Is a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment required or mandatory?

If you want to gain employment as a Trainer and Assessor at any of the following, the answer is yes:

• TAFE
• Private Registered Training Organisation
• Adult Education College
• any other type of provider offering Nationally Recognised Training, such as VET-in-Schools

The legislation that requires people to have a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015.

In simplified terms it says in Clause 1.13, 1.14 and 1.15 that an RTO’s training and assessment can only be delivered by a person who has:

• The TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
• The competency at least to the level being taught
• Industry skills that are relevant and current to what’s being taught
• Current knowledge and skills in vocational training and learning.

What if I already have a higher level teaching qualification?

If your qualification’s focus is primarily on Adult Education, you venture into the murky waters of Item 3, Schedule 1.

In Clause 1.14 of those standards mentioned above, they refer to people being allowed to teach in a Registered Training Organisation, if they have “the credential specified in Item 2 or Item 3 of Schedule 1.”

Decoding that translates to “you must have a Cert IV in Training and Assessment OR a diploma or higher level qualification in adult education.”

What do they mean by a qualification in adult education?

ASQA are the ones who regulate the vocational education sector, including making sure trainers have the right qualifications for the job. So this is an important bit of information to go off.

They give examples such as:

• Graduate Diploma in Adult and Vocational Education and Training
• Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy
• CASR Part 61 Flight or Simulator Instructor
• Army Recruit Instructor
• Master of Education or Doctoral degree with an adult education focus.

If your higher level qualification is not one of the above, it may come down to the opinion of the ASQA auditor, should your staff file ever be reviewed at an audit.

Should I just get a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment anyway?

If you’re considering making a career out of being a vocational education teacher, it makes sense to go and do the TAE40122 Cert IV in Training and Assessment, regardless of your qualifications and experience. It makes you more desirable as an employee and it’s easier for the institution you teach for to demonstrate you meet the requirements of those standards mentioned above.

What if I just want to volunteer at my local community college, or do some casual guest teaching?

There are some situations where you may be able to get away with a subset of units from the TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, called a Skill Set. We address that situation in this article.

If you’re unsure about your situation or want some more information, feel free to send us a message below.