Tools and Templates - removal of information re.
Content Authoring Tool (CAT) and NTIS2 Templates.
Mandatory Text – removal of ‘Notes for Training Package developers on the transition to the CAT’ document.

Downloads - Mandatory Text documents updated:

• Text for the Training Package Assessment Guidelines Section
• Text for the Competency Standard Section
• Text for Preliminary Pages on Version Control and Summary Tables
• Mandatory Text for Training Package Overview
• Mandatory Text for the Qualifications Framework Section 
 

Downloads – Version 2 of Support Material Guidelines

Downloads - Units of Competency Guidelines Version 4. Imported units principles added to section 10.

Downloads – Version 2 of the Training Packages Glossary.

Additions to Policy – new Packaging flexibility rules

The following text has been added:

• All units of Competency in qualifications are to be described as either ‘core’ or ‘elective’.
• Combinations of electives that result in particular specialisations to be called ‘Groups’ and labelled alphabetically e.g. Group A, Group B.
• The proportion of elective choice in all qualifications must be one third or more of total units required to gain a qualification, rounded up or down to the nearest whole unit (see notes under next point).
• The proportion of electives in all qualifications that can be sourced from other qualifications within the host Training Package, another Training Package, or from accredited courses, must be one sixth or more of the total units required to gain a qualification, rounded up or down to the nearest whole unit.
  
  Note 1: Developers can not increase the size of qualifications in order to comply with the elective requirements.
  
  Note 2: The National Quality Council may consider and grant exemptions from the elective requirements in response to a compelling business case within a Case for Endorsement.
• Qualifications for licensed occupations and traditional trades are exempt from the above two dot points regarding elective requirements.

Note on transition: For the new ‘Packaging Flexibility’ rules introduced from 1 January 2010 transition arrangements apply to 31 March 2010.

Note added to unit equivalence text for clarification

Downloads – new Training Packages Glossary added

Policy additions/updates:

• Added to Qualifications Framework - Entry Requirements policy:
  
  Where entry requirements are identified, these are mandatory and must be clearly justified. Entry requirements:
• Do not form part of a qualification for training and assessment purposes.
• Must be achieved prior to enrolling in a qualification or being issued a qualification.
• Must be specific to the knowledge, skills or experience required to enter a qualification.
• Added to Endorsed Components of a Unit of Competency – Pre-requisite Units of Competency policy:
  
  A pre-requisite unit is a unit in which the candidate must be deemed competent prior to the determination of competency in the unit.
  
  Pre-requisite units of competency are included as part of a full qualification, contribute to the total outcome of the qualification, and are endorsed as part of the qualification packaging rules.
• Added to Units of Competency - Coding Maintenance for Units of Competency policy:
  
  If a pre-requisite unit/s of competency is removed, replaced or added to a unit of competency, the code of the unit of competency must be changed and the unit without the pre-requisite unit (or with a new or different pre-requisite unit) submitted as a NQC Endorsement Required change.
• Added to Units of Competency - Imported Units of Competency policy and Pre-requisite Units of Competency - Endorsed Components of a Unit of Competency policy:
  
  If an imported unit of competency has a pre-requisite requirement, the pre-requisite must remain with the unit when imported into another Training Package.
  
  If the pre-requisite is removed, the unit must be re-coded for inclusion in the importing industry Training Package.
• Added to Training Packages - Categories of Change During the Training Package Endorsement Period policy: NQC Endorsement Required: Any changes to a qualification and/or unit of competency that changes the outcome must be submitted to the NQC for endorsement.ISC Upgrade: Any changes to a qualification and/or unit of competency that do not change the outcome are considered ISC UpgradesREMOVE: Examples of what constitutes a category change (move to guidance material).
• Added to Training Package - Mapping to Previous Version of Training Package policy: Developers must note the equivalence status of a unit of competency according to the following categories: E = Equivalent – the outcomes of old and new units are equivalent N = Not Equivalent – the outcomes of old and new units are not equivalent.
• Added to Training Package - Continuous Improvement policy Where an issue(s) is identified prior to completion of the final Stakeholder Agreement stage which would have an impact on implementation, this must be addressed by the ISC prior to submitting the Case for Endorsement to the NQC.
• Added to Assessment Guidelines - Mandatory Text policy: Advice to Assessors on vocational competence: Training Package developers must provide advice within the Assessment Guidelines mandatory text about industry?s clear directions on the vocational competence and experience for assessors, to ensure that they meet the needs of industry and their obligations under the AQTF. Advice should include:
  
  
  • specific industry advice related to the competencies of assessors;
  • the context in which assessment is conducted;
  • industry workplace conditions and expectations; and
  • advice on realistic simulated or other work environments that are acceptable to industry. However, if industry advises that assessment in a workplace is mandatory, this must be reflected in the evidence guide of the unit.
  Advice may also include information, in general terms, of suitable/current resources and equipment.
• Updated policy for Endorsed Components of a Unit of Competency - Evidence Guide policy:
  
  The evidence guide must refer to:
  
  
• the relationship to other units including units of competency that would logically benefit from being assessed or delivered together (sometimes referred to as corequisites). Inter-related units of competency must only be identified where they have been cited by industry as beneficial to achieving the competency outcomes required by the combination of delivery and assessment for multiple units of competency. See ‘Evidence Guide’ Guidelines (link).
• Added to Endorsed Components of a Unit of Competency - Co-resquisite Units of Competency policy:
  
  Co-Requisite Units of Competency - Refer to "relationship with other units? in the Evidence Guide.
• Updated text at Training Packages - Review Date policy to reflect the policy for the Training Package Development and Endorsement Process.

A Training Package Policy Index has been added to the website.