Cert IV in Training and Assessment - Report Example

Running Head: CERT IV IN TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT NAME: COURCE: INSTRUCTOR: DATE: Cert IV in Training and Assessment. Nowadays, training does no longer occur only in classrooms but also in work places. Both businesses and employees (students) are demanding training sessions to be delivered by companies (businesses) at times and locations that fits them. A registered trainer or a registered training organisation (RTO), (Sarah in this case) should have the knowledge and be prepared to provide various training delivery choices that best satisfy the company’s and their employees needs. When it comes to training of company’s employees, many businesses have training cost into consideration rather than the outcome of the training itself. For this case, most of the companies are now starting to see the benefits of having regular small group training for their employees. And because of this, many businesses are starting to realize the benefits of small group training sessions for their staff. Training Needs Sarah should set up any special learning needs that, an employee (student) may have before the beginning of training session. This will help her identify any access and fair strategies or any special learning methods to be employed so as to maximise the employee’s (Bob in this case) possibility of attaining the skills required by the needed qualification. As far as Australian government’s Disability Discrimination Act 1992 is concerned, all trainers or registered training organisations (RTOs) should make sure that people with various needs and different abilities should have the same opportunities in order to gain skills, knowledge and education experience irrespective to their race, gender, disability, sexuality etc. What all these mean is for them (trainer or RTO) to identify and address these training needs of each and every person in the company. There are many ways in which an RTO can develop an access and fair strategies and providing enough support for those employees (students) who need special attention. These special needs include and not limited to: Make sure that the education and training system provided by RTO is open to all persons in the business, especially those categories that are usually discriminated or under-represented. RTO be an education and training provider of choice for a wide range of clients. Since The Certificate IV in Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is the least requirement for OHS Management in many businesses and organisations, it has enabled employees to participate in an organisation’s OHS Management System. Trainers like Sarah should have the qualifications that include the completion of 9 units of competency to attain the Certificate IV in Occupational Health & Safety. Therefore in this case, Sarah should provide packaged training sessions that the participants will have the essential skills and knowledge relevant to working in safer and healthier working environment. The training and assessment programs should be designed in a way to provide knowledge of OHS legislation to allow employees to contribute to OHS practice in their workplace. On top of that, this will include and not limited to: communication and consultation OHS investigations Compliance hazard identification and hazard control emergency response procedures OHS policy documentation and its procedures. Recognition of Prior Learning (R.P.L) Usually in any occupational training sessions, there must be some individuals with skills and knowledge gained from some kind of experience through their working life that allow them to gain a qualification to skip standard training programs or courses. The knowledge and skills that are usually developed through accredited course may have been obtained through a different form of training, self-study, or any previous work experience. Well trained personnel or assessors like Sarah, in a formal form, can recognise a student’s current skills and knowledge in different ways, for example, through: recognition of prior learning (RPL) Credit transfer. RPL is defined as a process that evaluates an individual’s recognized (formal) and unrecognized (informal) learning methods in order to determine how far to that mentioned individual has achieved the necessary learning outcomes. It also assess if that individual has reach the required standards or total completion of a qualification. Therefore RPL is a way that allows students with prior knowledge and skills taught in the course to skip some of learning units. Recognition of prior learning: - Therefore students that possess some knowledge and skills being taught in the course may have enough excuse not need to complete all of its course units. Students like Scott needs to provide the RTO (Sarah) with enough evidence of his prior learning if he wishes to have his skills and knowledge recognized under RPL. Sarah on the other hand should take Scott’s previous study and experience into account if Scott’s portfolio was achieved in overseas or Australia. Credit transfer: - If Scott got his skills or knowledge from overseas, credit transfer will allow him to count pertinent and successfully completed studies towards his current qualifications or course. This will help Scott exempt from retaking some introductory units but he is still required to finish the total credit hours. Options for Delivery Options for delivery by RTOs means how they plan, create and deliver training products and services customized to the specific needs of different clients. Business customers are increasingly demanding assessment solutions and workplace-oriented delivery that: Fit with production and work schedules. Support learning in context. Even though many employees (students), like Scott, argue that they rather not attend training because they have a lot to do, registered training organisation (RTO) have many ways of delivering training. These options include and not limited to: Full time and part-time Full time training usually allows clients (students) to complete courses faster. Depending on the course taken, intensive training may take days or weeks. Here, the students are trained during the time they are suppose to be performing productive work. Part-time training on the other hand usually takes longer time to complete the training. Business and after hours Since Scott seems to prefer training sessions that does not impact on his working time. Sarah or RTOs need to schedule their training courses randomly through out the week. It can be those that can run both during regular business hours and after hours. And this should be during week days and weekends. Distance education In most cases it makes sense to offer some of training delivery options.  Training, as an example, can involve a combination of distance education programmes through such methods as the Internet, frequent training seminars and even through the media. Policy Principles The question of whether Scott be given RPL consideration for completing his Management Certificate 15 years depends on policy principles laid down by the business enterprise he woks for. Scott may be given RPL consideration only if he will fulfil most of the following requirements if not all: To be recognize under RPL, his past knowledge and learning must be evidenced in writing and be authentic. The focus of the company’s RPL process will only be on the outcome of learning and not the experience of learning. Time limit is another factor as far as Scott RPL consideration is concerned. This is applied in evaluating the currency of prior learning. As far as Sean is concerned, if the following criteria would have been followed, RTO would have done nothing wrong and Sean would not have complained that his chance to support his claim was denied. Criteria for Assessment The key criteria below are used by RTOs to determine if the evidence of learning presented by Sean is appropriate and sufficient. Validity: Is the prior learning presented to RTO fit the learning outcomes needed by the appropriate academic unit. Sufficiency: Is there enough evidence to demonstrate that the learning outcomes have been achieved? Authenticity: Is it true that the prior learning is that of Sean? Currency: Is the prior learning up to date with the present knowledge and practices? Conclusion So, since training is now common at work places, applicants should be accessible to information regarding the RPL process. The RPL process will be well initiated if applicants provide appropriate and truthful information in support of their RPL application. This is more often possible if an applicant consult an RPL advisor. Applicants usually receive advices and supports from RPL advisors for preparing of proof and verification of RFL required format. References Botterill, M., Mossuto, M., Harvey, C., & Di Pietro, L. (2009). ePortfolios as a vehicle for recording recognition of prior learning at RMIT University. Proceedings of the 7th International ePortfolio Conference Innovation creativity and accountability (pp. 46-51). http://www.aqf.edu.au/rplnatprin.htm Read More