Essential credentialing for teachers intending to teach Dual Accredited courses

Below are the details of a range of training programs available to those teachers working within independent schools and intending to teach the dual accredited courses. Teacher training preference will be given to schools who express a firm commitment to deliver the courses.

The capacity to offer an increased range of course options for students in the senior years is a challenge being undertaken by a number of independent schools across the state. To facilitate the provision of these courses at the school site, it is essential that the teachers delivering the courses meet industry standards. The training courses provided cross-sectoral (DET, CEC and AIS).

Available Courses

The following dual accredited Industry Framework vocational education courses are available for school based delivery needs. To offer these courses the delivery site must be registered by VETAB and those delivering the course(s) must have had specific training recognised by industry.

Teacher training opportunities are available to teachers interested in teaching the following Industry Framework courses:

• Business Services
• Construction
• Information Technology
• Metal & Engineering
• Primary Industries
• Tourism
• Retail
• Entertainment
• Hospitality

Training Programs

For school students undertaking these courses to receive dual accreditation, it is essential that the courses are taught by teachers who have met the appropriate training standards.

To satisfy the quality assurance requirements of VETAB, teachers of VET in school programs will need to complete all components of an approved training program or else gain formal recognition of individual qualifications, relevant and recent industry experience or other training through a RPC (Recognition of Prior Competencies) process.

Training programs have been negotiated for each vocational course. The length of training time will vary based on individual teacher qualifications and experience, and the nature of training offered.

It is essential that teachers successfully complete the required training to ensure their students are eligible to receive recognition (credit transfer) into TAFE and/or industry training programs.

A model for teacher training has been developed which:

• identifies a benchmark of related key learning areas and relevant subject areas for each course, e.g. HSIE teachers with backgrounds in Economics, Commerce, Legal or Business Studies for the retail courses
• provides opportunities for teachers outside those related key learning areas to negotiate an individual training pathway (through RPC).

Details of teacher training required for each vocational course are explained in the Industry Curriculum Framework Information Package (ICFIP) .

In most cases, costs associated with the delivery of training, including teacher relief, are partially funded under the New Apprenticeships program administered by the AIS for the independent sector.

Schools interested in nominating teachers to undergo training to deliver any of the dual accredited courses will need to make a note of the following administrative arrangements:

• Teacher training may take place concurrently with the delivery of the course to students. However, teacher training must be completed before the students have completed their course. Teachers may not commence teaching VET Courses if they have not been accepted into the approved training program. To do so would jeopardise the students' recognition (credit transfer) for the course.

The nomination process for the independent sector is as follows:

• principals nominate teachers for entry into a training program by completing the application forms prepared by the AIS
• nominated teachers submit a teacher training profile with their nomination
• nominations and profiles are submitted to the AIS VET coordinator/consultant
• the AIS will consider nominations and allocate training places within available funds according to school needs and implementation commitments

APPLICATIONS MUST reach the AIS before the end of February for the Semester 1 training session, and before the end of June for Semester 2 training.

Certification

All teachers successfully completing the training course will receive a certificate which authorises the recipient to teach the dual accredited courses in any of the three schooling sectors.

Training Costs

To a very large degree these costs are expected to be supported under the New Apprenticeships programme.

The Association of Independent Schools is managing this initiative on behalf of participating independent schools and it is anticipated that all training costs should be able to be reimbursed. This also includes any travel and accommodation costs incurred as a result of the training program, and salary replacement costs for the training component undertaken in school time.

Applications for Training

Teachers who are interested in undertaking a training program which will qualify them to deliver the dual accredited courses, will need to complete an application form indicating clearly the course they wish to access.

The application form asks for the following information:

• An indication of the school's current or future commitment to the delivery of vocational options for their senior students
• Details of qualifications and teaching experience
• Details of industry experience (if any)
• Current teaching responsibilities particularly in the Senior Years
• Acknowledgment that the applicant is willing to undertake some of the required training during vacation time
• An endorsement from the school Principal

Application forms can be found in the Industry Curriculum Framework Information Package (ICFIP), published and distributed by the AIS to schools, or you may contact Rod Leverment, AIS Vocational Education Consultant, by phone: (02) 9299-2845  fax: (02) 9290-2274 or Email: rleverment@aisnsw.edu.au for an Application Form.

ANTA on the Web

ANTA (Australian National Training Authority) has its own homepage. The page contains general information on ANTA, the ANTA Board, the Ministerial Council and our publications, as well as up-to-date information on what we're doing. If you would like to have a look at the site to see what's there, the address is: http://www.anta.gov.au