Professional Development Requirements for Trainers Under the Standards for RTOs

The Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 do not prescribe a specific number of professional development hours per year. What they require is that trainers and assessors maintain their currency — and that RTOs have systems in place to support this and keep records of it. Understanding what this means in practice is essential for both trainers and the RTOs they work for.

What Standard 1 requires

Standard 1 of the Standards for RTOs addresses the competency requirements of trainers and assessors. It requires that trainers and assessors:

• Hold the current TAE qualification (or equivalent) — this is the baseline, not a substitute for ongoing development
• Have current vocational competency in the area they are delivering
• Have current knowledge and skills in vocational training and learning that informs their training and assessment
• Engage in professional development in the fields of the knowledge and practice of vocational training, learning and assessment

What 'engage in professional development' means

The standard does not define what counts as professional development or set a minimum annual requirement. This gives trainers and RTOs some flexibility in how they meet the obligation — but it also means that the quality and relevance of professional development matters. Professional development that is genuinely connected to the trainer's practice and documented appropriately is what satisfies the standard in an audit context.

Building a professional development plan

A simple, effective approach to trainer PD planning involves:

• Identifying areas of currency that need attention — both vocational and training and assessment
• Selecting professional development activities that address those areas
• Recording the activities completed, including dates, providers and what was learned or applied
• Reviewing the plan annually and updating it to reflect the trainer's current role and any changes to training packages or regulatory requirements

Blueprint Career Development supports trainers and RTOs in developing professional development plans and accessing development activities that contribute meaningfully to currency. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Want to discuss professional development options or how Blueprint supports trainer currency and compliance?

Contact Blueprint — for a no-obligation conversation with our team.

Blueprint Career Development | RTO #30978 | blueprintcd.com.au