learner will be able to do, and the performance criteria describes to what degree. • For example, if our unit was called POTPLA101A, the elements and performance criteria would tell us what steps the learner had to be able to follow to repot the plant succesfully (elements) and how those steps needed to be carried out (performance criteria).

40. Units can be broken into bits Element The learner will be able to repot a plant • Without damaging the plant • In the correct size pot • Handling potting mix correctly • Elements and performance criteria can help you to organise the content of your learning program. • Following the elements and performance criteria in the order in which they are outlined in the unit guide can be a useful starting point for outlining session plans and grouping topics.

41. Required Skills and Knowledge • This section of the unit guide describes the essential skills and knowledge a person needs to carry out the competencies

42. Range statement/range of variables • The range statement defines the boundaries within which a given unit of competency and its associated performance criteria apply. • The range statement can also be used to provide additional guidance and information to interpret the performance criteria.