Supporting NDIS workforce trainers and assessors
Research 30 Jun 2017 2 minute readACER has been engaged by a state government department to research the professional development needs of trainers and assessors of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) workforce.
ACER is conducting a training needs analysis to identify the skills and knowledge trainers and assessors require to ensure the training they deliver is relevant, practical and useful for those working in diverse NDIS contexts.
Based on the outcomes of the research, ACER will then develop a set of recommendations around professional development opportunities for trainers and assessors in the VET sector to help them maintain industry currency and deliver training that meets the requirements of those working in the rapidly evolving sector under the NDIS.
The research is focusing on trainers and assessors who are involved in the delivery and assessment of NDIS-relevant qualifications, such as:
- Certificate III in Individual Support
- Certificate IV in Disability Support
- Certificate IV in Mental Health
- Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
- Certificate IV in Ageing Support
- Certificate IV and Diploma of Community Services
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
In addition to formal qualifications, the research also focuses on trainers and assessors involved in the delivery and assessment of the skill sets and short courses that form part of these qualifications, as well as relevant non-accredited short courses for the NDIS workforce.
ACER is consulting with stakeholders from the VET sector and from health and human services, disability and employment groups through a series of interviews and workshops to identify mission critical skills that will be in high demand following the introduction of the NDIS.
Further interviews and workshops will identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps in current trainer and assessor knowledge, understandings and skills in relation to these mission critical skills and the NDIS more generally.
The final stage of the project will assess the feasibility of a suite of professional development approaches in order to determine which are likely to have the most impact. ACER is due to report its findings in August 2017.