Media coverage of the VET sector over the past year has been rife with stories of dodgy dealings and the need for greater supervision from independent agencies. While conceding that changes need to be made, the government are yet to put any significant policies in place…until now.
Today Queensland State Parliament voted to establish an independent Training Ombudsman to act as a watchdog for Queensland’s vocation education and training (VET) sector.
Training and Skills Minister Yvette D’Ath welcomed the passage of the Further Education and Training (Training Ombudsman) and Another Act Amendment Bill 2015, saying it would support a robust quality VET system for students, apprentices, trainees and employers.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to jobs, job creation and quality training and skills for our current and future workforce,” Mrs D’Ath said.
The intended purpose of the Training Ombudsman will be to provide support to consumers, so that they can navigate their way through the VET system, provide an agency to make complaints to, and to help resolve disputes whether informally or through a formal complaint to the relevant regulatory body.
Mrs D’Ath also said the passing of the bill fulfilled a key component of the government’s Working Queensland agenda to help create jobs and lower unemployment by strengthening the VET sector. It will ensure Queensland’s apprentices, trainees and employers have greater redress for any disputes and complaints and the process will allow for any systemic problems to be readily identified.
“The Ombudsman will also monitor and review the arrangements Queensland has in place to strengthen the quality of training and assessment provided by registered training organisations in the state. A permanent appointment will be made within months.”
Currently Queensland have an interim Training Ombudsman, which has been in place since September, however the government will fund $5 million over the next three years to establish the role amongst the sector.
While it is still too early to tell how effectively this Ombudsman will work in reducing the level of corruption within the sector, the Palaszczuk Government assures us that it is a step in the right direction.