❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses concerns about the financial hardship faced by Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Empyrean, seeking information on government awareness, actions taken, and similar issues affecting other RTOs. The Minister's response details support provided and explains funding processes.
AnsweredQoN 2903Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the article of 17 July 2010, in the
Perth
Voice
titled, ‘PPPoor service’, and I ask -
(1) Were you aware prior to this article, of the hardship faced by the Registered Training Organisation, Empyrean?
(2) If yes to (1), why did you not act to release funds sooner?
(3) Have you met with your Liberal colleague the Member for Mount Lawley, and what were the results of that meeting?
(4) What action have you taken to assist Empyrean?
(5) Are you aware of other Registered Training Organisations with similar problems to Empyrean?
(6) If yes to (5), will you name them?
Perth
Voice
titled, ‘PPPoor service’, and I ask -
(1) Were you aware prior to this article, of the hardship faced by the Registered Training Organisation, Empyrean?
(2) If yes to (1), why did you not act to release funds sooner?
(3) Have you met with your Liberal colleague the Member for Mount Lawley, and what were the results of that meeting?
(4) What action have you taken to assist Empyrean?
(5) Are you aware of other Registered Training Organisations with similar problems to Empyrean?
(6) If yes to (5), will you name them?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 November 2010
Responded by
Minister for Training and Workforce Development
Response time
35 days
(1) Yes. Empyrean had contacted my Office prior to the publication of this article.
(2) The 2010 Productivity Places Program funding was not advertised in May, as the decision was made to incorporate qualifications aligned to the State Priority Occupations List into the 2010 Productivity Places Program. This required additional work to establish the list of qualifications that would be available for funding, prior to the call for applications. The incorporation of qualifications aligned to the State Priority Occupations List means that the courses offered in the Productivity Places Program are more focused on Western Australia's occupations in demand rather than the previously defined national list of occupations.
The Department of Training and Workforce Development purchases training from private registered training organisations (RTOs) through competitive tendering processes. As a result, there is no guarantee of training funding for any private RTO.
(3) No, I have not met with the Member for Mount Lawley concerning this matter.
(4) Considerable effort has been made to support Empyrean within the terms and conditions of its existing contracts with the Department of Training and Workforce Development. This has included:
· the provision of advice regarding the scheduling of future tenders;
· the opportunity to apply for additional Access Program places through a variation process;
· the capacity to add to the qualifications it is accredited to deliver;
· enabling Empyrean to reallocate training places to a different qualification and target group; and
· not re-allocating unused 2009 Productivity Places Program training places from Empyrean to another RTO.
(5) I have been advised that it is standard practice for many RTOs to establish waiting lists for potential students in anticipation of being awarded training contracts. Private RTOs are not guaranteed that the Department will purchase training from them, as training places are purchased through competitive tendering processes and under User Choice arrangements for apprenticeships and traineeships.
(6) Not applicable.
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(2) The 2010 Productivity Places Program funding was not advertised in May, as the decision was made to incorporate qualifications aligned to the State Priority Occupations List into the 2010 Productivity Places Program. This required additional work to establish the list of qualifications that would be available for funding, prior to the call for applications. The incorporation of qualifications aligned to the State Priority Occupations List means that the courses offered in the Productivity Places Program are more focused on Western Australia's occupations in demand rather than the previously defined national list of occupations.
The Department of Training and Workforce Development purchases training from private registered training organisations (RTOs) through competitive tendering processes. As a result, there is no guarantee of training funding for any private RTO.
(3) No, I have not met with the Member for Mount Lawley concerning this matter.
(4) Considerable effort has been made to support Empyrean within the terms and conditions of its existing contracts with the Department of Training and Workforce Development. This has included:
· the provision of advice regarding the scheduling of future tenders;
· the opportunity to apply for additional Access Program places through a variation process;
· the capacity to add to the qualifications it is accredited to deliver;
· enabling Empyrean to reallocate training places to a different qualification and target group; and
· not re-allocating unused 2009 Productivity Places Program training places from Empyrean to another RTO.
(5) I have been advised that it is standard practice for many RTOs to establish waiting lists for potential students in anticipation of being awarded training contracts. Private RTOs are not guaranteed that the Department will purchase training from them, as training places are purchased through competitive tendering processes and under User Choice arrangements for apprenticeships and traineeships.
(6) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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