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TTAC Training2017 User Choice
Program
ContentsContents.......................................................................................................................... 1Program overview............................................................................................................2 Program Conditions...................................................................................................2
Eligibility…………………………………………………………………………………………………… .............................................................................................................................. 2
Budget....................................................................................................................... 2When and how to submit an application………………………………………………………………………..3Application assessment and approval process…………………………………………………………... ….......3Priority……………………………………………………………………………………………..........................4Successful applicants……………………………………………………………………………………………..4
Responsibilities of successful applicants…………………………………………………………………....4 Payments and reporting……………………………………………………………………………………5
Publishing of successful application details………………………………………………………………....5
Audit………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
Relevant legislation and policies……………………………………………………………………………5
Applying for additional places…………………………………………………………………………………... 6
Unsuccessful applicants………………………………………………………………………………………… 6
RTO eligibility requirements.............................................................................................7Learner eligibility requirements.......................................................................................8Application conditions…………………………………………………………………………………………...9Subsidy conditions.........................................................................................................10
2017 User Choice Program Guidelines and
Conditions
Program overviewThe Department of State Growth, through Skills Tasmania, delivers the User Choice Program through subsidies to Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) of an employer's choice to make a contribution towards the cost of providing training and assessment for nationally recognised training to apprentices and trainees.
While User Choice provides a significant contribution towards the cost of training and assessment services, it is not designed to fully fund training and assessment services. Employer or apprentice/trainee contributions may be required to meet the full costs of training and assessment.
To access a User Choice subsidy, or any subsidy from Skills Tasmania for nationally recognised training, the RTO must be approved as a Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO. Information about the endorsement process is available at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/providers/rtos/endorsedrtosystem
The list of qualifications that will be subsidised through the User Choice Program is available at http://laureldw.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/default.aspx
A glossary of key terms is available for RTO applicants at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/funding
Program Conditions
It is important to note that there are a number of essential conditions that must be agreed to and met by RTOs who apply for User Choice subsidies (Application Conditions, page 9) and those RTOs who become recipients of User Choice subsidies (Subsidy Conditions, page 10).
In addition to these Conditions, the Department of State Growth (Skills Tasmania) Agreement for all Programs (Skills Tasmania Agreement) contains a range of other requirements and Service Obligations for Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTOs who are successful recipients of User Choice subsidies. The Skills Tasmania Agreement can be found on the Skills Tasmania website here: ST Agreement
Eligibility
In addition to the Conditions, RTOs must meet all eligibility requirements outlined on page 7. Learners are also required to meet eligibility requirements, which are on page 8.
Enquiries
User Choice enquiries should be directed to the User Choice Program manager on (03) 6165 6060 or by email at [email protected]
BudgetThe User Choice Program has a defined budget. For this reason, RTOs should only apply for a number of places that are required by employers and can be verified by Skills Tasmania. Skills Tasmania will not approve large numbers where there is insufficient evidence of a need for that particular number as each approval reduces the available allocation budget. Successful RTOs are able to apply for as many additional places as can be evidenced following the initial allocation. See page 6 for details of how to add or apply to add more places.
When and how to submit an application
Skills Tasmania is encouraging RTOs to apply for the 2017 User Choice Program from 10 September (initial subsidy process) and prior to 11 November 2017 if they wish to offer User Choice subsidised places to apprentices and trainees in early 2017. It is expected that applicants who submit their fully-completed application by 11 November 2016 will receive their User Choice agreement prior to the end of 2016 or early in January 2017 if the application does not require additional information or re-negotiation of the number of places applied for.
Post the initial subsidy process, Skills Tasmania aims to process program applications within 30 business days. This 30 day turnaround begins once the applicant has provided all information required by Skills Tasmania. More than 30 days may be required if Skills Tasmania is experiencing an influx of applications.
Applicants will also be able to apply for subsidies throughout the year. This includes both newly-endorsed RTOs and existing Endorsed RTOs seeking additional training places (if adequate demand can be demonstrated) who applied during the initial subsidy process.
To apply for User Choice subsidies, Endorsed RTOs must complete the application available at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/funding/userchoice and email it to [email protected]
If you require any assistance in completing this application, contact Skills Tasmania on (03) 6165 6060 or email [email protected]
The User Choice application assessment and approval process
Applications for the 2017 User Choice Training Subsidy Program will be assessed against the eligibility criteria. Each applying RTO is required to provide a completed application and sufficient evidence against the following assessment criteria:
Criterion 1: The Endorsed RTO must demonstrate how it will provide both training and assessment services to apprentices and trainees using methods that have been identified to meet the needs of both the learner/s and the employer.
Criterion 2: The Endorsed RTO must demonstrate that is has existing relationships with Tasmanian industry/employers in relation to the qualifications applied for, and that each Tasmanian industry/employer is satisfied with the training and assessment services provided by the RTO.
Criterion 3: The Endorsed RTO must demonstrate the strategies it will use to identify the support needs of each learner and describe how that support is provided.
Criterion 4: The Endorsed RTO must demonstrate that it has strategies in place for ensuring and maintaining industry currency for trainers and assessors delivering the qualifications applied for.
Criterion 5: How will your successful application support new job growth for apprentices and trainees?
In addition to assessing the RTO’s application and associated evidence against the criteria, Skills Tasmania checks the number of places applied for against the RTOs’ previous User Choice take-up of allocation (if the RTO has had a previous User Choice agreement). Please note that the level of take-up of a User Choice allocation is the measure and not the size of the allocation. For example, if an RTO was allocated 35 places but only 12 were taken up, without evidence of the need for more than 12 places in a subsequent year, only 12 places could be considered as an initial allocation.
RTOs with no previous User Choice history are required to submit written evidence from employers to support the number of places applied for. In the absence of this written support, only small numbers will be considered for approval, subject to all other requirements being met.
RTOs whose applications for the User Choice Program are successful are able to apply to add to an initial allocation should that allocation be used and evidence can be provided that more places are needed. See page 6 for details on how to apply for additional places.
Priority
User Choice has a defined budget. Applications will be prioritised on their ability to support job growth for apprentices and trainees and training places in industries with a demonstrated need for skills for growth.
Successful applicantsResponsibilities for successful applicants
If successful for a User Choice Grant, the RTO’s 2015-2017 Skills Tasmania Agreement will need to be activated, if it is not already. For details on this process, contact the Skills Tasmania RTO Endorsement manager on 03 6165 6020 or email [email protected]
Successful RTOs will be notified of the successful outcome of their application via email in the first instance.
A copy of the RTOs User Choice application with the signing page indicating the approved number of training places and level of subsidy per place will then be emailed to the RTO. This signing page must be signed by the appropriate RTO representative and a copy emailed back to the Skills Tasmania User Choice email address: [email protected] This signed application forms a Schedule to the RTO’s Skills Tasmania Agreement.
The RTO will not receive any funding until a current Skills Tasmania Agreement is in place and the signed User Choice document has been returned to Skills Tasmania.
Where an RTO commences delivery of training and/or assessment services prior to written notification of its success and the execution of the Grant Deed, it does so at its own risk.
Successful applicants can also apply for subsidies throughout the calendar year for new apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications not included in their original agreement by making an additional application to the 2017 User Choice Program or any other Skills Tasmania funding round they in which they are eligible. Funding allocation is not guaranteed.
Successful applicants must ensure they meet all Subsidy Conditions on page 10.
Payments and reporting
Payment and reporting requirements are outlined in the Skills Tasmania Agreement http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/funding/2015-2017-skills-tasmania-agreement
Payment will be made on units of competency using the approved nominal hours as defined by Skills Tasmania. These hours are available at http://laureldw.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/default.aspx
The amount payable per unit will be determined by the outcome code reported in the AVETMISS data submitted.
RTOs may be required to submit evidence to Skills Tasmania to support claims for payment. Further information on Payments and Reporting for Publicly-Subsidised Training is available at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/funding/paymentandreporting
Organisations that receive subsidies are also required to complete a Final Report template that will be provided by Skills Tasmania.
Organisations may also be required to complete a Statement of Compliance declaring that the grant has been spent in accordance with the grant application and agreed purpose of funding.
If your organisation has received $50 000 or more from the Department of State Growth, including Skills Tasmania, in any financial year, an audited financial statement must be provided to the Department.
Publishing details of successful grant applications The details of all successful applicants will be made publicly available at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/learners/subsidisedcourses
Audit
Skills Tasmania may audit an RTO at any time in relation to their User Choice conditions, eligibility and/or obligations under the Skills Tasmania Agreement.
Relevant legislation and policies
All Tasmanian Government grants are to be administered in accordance with Grants Management Framework, outlined in Treasurer’s Instruction TI.709. An overview of TI.709 is provided at www.treasury.tas.gov.au
Personal information will be managed in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004. Information provided to Skills Tasmania is subject to the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2009. The abovementioned Acts can be viewed in full on the Tasmanian Government legislation website at www.thelaw.tas.gov.au
Applying for additional User Choice placesRTOs with an approved 2017 User Choice agreement will be able to add (or apply to add) additional places once their initial allocation has been exhausted.
There are two different processes for additional places: an application process for existing workers and a notification process for new workers:
Existing Workers:
When an RTO with a 2017 User Choice agreement has exhausted their initial allocation and requires an additional place for an existing worker, the RTO can apply for an additional User Choice place via the Application for variation of a 2017 User Choice Agreement for existing workers. The application can be found on the Skills Tasmania website at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/funding/user_choice
The completed application must be lodged via email to [email protected]
New Workers:
Once the initial allocation has been exhausted, RTOs with an approved 2017 User Choice agreement are able to add additional places for new workers to that agreement via the Training Program Outline (TPO) provided to the RTO by the Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP) when an employer and apprentice/trainee have chosen the RTO as their training provider.
The RTO is required to check that the apprentice or trainee is eligible for User Choice subsidies by referring to the learner eligibility section this document on page 8 and then ticking a box on the TPO indicating that an additional place is required for that learner.
A copy of the completed TPO must be emailed to Skills Tasmania at [email protected] at the same time a copy is emailed to the Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP).
Skills Tasmania will update the RTO’s User Choice agreement to reflect the increased allocation and early in the following month will provide the RTO with a report indicating the increased allocation. The notification must be signed by the RTO’s nominated officer and a copy returned to Skills Tasmania before the change can be fully activated in the Skills Tasmania payments system.
It is important to note that this is not an application process; it is a notification process that does not require the RTO to wait for approval from Skills Tasmania.
Unsuccessful applicantsApplicants will be deemed unsuccessful if they cannot meet all of the eligibility or condition requirements outlined in these guidelines and/or do not adequately address the assessment criteria or are unable to provide sufficient evidence of employer support.
Unsuccessful applicants may apply for feedback on their application and may be eligible to apply again to the 2017 User Choice Training Subsidy Program when appropriate amendments and arrangements are in place.
Grievance Procedures
Grievance appeals related to funding may arise from decisions relating to:
1. approval of qualifications to become subsidised apprenticeships and traineeships;
2. contract arrangements with Skills Tasmania; and3. eligibility of apprentices or trainees for User Choice subsidies.
Skills Tasmania will:1. attempt to resolve all grievances within a reasonable time
2. comply with natural justice criteria3. maintain client confidentiality at all times.
For more information about grievance procedures go to www.skills.tas.gov.au/skillstas/about/complaints
RTO Eligibility RequirementsThe following requirements determine a RTO's eligibility to apply for subsidies through the 2017 User Choice Program.
1. RegistrationRTOs must be registered in accordance with the requirements of the NVR Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 to deliver the relevant qualification/s.
2. Scope of RegistrationRTOs must only submit applications for training subsidies where the qualification(s) is included on their scope of registration for delivery in Tasmania at the time of lodging the application.
3 Availability of qualification as a subsidised apprenticeship or traineeshipAn RTO can only apply for subsidies where the qualification has been approved as a subsidised apprenticeship or traineeship and appears on the approved apprenticeships and traineeships list: http://laureldw.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/default.aspxNB: the availability of a qualification as an apprenticeship or traineeship does not automatically grant the provision of a User Choice subsidy for that qualification.
4 Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO StatusRTOs must be approved Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO at the time of submitting an application. For more details go to http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/providers/rtos/endorsedrtosystem RTOs not already endorsed can apply for endorsement using the application form on the Skills Tasmania website: http://tinyurl.com/ERTOapp . Please note: the endorsement process will take a minimum of three weeks from receipt by Skills Tasmania to notifying the RTO of the outcome.
Learner Eligibility RequirementsEligible learners can be new workers, existing workers, year 10, 11 and 12 students and previously-qualified apprentices and trainees. Rules on learner eligibility are as follows:
1. Training Contract
1.1The learner must be a signatory to a current and registered training contract approved by the Tasmanian Traineeships and Apprenticeships Committee (TTAC)
and be able to meet the obligations of the training contract and the TTAC Policies and Guidelines.
2 New workers 2.1New workers are those that have been employed as an apprentice or trainee
who have been employed by the employer for less than three months full-time or twelve months part-time or casual. Priority for the 2017 User Choice Program will be given to new workers.
2.2If an employee (including an apprentice or trainee) has had a break in employment of six (6) months or more from their employer, they are deemed to be a new employee.
3 Existing employee eligibility3.1 Existing employees may also be eligible to receive subsidies for their training
and assessment. 3.2 An existing employee is an individual who has been employed for more than
three (3) months on a full-time basis or more than 12 months on a part-time or casual basis by the employer with whom he/she is entering into a training contract.
3.3 A school student as defined under the Education Act 1994 (Tasmania) is not considered to be an existing employee even if they meet the definition outlined in 2.2.
3.4 An individual progressing from a lower AQF level to a higher AQF level under a training contract will not be deemed an existing employee if a new training contract is entered into within 12 months of the completion of the previous training contract and may be eligible for User Choice subsidies. This applies whether the higher level qualification is in the same field or a different field; provided that at the time the first training contract was signed the apprentice or trainee was a new employee as defined in this section. Under these circumstances, the apprentice or trainee will also be entitled to apply for User Choice funding for the subsequent qualification.
3.5 However, if the previous training contract was cancelled, the sign up in the higher level qualification is not regarded as a progression.
4 School-based apprenticeships and traineeships eligibility4.1 The availability of an apprenticeship or traineeship as a school-based
apprenticeship or traineeship is indicated at http://laureldw.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/default.aspx as a 'School Based Pathway'.
4.2 As far as possible, the criteria relating to apprenticeships and traineeships will also apply to apprenticeships and traineeships in schools.
4.3 Subsidies for school-based apprentices and trainees will not be paid where the school at which the apprentice or trainee is enrolled is also the RTO providing
training and assessment. This is because it is expected that the training and assessment services will be subsidised through the school’s normal resourcing mechanisms for school students.
5 Previously funded apprentices and trainees5.1 Applicants must ensure that they do not seek funding for an apprentice or
trainee and who has a prior, higher or same level qualification from the same training package with a closely related job outcome that has been publicly subsidised within the past five years.
5.2 Applicants may seek a User Choice subsidy for an apprentice or trainee who received subsidised training within five years if:
a subsequent version of the qualification is considered a new qualification due to significant changes and/or additions and becomes the industry benchmark of essential skills and knowledge for that industry.
there have been significant changes to the industry such as major changes to technology, the industry or the government, as opposed to individual employers, specifies that staff are required to update/refresh their qualifications.
the training subsidy sought is in an unrelated field to any previous training.6 Special Consideration
6.1 Where the RTO has determined that a learner does not meet the User Choice eligibility requirements but it is believed that a strong case exists to fund a particular learner, the RTO may make special consideration application to Skills Tasmania. Such applications will be assessed on merit using the available evidence and funding approval is not guaranteed.
Application Conditions
1. To be considered for a User Choice subsidy the RTO must fully complete and appropriately lodge with Skills Tasmania a User Choice application. The Declaration of RTO status to meet Buy Local Criteria section of the application must also be completed. The information provided in the application must be accurate and verifiable by the Department.
2. RTOs must be a Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO at the time of applying for a User Choice grant.
3. RTOs may only apply for subsidies for qualification/s that are on their scope of registration at http://training.gov.au/
4. RTOs may only apply for subsidies for qualifications that are available as an apprenticeship or traineeship and are approved for User Choice subsidies and are published on the Tasmanian Apprenticeships/Traineeships List at http://laureldw.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/default.aspx
5. User Choice subsidies are allocated to RTOs per training place. That means the amount of subsidies requested by a RTO will be the number of training places multiplied by the published price of that qualification
6. RTOs may apply for subsidies at any time throughout the calendar year to deliver training for apprentices and trainees who commence training in a qualification in 2017.
7. RTOs must ensure that all apprentices and trainees who receive a subsidised training place are eligible for that subsidy.
8. RTOs must only apply for a number of places that either match previous User Choice take-up or a number that can be supported by an employer or employers in writing. Applications for large numbers that cannot be verified by previous take-up or by a clear, written commitment by an employer/employers will not be approved.
9. An RTO may apply for 'open market' or 'employer specific' training places. An ‘open market’ application may be made when the RTO is operating or seeking to operate with a range of employers and learners. An 'employer specific’ application may be made by a RTO who has established a relationship with a particular employer or employers. ‘Employer specific’ applications must be accompanied by evidence in writing from the employer or employers indicating the commitment of the employer to using the services of the RTO for their apprentices or trainees and the evidence must include the proposed/forecasted number of apprentices or trainees employed/to be employed by the employer who will require a User Choice-subsidised training place in 2017.
10. Skills Tasmania reserves the right to require additional information or evidence to support the assessment of any User Choice Grants Program application.
11. The RTO accepts that Skills Tasmania reserves the right to negotiate and/or pay:
(1) a reduced subsidy amount where delivery of training is to multiple apprentices or trainees in the same organisation for the same qualification. This includes enterprise RTOs.
(2) the level of subsidy for apprenticeships or traineeships(3) the number of training places requested by a RTO
12. The RTO, by its application, expressly authorises the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to release information to Skills Tasmania, Department of State Growth, regarding the RTO’s registration status, including the results of any audits and subsequent sanctions that may have been applied.
Subsidy Conditions1. If successful for a User Choice Grant, the RTO’s 2015-2017 Skills Tasmania
Agreement will need to be executed as a Deed (if it is not already). For details on
this process, contact the Skills Tasmania RTO Endorsement manager on 03 6165 6020 or email [email protected]
2. The RTO must provide the learner with training and/or assessment services for all core and elective units and must meet all other requirements of the relevant training package, as well as all obligations deemed necessary by Skills Tasmania to deliver quality training outcomes.
3. Training and assessment activity for User Choice subsidised apprentices and/or trainees must begin between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017.
4. The RTO must meet all reporting obligations, including the appropriate and timely lodging of Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) data.
5. The RTO must only apply for additional places when the initial allocation for a qualification has been exhausted.
6. The RTO must notify Skills Tasmania of any removal/planned removal of a User Choice subsidised qualification from their scope of registration.
7. The RTO must have a system which allows the RTO to identify which User Choice subsidised places have been allocated to apprentices or trainees and how many places remain for allocation.
8. The RTO accepts that a low allocation take-up rate may result in reduced future training subsidy allocations from Skills Tasmania and will be recorded against the RTOs Skills Tasmania RTO Endorsement status.
9. The rate of subsidy, as well as any costs incurred by the employer, must be communicated to the employer by the RTO at or before enrolment of the apprentice or trainee.
10. If an RTO is approved for a User Choice agreement and has used all of an initial allocation for a qualification, further places may be negotiated through either of two processes depending on whether the place required is for a new worker or an existing worker.
11. Payments will not be paid for units reported through AVETMISS data that indicates that training and/or assessment services were commenced prior to the commencement date of an RTO’s User Choice agreement.
12. Subsidy payments will only be made where a User Choice agreement is in place between the RTO and Skills Tasmania and the apprentice or trainee meets all User Choice eligibility requirements, has a registered training contract and compliant AVETMISS data has reported activity for the apprentice/trainee.
13. Subsidy payments will not be made if the date of training or assessment is after the date of cancellation of the associated apprentice or trainee training contract.
14. The RTO is required to submit an application to Skills Tasmania to add a replacement qualification to a current User Choice agreement, regardless of the equivalence or non-equivalence of the qualification.
Skills TasmaniaDepartment of State Growth26 Bathurst StreetHOBART TAS 7001Phone:
03 6165 6060
Email:
Web: www.skills.tas.gov.au