The future of an RTO is determined by the changes you make now. The RTO’s that will thrive in today’s rapidly changing environment will be those that embrace the change, and adapt their systems to meet the demands. Training is needed and vocational education is pivotal to the countries success. So we need to embrace the change and work with it.

The training function within the RTO must be at the centre of this evolution, with skilled learning professionals leading the way. We are the experts, and we need to show everyone else how things are done. 

So what needs to be done?

Prepare employees to navigate the complexities of the market. Training and assessment personnel must take a hard look at their own skill set to gauge whether they are adequately prepared to support the business as it evolves.

It’s also time to focus on the knowledge, tools and skills that RTO management need to effectively lead the business through change. As the market evolves, so must the skill set of RTO management.

The business environment in which RTOs operate today is vastly different than a few years ago. I can even go as far as saying it is different to what it was even a few months ago. We have disruptions from technology, disruption from compliance needs, as well as change from our environment. The key trends for 2019 reflect the challenge and opportunity to adapt the training function to the complexity of today’s business environment.

So what can we do?

So what changes can you amke within your RTO and what does the future of an RTO look like? Firstly you need to look at learning as a continuous process throughout the employee lifecycle, without a definitive expiration date. Create courses that support this process. Courses that are in smaller, bite sized chunks.

No longer is learning an isolated, one-time training event. Create a mindset of system thinking, where we create the systems and environments for continuous on-the-job learning. Look at the RTO as an ecosystem with experiences that we control.

Blending Experiences as Opposed to Blended Learning

Blended learning is traditionally the marrying of e-learning and instructor-led training to create a learning experience. As technology evolves and there are more options available to deliver training, a multi-modal approach to learning starts to take precedent. We need to shift our focus away from merely a classic view of blended learning to instead focus on blending experiences for effective learning. We need to determine the optimal learning experience for individuals to build knowledge and apply the necessary skills to the job.

Utilise the data repositories such as learning management system (LMS) to enable growth and change. This data will enable you to become aware of the systems that can contribute to the learning experience.

Coaching

Develop a personalised combination of experiences to ensure success. This blend could include coaching, job shadowing, role-play, game-based learning, classroom training or e-learning, to name a few. You can now leverage so many tools and resources that you can develop a robust experience for each of your students.

Learner Confidence Leads to Increased Competence

Repetition and practice of learned skills has been shown to increase both knowledge retention and the likelihood the skills will become engrained behaviours. Create experiences in your RTO training that allow employees to practice new skills in the context of their daily workflow. This will enable you to meet the compliance needs and to help build confidence and enhance performance of the students.

Upskilling the RTO management

Consider performance support and employee development for the entire RTO. This includes the learning needs of instructional designers, Training program developers, Compliance managers, and administration staff. We need transformation inside the RTO. For growth to happen you need to build investment and time into your budget to upskill the RTO team and lead the evolution. Prepare your RTO team to navigate the challenges of today’s business environment and to deliver world-class training.

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