SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE NO February 2016

Transcription

1 SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE NO February 2016 Contents 1. Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships for young people in out-of-home care NSW Skills List Update Version 3 3. Introducing Training Services NSW 4. STS Online Planned outage 25 February SMART AND SKILLED FEE-FREE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE As advised in Smart and Skilled Update No. 16 (12 February 2016), young people in out-of-home care are now eligible for Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships. Interim process for enrolling out-of-home care students The Provider Calculator will be updated to enable direct processing of young people in out-of-home care as fee-exempt, however, in the meantime interim arrangements are detailed in the attached fact sheet Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships: Interim arrangements for enrolling young people in out-of-home care *. This fact sheet and the accompanying form (also attached to this Update) will be made available at STS Online > Smart and Skilled Contract Management>Support Documents. Please ensure that all relevant staff are made aware of and adhere to the interim process described in this document. * Where an out-of-home care student meets other Fee-Free Scholarship eligibility criteria (ie. is concession-eligible) or meets the criteria for a Smart and Skilled fee exemption, they should be processed directly through the Provider Calculator. Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy The Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy will shortly be updated to reflect the eligibility of out-of-home care students for a Fee-Free Scholarship. Fact sheets and posters There is a new fact sheet Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships for young people in out-of-home care attached to this Update which you may use to promote scholarship opportunities to these students. This fact sheet and updated existing fact sheets are available for download from the Smart and Skilled website at smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-training-providers. Posters have also been

2 SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE NO FEBRUARY 2016 updated to reflect the extension of eligibility to young people in out-of-home care and are available from this page on the Smart and Skilled website. Interested students should be referred to the relevant page on the Smart and Skilled website at smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-students/fee-free-scholarships NSW SKILLS LIST UPDATE VERSION 3 We are updating the 2016 NSW Skills List. It is expected that the updates to the Skills List in our systems will be completed on 1 March From this date, you may see changes to the qualifications on your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedules and the qualifications you can select in the Provider Calculator. Specifically, qualifications affected by Training Package revisions and amendments to VTOs will be assigned the status of superseded or current. The end dates for superseded qualifications will change as a result of the 2016 NSW Skills List update. A start and end date for each superseded qualification and for each current qualification will be defined on your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedules. Please note, you: must not commence students in a superseded qualification after the end date assigned on the Activity Schedule. You will not be able to obtain a Commitment ID for enrolments in superseded qualifications where the training start date is after the assigned end date. can enrol students in the current qualification and obtain a Commitment ID where the training start date is after the start date assigned on your Activity Schedule. For qualifications on the updated 2016 NSW Skills List that replace a superseded qualification but are not deemed a direct replacement, you can only enrol and commence students and obtain a Commitment ID after the qualification is on your scope and the qualification with a start date has been added to your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedule. A Smart and Skilled Update detailing how the latest changes to the NSW Skills List will be implemented in our systems, with information on how this will affect your enrolments and reporting, will be sent to you closer to the date. We will also prepare searchable Excel worksheets and PDFs of the updated 2016 NSW Skills List in various formats and upload these to our website The updated 2016 NSW Skills List will affect the following Training Packages: BSB Business Services CHC Community Services CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services CUA Creative Arts and Culture FNS Financial Services Training Package FWP Forest and Wood HLT Health ICP Printing and Graphic Arts ICT Information and Communications Technology MSM Manufacturing 2

3 SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE NO FEBRUARY 2016 There may be further Training Packages included in the update. This will be confirmed in future communications regarding the 2016 NSW Skills List update. 3. INTRODUCING TRAINING SERVICES NSW As announced last year, subsequent to our move to the NSW Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development, State Training Services became two branches under the Skills and Industry Policy Division: Market Quality and Operations, and Market Design and Analysis. In light of recent organisational changes within the Department of Industry, the division will become the Economic, Skills and Regional Development division and the Market Quality and Operations branch, which includes our Regional Offices, will now be known as Training Services NSW. 4. STS ONLINE PLANNED OUTAGE 25 FEBRUARY 2016 STS Online will be offline for system upgrades from 4.00pm Thursday 25 February 2016 until 9.00am Friday 26 February Please note that systems such as the Provider Calculator, SBATS Enrolment Data function and ereporting will be unavailable between these times. For technical support in relation to any aspect of this Update, please contact Training Market Customer Support at or call

4 Smart and Skilled Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarships Version 1.0 P; February 2016 Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarships Full Qualification Request Form Reference Number OFFICE USE ONLY Reference number A: Contact details Name of organisation: RTO ID (National): NSW RTO ID: Provider representative (name): Representative Telephone: Representative B: Training details Note: Only select a Qualification and Region combination that appears on your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedule for the chosen Program Smart and Skilled Program: Region: Qualification Code (Up to Cert IV): Qualification Name: No. of Students: Choose an item. Choose an item. Where an out-of-home care student meets other Smart and Skilled fee-free-scholarship eligibility or fee exemption criteria, they should be processed directly through the Provider Calculator and not included in this form. Training Address: Town/Suburb: Postcode: Proposed start date: Click here to enter a date. Proposed end date: Click here to enter a date. NSW Department of Industry 1 Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarships Full Qualification Request Form (v1.0 P)

5 NSW Department of Industry Smart and Skilled C: Declaration The person completing this application is authorised to make this application on behalf of the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) cited in Section A of this form. All information provided in this form is true, complete, accurate and not misleading (including by way of omission). The Provider does not currently have any suspension, sanction, direction and/or condition on its registration under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act The provider is not accessing any other funding source for this identified training need. Provider representative (name): Queries and Lodgement If you have any questions, contact Training Market Operations on (02) the completed form to outofhomecare.tni@industry.nsw.gov.au Office Use Only Provider is in contract Provider has an Approved Qualifications Activity Schedule for the Program/Region/Qualification selected NSW Department of Industry 2 gov.au Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarships Full Qualification Request Form (v1.0 P)

6 Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships Interim arrangements for enrolling young people in out-of-home care Eligibility for Smart and Skilled Fee- Free Scholarships has now been extended to include young people who are currently, or who have previously been, in out-of-home care. This fact sheet details the interim arrangements for processing enrolments for these students. Identifying students who qualify for an Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarship At enrolment, you will need to ask a question to identify whether a student meets the out-of-home care definition. Consequently, you will need to update your enrolment systems in order to capture this information. If a student is seeking an Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarship, they must declare that they are currently, or were previously, in statutory or supported out-ofhome care (as defined in section 135 of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1985). For further information as to eligibility and what is meant by out-of-home care, please refer to the fact sheet Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships for young people in out-of-home care which is available at smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-training-providers. Arrangements for Notifying the Department The Department is currently modifying the Provider Calculator to enable you to undertake Notification of Enrolment for eligible out-of-home care students who do not meet other fee-free eligibility criteria, and to record them as fee exempt. In the meantime, the following interim arrangements have been put in place for out-of-home care students who cannot be enrolled immediately via the Provider Calculator. (Where an out-of-home care student meets other Fee-Free Scholarship eligibility criteria, ie. is concession-eligible, or meets the criteria for a Smart and Skilled fee exemption, they should be processed directly through the Provider Calculator). You will be notified when the Calculator has been modified. The interim arrangements require you to complete a form which you will submit to the Department in order for an Activity Schedule to be issued to you. Once you have activated the Activity Schedule, these students can be processed through Notification of Enrolment in the Provider Calculator. 1. Obtaining an Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarship Activity Schedule To obtain an Activity Schedule for a full qualification Out-of-Home Care Fee-Free Scholarship, you must first complete and submit the Out-of-Home Care Fee- Free Scholarships Full Qualification Request Form. This form is available at: STS Online > Smart and Skilled Contract Management>Support Documents. For more information about Smart and Skilled go to:

7 Note You can only be issued with an Out-of-Home Care Fee- Free Scholarship Activity Schedule for approved qualifications which appear on your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedule for the Program stream. Complete all sections of the form. Refer to the table below when completing section B: Training details. Field Smart and Skilled Program Region Qualification Code (Up to Cert IV) Qualification Name Training Address Town/Suburb Postcode Proposed start date Proposed end date No. of Students Description Select the relevant program. (This must be a program for which you have been approved.) Enter the delivery region. (This must be a region for which you have been approved on your Approved Qualificiations Activity Schedule for the program and the qualification selected.) Enter the qualification code. (This must be a qualification for which you have been approved on your Approved Qualifications Activity Schedule for the selected program.) Enter the qualification name. Enter the address at which the training will take place. (For online or correspondence training, enter your organisation s head office address.) As above. As above. Enter the expected start date of the training. Enter the expected end date of the training. Enter the number of out-of-home care students you expect to train in the qualification/region. Once completed, submit the form by to: outofhomecare.tni@industry.nsw.gov.au. 2. Activating the Activity Schedule When we have received and processed your request, we will send an to your Provider s Representative advising that the Activity Schedule is ready for review with a unique PAS number. The will contain instructions on where to review, accept or decline the Activity Schedule in STS Online. Note You must accept or decline the Activity Schedule before the expiry date designated in the . If you accept the Activity Schedule, it will be activated within two days. You will then be able to enrol students. Note A Notification Of Enrolment in the Calculator cannot occur until the Activity Schedule has been activated. 3. Completing the Notification of Enrolment When the Activity Schedule has been activated, you can complete the Notification of Enrolment using the Provider Calculator. When enrolling the student, you must ensure you enter the PAS number provided in the Activity Schedule. Refer to the instructions below. 1. In the Provider Calculator, enter the PAS number issued by the Department in the PAS No. field. 2. Alternatively, tick the PAS Only checkbox. 3. Click Search. 4. Select the required PAS number. 5. Enter student data to complete the Notification of Enrolment. (See screenshot overleaf). Note The Commitment ID issued will record the students as fee exempt. The Notification of Enrolment documents generated by the Calculator will also display that the student is fee exempt. Commitment IDs must be obtained and training have commenced before the end date of the training commencement period specified on the Activity Schedule. NSW DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY 2

8 Reporting As with all other Smart and Skilled subsidised students, the ereporting facility in STS Online should be used to report Smart and Skilled training activity at least every 28 days. Note Providers must lodge initial claim/data within six weeks of the proposed start date for the training as recorded on the Activity Schedule. More information The following STS Online user guides should be checked for further information: Smart and Skilled Provider Calculator User Guide Single student process Smart and Skilled ereporting User Guide Smart and Skilled ereporting Technical Specifications and Business Validations The guides are available at: STS Online > Smart and Skilled Contract Management>Support Documents. Queries If you have any questions, contact Training Market Operations at (02) , or training.market@industry.nsw.gov.au. State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (February 2016). However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information on which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development or the user s independent advisor NSW DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY 3

9 Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships For young people in out-of-home care NSW Government s Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships mean you can get the skills you need to get the job you want and your course fees will be covered. Young people (aged 15-30) who meet the Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarship criteria are eligible for a government subsidy which covers their Smart and Skilled course fee. Who is eligible for a Fee-Free Scholarship? To be eligible as a young person in out-of-home care, your training must commence on or after 1 January 2016, and you must meet the Smart and Skilled eligibility criteria. You must be: an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen; and no longer at school; and living or working in NSW; and aged 15 years or over OR A NSW apprentice or new entrant trainee undertaking a qualification on the NSW Skills List. * citizenship and residency status requirements to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship can be found at: html You must also: want to study a Smart and Skilled subsidised Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III or Certificate IV level qualification on the NSW Skills List (see the Course Finder at smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au) AND be aged between 15 and 30 years old when you start training AND meet the out-of-home care criteria: be aged years and currently in outof-home care, or be aged years and previously in outof-home care. What is meant by out-of-home care? The term out-of-home care is defined in section 135 of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1985 and refers to children or young people who are cared for by a person other than their parent, in a place that is not their usual home. Children and young people enter out-of-home care because they are in need of care and protection. There are two main types of out-of-home care: Statutory care - where the Children s Court has made a Care Order placing the child or young person in the parental responsibility of the Minister for Family and Community Services Supported care - where the Secretary of Family and Community Services forms the opinion that the child or young person is in need of care and protection. Children and young people in out-of-home care usually reside with relative/kinship carers, foster carers or in residential care services.

10 Where can I train and what qualifications can I do? You can enrol in any Certificate I to Certificate IV qualification on the NSW Skills List - including those that support apprenticeships and traineeships - with a Smart and Skilled Training Provider of your choice. Information on Certificate I to Certificate IV qualifications on the NSW Skills List and the Smart and Skilled Training Providers approved to deliver them can be found at smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au. How much is the Fee-Free Scholarship worth? The Fee-Free Scholarship covers the fee you would have otherwise paid for the course had you not received the scholarship. Training Providers may still charge fees for incidental expenses, such as for essential tools or for field trips. Training Providers must let you know of any additional fees for incidental expenses at enrolment. How do I apply for a Fee-Free Scholarship? You do not need to lodge a formal application for a Fee Free Scholarship. If you meet the Fee-Free Scholarship eligibility criteria (see above), the Smart and Skilled Training Provider you choose will tell you if you are eligible. There are 50,000 scholarships for 2015/16. Your training provider will confirm if you have been provided a Fee-Free Scholarship at enrolment. How will the Fee-Free Scholarship be provided? If you are eligible for a Fee-Free Scholarship, your student fee will be paid directly by the NSW Government to your Smart and Skilled Training Provider. Student Declaration If you are seeking a Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarship as an out-of-home care student, you must declare that you are currently, or were previously, in statutory or supported out-of-home care. The student declaration at enrolment will ask you to confirm that the information provided, including your out-of-home care status, is true and correct. You may also be asked to provide evidence to support your claim. For students aged years currently in out-ofhome care, the following evidence is acceptable: A copy of the Children s Court Care Order, or A copy of the Confirmation of Placement letter, or A letter from Family and Community Services or the Out-of-Home Care Designated Agency verifying that you are in statutory or supported care, or Any other evidence which clearly shows that you are in out-of-home care. For students aged years previously in outof-home care, the following evidence is acceptable A copy of the expired Children s Court Care Order, or A copy of the leaving care letter from the Minister for Family and Community Services, or A letter from Family and Community Services verifying you were previously in statutory or supported care, or Any other evidence which clearly shows that you were previously in out-of-home care. For more information: For more information see smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-students/fee-freescholarships or contact or smartandskilled.enquiries@industry.nsw.gov.au. Training Providers should contact Training Market Customer Support on training.market@industry.nsw.gov.au or call (02) State of New South Wales through Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (February 2016). However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development or the user s independent advisor. PAGE 2