I was talking to a colleague the other day who shared that they've got a group of extremely reluctant TAE learners this week. You know the type of group? The type that asks these typical questions as objections:
Why do we have to learn this?
Why are there so many questions to answer?
Why do I have to show you all this evidence - can't you take my word for it or just look at my resume?
Why should I have to do this qualification when I've already got a degree?
My colleague is a highly capable and extremely experienced TAE Trainer so I've no doubt they would have handled the objectioning group in their stride, but our conversation got me thinking about my own experience with VET and competency-based training and assessment.
When I first entered workplace training in 1993, I was a corporate trainer managing development for Australian staff of an international luxury goods brand, and before/in the early days of the nationally coordinated system, wasn't involved in delivering the learning via an RTO. Any external training we sent our staff to wasn't nationally recognised training either. Fast forward a decade and two career changes later, I found myself back in the training world.
My first real experience of VET and the 'train the trainer' qualification was annoying to say the least. Why did I find it annoying? I'd just finished a university degree and spent the better part of three years learning about organisational learning and development and how the science of learning and human behaviour underpins training, education and professional growth and advancement, and how to facilitate that. Yet all of (ok, most of) the jobs I was applying for asked for this thing called a "TAA Certificate IV in Training and Assessment". How frustrating that despite exiting a three year, AQF 7 program, I was being blocked because I didn't have a AQF 4 credential that was advertised as being able to be done in 2-3 weeks. Ludicrous!
So begrudgingly, I enrolled into a TAA course. I chose the one that offered classes in town, started at the earliest time and was reasonably competitive in price. The provider touted themselves as being experts in training trainers and I thought I'd be set.
And it was woeful.
The facilitator was not engaging. They also seemed to begrudge the time they had to spend in the classroom with us. They raced through the learning manual, directing us to look at this page, turn to that page. And when we came to a particularly relevant section, told us to "write this down" in our assessment booklets. Basically, telling us the answers to the questions. From memory, I don't recall if I even had to demonstrate anything - that's how forgettable the 'training' was. After three days face-to-face, we got dismissed with instructions of how to send in the rest of our answers and after a couple of weeks, I got my certificate in the mail.
It didn't mean much to me. It certainly didn't get framed like the degree qualification had been; it truly was just that piece of paper I required to get a look in with all of the jobs I was applying for. It was a 'paid-for' entry key. I didn't attach any value to the process of achieving that testamur and indeed, looked down on my Cert IV in comparison to the university education I had received. It did however, open employment doors for me. It did not however, underpin any of the work I did in my employment; it was simply the ticket to get in the door. (Scary to think of the people from my cohort who used that qualification to get into employment that was targeted at training others in vocational learning - or worse, training the next generation of trainers!)
Fast forward another couple of years and I moved into the VET sector for work and realised quick smart I needed to know more than my now 3 university degrees were telling me about adult learning requirements in the context of vocational education and training, and definitely more than my useless TAA. So I did the TAE and then later, the two diplomas from the TAE Training Package.
I did my TAE Diplomas with a provider that has since changed hands but the principal at the time challenged me and encouraged depth of exploration in VET that I still truly appreciate. I remember him really pushing me to do my best and he seemed to display a genuine interest in my success.
At any rate, I am now proud of the learning I have completed regarding my TAE qualifications. I also know how vital the TAE is - even if it's "only AQF 4" - because of the industry-specific information it contains. Although I now hold 5 x university qualifications that would each qualify me to train and assess VET by holding a 'higher education qualification in adult learning', none of them teach competencies linked to:
Validation
Developing VET assessment tools
RPL
Understanding the VET sector, including what a Training Package is
I use a combination of my TAE learning and university qualifications every day.
I draw on my knowledge and skill in relation to TAE to promote and support development of other VET practitioners - sometimes in fun competition events.
I use my VET qualifications and knowledge of TAE every time I complete a consultancy job - for compliance and/or assessment development and/or validation.
I'm proud of the work I've put into developing my VET and TAE knowledge beyond what's in the qualifications too. I've worked hard (continue to) to stay up-to-date with a sector that is fluid and subject to changing influencing factors, and based on this, I am regularly commissioned by some of Australia's biggest providers to deliver PD and/or assist with their quality operations.
I use my understanding of VET and TAE to be able to respond to 'objectioners' when they resist undertaking the requirements to earn a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
And I totally get it why people might be 'objectioners' in the first place. I was one of them. Until I learned the value contained in a well-delivered VET course.
Really shows how the quality of training from the get-go can cascade across perceptions, benefits, value and outcomes! When done well, there is no valid reason to resist the training for the "Cert IV" as it prepares people to work in VET as a trainer/assessor like no other qualification can.
M. Charlton