Training Organisation Catches Student Off-Guard
If you see a job ad for a security officer, advertising that the employer would pay for a certificate IV in security risk management and correctional training and better still be paid to complete the course, which took only two weeks, you think it would raise some alarm bells.
When Paris Thipyotha applied for the job on Seek.com as a security officer, she didnít get what she expected.
In an interview with The Australian , Paris Thipyotha said ìWe just sat there. They put the answers on the board, (although) sometimes theyíd make you do some work. I didnít get a job out of it, not even an interview.î
Ms Thipyotha said the company, Empowered People Group, were eager for her to sign up for training, however they were reluctant to advise her who her prospective employer might be.
She has now raised the alarm, making a complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Managing director of the International Security Training Academy, Tim Sell, said whoever the employer might have been, it would be highly unlikely that level of qualification would be required.
ìAll you need to do is a certificate II in security operations. If you want to work as a bodyguard or in private investigations, or even as an armed guard or with cash in transit, then you need a certificate III,î Mr Sell said
The certificate II is mandated by Victoria Police and takes 128 hours, which is usually administered across 18 days.
A more advanced qualification, such as the certificate IV, which is usually needed to start a security company, should take a minimum of 80 hours, it also qualifies for more government funding.
The Victorian Education Department has already de-registered two security training providers for non-compliance.
A spokeswoman said new national standards were being introduced next year to address concerns employment agencies were leading applicants to believe there was a job at the end of the training.
Victorian Higher Education Minister Nick Wakeling said the introduction of contestable public funding had been ìshambolicî.
He said he was in the process of creating a rapid investigatory system so training was targeted to delivering employment and public money was not being spent on ìinappropriate trainingî.
The Empowered People Group did not respond to queries from the Higher Ed Services (HES).
A good suggestion would be to do due diligence on companies, know their background, get reference checks and testimonials before registering or spending your hard earned dollars.
Registered training organisations (RTOs) are training providers registered by Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), or in some cases, a state regulator, delivering vocational education and training (VET) services.
RTOs are recognised as providers of quality-assured and nationally recognised training and qualifications.
Your can find a complete list of maintained RTO at www.myskills.gov.au , the authoritative national register of the VET sector in Australia.
ASQA is the regulatory body for RTOs in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, also regulating providers in Victoria and/or Western Australia that, offer courses in the above states or overseas.
Students in Victoria and Western Australia who are unsure whether ASQA is responsible for the regulation of their RTO should contact the ASQA info line on 1300 701 801.
