Training and Assessment Qualification
A training and assessment or comparable learning and development qualification is a formal qualification or recognised credential that supports individuals to design, deliver and assess learning in a structured, consistent and credible way.
These qualifications are commonly undertaken by trainers, facilitators, assessors and learning professionals who need to develop learning programs, assess learner performance or support nationally recognised training.
Within the APS, a qualification may be valuable when learning programs include formal assessment, competency-based outcomes, capability sign-off, compliance requirements or credentialling. While not all learning products require a qualified educator, practitioner, trainer or assessor, access to appropriately qualified expertise can strengthen learning quality, assessment integrity and participant outcomes.
Why is it important?
Training and assessment qualifications help ensure that learning is not just content delivery. They support good design decisions about outcomes, activities, assessment evidence, learner support and evaluation. This helps ensure learning experiences are credible, well-structured and fair, while giving participants confidence that learning and assessment processes are professionally delivered and aligned with expected outcomes. This is important in a whole-of-APS context because the APS learning approach aims to strengthen capability, support quality standards and provide consistent learning experiences across agencies.
Qualifications provides educators, practitioners, trainers or assessors with the knowledge and skills to develop effective learning experiences and reliable assessment processes. This helps ensure learning outcomes are clearly defined, learning activities are aligned to workplace needs and assessment methods accurately measure capability.
In the APS, these qualifications support consistent approaches to learning design and delivery, improve confidence in assessment outcomes and contribute to stronger workforce capability. They are particularly valuable where agencies need evidence that participants can demonstrate skills and knowledge, rather than simply attend training.
For nationally recognised training, the Standards for Registered Training Organisations and ASQA’s Practice Guide - Credential Policy set out credential requirements for people delivering training and assessment.
Participant benefits
- Develop capability to design, facilitate and assess learning in a structured and professional manner.
- Apply recognised training and assessment practices that support quality learning outcomes.
- Create assessments that accurately measure workplace capability and performance.
- Improve confidence when facilitating learning and providing participant feedback.
- Strengthen professional credibility when working in learning and development roles.
Suitable for
Training and assessment or comparable learning and development qualifications may be suitable for APS learning and development practitioners, facilitators, trainers, assessors, capability leads and employees who design, deliver or evaluate learning programs, particularly where learning includes formal assessment, workplace-based evidence gathering, competency requirements or capability assurance.
Core qualification components to consider
- Designing learning programs and learning resources.
- Facilitating group-based and workplace learning.
- Planning and conducting assessments.
- Gathering and evaluating assessment evidence.
- Providing learner support and feedback.
- Applying adult learning principles.
- Ensuring assessment practices are fair, valid, reliable and consistent.
General Practices
|
Good practice |
|---|
|
|
Poor practice |
|---|
|
|
Example |
|---|
|
A business area develops a mandatory learning program for staff responsible for applying a complex policy in casework. The program includes online learning and a final knowledge check. The assessment focuses primarily on recalling policy definitions and procedural information rather than applying the policy to real workplace situations. Potential Issues Although participants successfully complete the course, many continue to make inconsistent decisions when applying the policy in practice. The assessment does not provide evidence that learners can perform the required workplace tasks or make sound decisions in realistic scenarios. As a result, managers have limited confidence that course completion reflects genuine capability, and the agency cannot easily demonstrate that the learning program has achieved its intended outcomes. Better Approach The business area engages a person with training and assessment expertise during the design phase. Learning outcomes are linked to expected workplace behaviours and the assessment is redesigned to include realistic case studies, decision-making exercises and practical application tasks. Participants receive clear guidance on assessment requirements and consistent feedback against established criteria. This approach provides stronger evidence of capability, improves learner confidence and gives managers greater assurance that successful completion reflects the ability to perform the role effectively. |