Registering as a GTO - Standards and Compliance

Group training arrangements have the potential to make a valuable contribution to meeting State employment reform objectives.  It is imperative therefore, that a process is in place to ensure that group training standards are addressed and maintained within Tasmania and to assure the suitability of organisations wishing to provide group training services in Tasmania.

To provide group training services within Tasmania, an organisation must be approved as registered with the Tasmanian Training Agreements Committee (TTAC) once it exceeds ten (10) apprentice/trainee placements with a host employer – refer to TTAC Policy 19.

In order to be approved as registered with TTAC, an organisation must meet the four Tasmanian Operational Requirements for Group Training Organisations which encompasses the National Standards for Group Training Organisations.

The National Standards for Group Training Organisations provide a formal framework that promotes national consistency and quality for the provision of group training services across Australia. View the National Standards for Group Training Organisations on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website.  A Resources Handbook accompanies the National Standards.

The Tasmanian Operational Requirements for Group Training Organisations (Tasmanian Operational Requirements) consists of two sections, 'Guide to registration' and 'Registration toolkit'. 

In brief, the steps to registration in Tasmania are:

1. a. Prospective and interstate-registered GTOs: Notification of Intent to Register [Word 29KB] to TTAC; or
   
   b. GTOs re-registering: a formal undertaking addressed to the Chair of the Tasmanian Training Agreements Committee, signed by the CEO, indicating that the GTO will operate in accordance with the Tasmanian Operational Requirements and the National Standards for Group Training Organisations;
   
2. All organisations must conduct a self assessment against Tasmanian Operational Requirements;
3. Self Assessment Evidence Report Templates [Word 165.5kb] to your auditor;
4. Auditor determines type of audit, eg. full Compliance Audit for prospective GTOs, a strategic audit for interstate-registered GTOs and submits Auditor Recommendation to TTAC;
5. TTAC approves registration and notifies organisation.

The period of registration, which commences from the date of TTAC approval for ‘new’ GTOS, is for three years unless circumstances dictate a shorter term of registration.  Such circumstances might be:

• the GTO has requested an audit prior to the expiration of the three-year period in order to align their GTO audits with other independent quality arrangements.  These quality arrangements may be International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO); Australian Quality Council (AQC) audits; or if the organisation is also a registered training organisation, Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) audits; or
• TTAC has determined that a compliance audit is warranted.
  Interstate-registered GTOs should follow the Steps to Registration to apply for registration as a GTO in Tasmania but should also provide with the application for registration, the latest external audit report against the National Standards for GTOs.

Templates are available to assist organisations with their application to register as a GTO and for reporting purposes.

An organisation offering group training services may operate in Tasmania without being registered with TTAC provided the organisation has less than 10 apprentice/trainee placements with a host employer.  However, such organisations would not be eligible to apply for some State and Australian Government funding.

For further information about registering as a GTO in Tasmania, email an enquiry to enquiries@skills.tas.gov.au.