How wrong is ASQA’s position on third party arrangements with other RTOs? Dead Wrong!
Third party arrangements are beneficial, especially for small RTOs that wish to engage other organisations to carry out services or training for them. Third party or agency arrangements are clearly anticipated and permitted by the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cth) (NVR Act) and the Standards for RTOs. Recently, ASQA issued this General Direction—third-party arrangements for training and or assessment of VET courses , aspects of which many people believe to be wrong. But how wrong is it? The ASQA General Direction states that if a principal RTO wishes to engage a third-party RTO to act as an agent and assist in delivering training and assessment of a qualification, the third-party RTO must have that qualification on its scope of registration. This rule only applies where both parties (principal and agent) are RTOs. Sounds wrong, right? ASQA’s rationale ASQA is well aware of the laws of agency. In fact, the General Direction s