Two new TAE qualifications endorsed!

25 November 2022

PwC’s Skills for Australia have released their final documents for the following two new TAE qualifications:

• TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
• TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training

For access to the full set of documents, visit: https://www.skillsforaustralia.com/project-page/education-tae/

The Case for Endorsement and accompanying documents for Version 5 of the TAE training package were approved by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) on 8 November 2022. The AISC are currently responsible for national training package product development within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. However, they will be replaced in 2023 by new Industry Clusters in combination with an independent Training Package Assurance function established by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Following the November meeting, the proposed new training products were endorsed by Skills Ministers on the 18 November 2022. Following this endorsement, PwC’s Skills for Australia on behalf of the Education Industry Reference (IRC)* will upload the training package to training.gov.au, with release anticipated during the week commencing 5 December 2022.

What is changing?

The TAE40116 qualification is currently comprised of 10 units, with 9 core units and 1 elective unit. In comparison, the new TAE40122 qualification will be made up of 12 units, consisting of 6 core units and 6 electives. This will allow for unprecedented choice and the ability to specialise in different focus areas. 

Following is an outline of the key changes made to the qualification:

• The addition of a new core unit, TAEPDD401 Work effectively in the VET sector aimed at supporting learners in navigating the VET environment and improving their professional practice. 
• The units TAEDEL401 Plan, organise and deliver group-based learning and TAEDEL402 Plan, organise and facilitate learning in the workplace have been largely collapsed to create the new core unit TAEDEL411 Facilitate vocational training.
• TAEDES401 Design and develop learning programs has been replaced with the new core unit TAEDES412 Design and develop plans for vocational training.
• TAEDES402 Use training packages and accredited courses to meet client needs has been replaced with the new core unit TAEDES411 Use nationally recognised training products to meet vocational training needs.
• TAEASS512 Design and develop assessment tools (the successor to TAEASS502) has been moved from a core unit to an elective unit within TAE40122.
• The current TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills has been deconstructed, with content embedded into ASS, DEL and DES units. There is also a strengthening of the core skills covered in TAELLN411 appearing in three new elective units, available in Group B Learner Support:
  • TAELLN421 Integrate core skills support into training and assessment
  • TAELLN422 Use foundation skills resources, strategies and advice
  • TAELLN423 Integrate employability skills support into training and assessment.
• There are two new elective units focusing on e-learning and e-assessment:
  • TAEASS404 Assess competence in an online environment
  • TAEDEL405 Plan, organise and facilitate online learning.
• There are two new elective units focusing on different facilitation contexts:
  • TAEDEL415 Complete a practicum in a vocational education and training environment
  • TAEDEL416 Facilitate learning for young vocational learners.

The TAE50122 Diploma represents the integration of skills and knowledge from two previous TAE Diploma qualifications: TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training and TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and Development. Its structure allows learners to choose from three specialisations within a single qualification. Each specialisation covers diverse job roles in a range of VET contexts, within and outside the RTO environment, such as those who: 

• lead other VET teachers, trainers and assessors in delivering training and assessment services (Group A: Advanced Training and Assessment) 

• design and develop courseware and development services (Group B: Design and Development) 
• provide mentoring, guidance and advice or support quality and compliance operations (Group C: VET Leadership).

The TAE50116 and TAE50216 qualifications are presently comprised of 10 units. Whereas the new TAE50122 qualification will be made up of 12 units. Further to this, there will be greater choice of electives than ever before, with only 3 core units and 9 electives forming the basis of the qualification. See below for a comparison of number of units required for each qualification. 

	TAE50116	TAE50216	TAE50122
Core units	6	5	3
Elective units	4	5	9
Total units	10	10	12

Are these new qualifications equivalent to their predecessors?

TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Despite the number and composition of core units in TAE40122 being different to those in TAE40116, and several core units being deemed non-equivalent to their previous version, the Education Industry Reference Committee* (IRC) have considered the overall occupational outcome of the new qualification as the primary indicator of equivalence. The IRC have determined that the occupational outcome remains unchanged to that of TAE40116 and as such, the TAE40122 has been deemed equivalent to TAE40116.

It should be noted that the TAE40116 will remain as a suitable qualification to hold to meet the credential requirements for Trainers and Assessors. Furthermore, the IRC have made a strong recommendation that a mandated “upgrade” should not be necessary to continue to work in the sector.

TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training

While the previous two TAE Diploma qualifications have individually provided for some aspects of the occupational roles represented in the TAE50122’s three specialisations, the fact that the revised TAE50122 qualification gives learners the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in a specialisation of their choice, within a single qualification indicated a change in occupational outcome. As such, the IRC* have determined that TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training does not supersede any existing TAE qualification and have therefore assigned it the status of ‘not equivalent’. 

However, TAE50116 and TAE50216 will still be considered as appropriate “diplomas or higher-level qualifications in adult education” to meet the credential requirements for Trainers and Assessors. 

* – The IRC are the group charged with the role of considering industry skills requirements in the development and review of training packages.