On the 31st July Michelle Armstrong, Customer Success Specialist at Wisenet in collaboartion with Kevin Ekendahl, CEO at Audit Express hosted a live webinar unpacking the revised Standards for RTOs 2025 – what’s changing, why it matters, and how you can prepare.
To view a recording of the webinar click the button below.
This article gives you a practical guide in understanding and implementing the new Standards. Use it to align your organisation’s operations, compliance strategies, and learner support practices with the new regulatory standards.
Purpose of the Standards
The revised Standards for RTOs 2025 aims to assist RTOs to drive consistent, high-quality Vocational Education and Training (VET) by ensuring:
- Industry-aligned training that produces job-ready graduates
- Integrity and consistency in training delivery across the sector
- Holistic learner and workforce support within compliant governance frameworks
Three Pillars of the Revised Standards
- Outcome Standards
What RTOs must deliver in terms of quality and outcomes - Compliance Requirements
Operational obligations that uphold sector integrity - Credential Policy
Formal requirements for trainer/assessor qualifications and assessment validation
Structure of the standards
The 2025 RTO Standards are structured into Quality Areas, each with a clear Outcome Statement. Within each Quality Area are specific Focus Areas such as Training and Assessment that contain one or more Standards. Each Standard is supported by detailed Performance Indicators, which describe the expected behaviours and evidence an RTO must demonstrate.
This structure ensures that compliance is outcome-focused, measurable, and aligned to real learner and industry needs.
Breakdown of Outcome Standards
Quality Area 1: Training & Assessment
Outcome: Quality training and assessment engages VET students and enables them to attain nationally recognised, industry relevant competencies.
This area addresses the core business of RTOs delivering training that is both pedagogically sound and outcome-oriented. The 2025 Standards raise the bar by moving beyond compliance “box-ticking” to focus on the real-world impact of training and assessment.
Key Focus Areas:
1. Industry Relevant and Competency Based Learning
Training must align with current industry needs and ensure that students develop the competencies outlined in nationally recognised training packages. This includes:
- Maintaining strong links with industry stakeholders to validate course content
- Embedding real-life, job-ready skills into delivery
- Contextualising training for diverse learner groups and regional workforce demands
2. Valid and Fair Assessment Practices
Assessment must be valid (measuring what it claims to measure), reliable (consistent across assessors), and fair (accommodating diverse learner needs). RTOs must:
- Design tasks that genuinely test required skills and knowledge
- Implement moderation and validation processes
- Include formative and summative checks for learner progress
3. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer
RTOs must provide pathways for learners to receive recognition for previously acquired skills and qualifications. This means:
- Establishing clear, learner-friendly RPL and credit transfer policies
- Ensuring assessment instruments for RPL are rigorous and mapped to units of competency
- Transparently recording decisions and evidence used
4. Resourcing, Equipment and Facilities Alignment
Quality training requires appropriate learning environments and access to industry-standard tools and technology. RTOs are expected to:
- Regularly audit and maintain training facilities and equipment
- Provide accessible learning tools for all delivery modes (on-campus, blended, remote)
- Document how facilities support unit delivery outcomes
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Course Logbook to record industry consultation evidence.
- Maintain version-controlled learning resources, document equipment audits and usage, RPL/Credit Transfer evidence via File Notes.
- Use Tasks to track activities required to be completed to meet the standard.
Learn more about Logbooks, File Notes and Tasks.
Create checklists to track completion of compliance activities.
- Add marketing and TAS review activities to course-specific Checklists
- Use Checklists to monitor facility compliance before course commencement
Learn more about Checklists.
Quality Area 2: VET Student Support
Outcome: VET students are treated fairly and are properly informed, supported and protected.
This quality area underscores a fundamental shift in the 2025 Standards from simply enrolling students to empowering and safeguarding them. The emphasis is on ensuring that learners are given every opportunity to succeed, through transparent communication, holistic support, and inclusive learning environments.
Key Focus Areas:
1. Transparent Course Information
Students must receive timely and accurate information before and during enrolment to make informed decisions. This includes:
- Clear articulation of course content, learning outcomes, delivery methods, and duration
- Honest representation of pathways, RPL opportunities, and assessment expectations
- Disclosure of fees, refund policies, and support services
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Course Logbook and Sales features to complete and store pre-enrolment information.
- Include the pre-enrolment information in your website and Sales+ if you are taking online enrolments
- Share course information guides in your Learner App to maintain transparency
Learn more about Sales, Sales+ and File Notes.
2. Learning and Wellbeing Support
Supporting learner progress requires more than academic assistance. It involves recognising individual needs and removing barriers to engagement. RTOs are expected to:
- Offer academic and language support services
- Provide mental health and wellbeing resources
- Identify at-risk learners early and intervene proactively
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Activate Learner Support Cases in Wisenet’s Learner App to allow learners to log support cases and setup processes for staff to respond to support needs within Wisenet.
Wisenet Support Cases feature functions as a comprehensive ticketing system within Wisenet. Learn more about Support Cases.
Use Filtered Lists and Tasks to assign and monitor follow-ups for at-risk learners
By leveraging automated reports, filtered lists and tasks you can maintain clear visibility over intervention actions, deadlines, and responsible parties driving proactive engagement, monitoring and compliance.
Learn more about Automated reports, Filtered lists and Tasks.
3. Inclusive Education Practices
Training delivery must account for diverse learner cohorts including those with disabilities, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, or with varying levels of digital literacy. This includes:
- Adopting Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles
- Tailoring assessments or delivery modes to suit learner needs
- Equipping staff to deliver inclusive training through PD
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Staff Logbook and Tasks to complete and store relevant evidence of staff PDs.
- Conduct support workshops and internal PD sessions for staff
- Track staff upskilling using Tasks and upload evidence to staff logbooks or alternatively create relevant courses and enrol staff into the PD courses.
Learn more about Staff Logbook and Tasks.
4. Feedback, Complaints and Appeals Mechanisms
RTOs must foster a safe environment for learners to provide feedback or raise concerns without fear of reprisal. This involves:
- Maintaining clear and accessible policies for feedback and complaints
- Acting on complaints in a timely, transparent, and fair manner
- Using student feedback as a foundation for continuous improvement
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Support Cases and Course Enrolment Logbook to record the support process and outcomes.
- Create dedicated Support Case Categories for handling complaints and appeals
- Record outcomes and actions in Logbook File Notes for audit readiness
Learn more about Logbooks, File Notes and Support Cases.
Quality Area 3: VET Workforce
Outcome: VET students are trained, assessed and supported by people who are qualified, skilled and committed to professional development.
The 2025 Standards place a renewed emphasis on the capability, credentials, and ongoing development of the RTO workforce. Trainers and assessors are not only expected to hold the right qualifications. They must also demonstrate ongoing industry engagement and professional learning that reflects changes in pedagogy, practice, and compliance.
Key Focus Areas:
1. Trainer and Assessor Qualifications
Trainers and assessors must hold relevant VET qualifications, be current in their industry skills, and maintain their currency in training and assessment practices.
- Qualifications must be up-to-date and mapped to the units they deliver
- Evidence must be retained and verifiable
- Trainers delivering on third-party arrangements or offshore must still meet all requirements
2. Active Workforce Development
Beyond minimum qualifications, RTOs must demonstrate a commitment to ongoing staff development. This includes:
- Participation in VET-specific professional development
- Engagement in current industry practices
- Collaboration and reflection within delivery teams
3. Alignment with the Credential Policy
Several workforce-related Standards (including Standards 3.2 and 3.3) are now directly supported by the enforceable Credential Policy.
- The Credential Policy specifies the type, format, and currency of documents to be maintained
- It also defines responsibilities for validation and trainer mapping
- All evidence must be available for audit and self-assurance purposes
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Staff Logbook and checklists to store relevant information.
- Use Wisenet’s Staff File Notes to store credential documents, resumes, PDs and qualification verifications
- Schedule reminders for PD milestones via Tasks
- Set up Staff Checklists to ensure all requirements are met before assigning a trainer to a course
- Use Staff > Scope in Wisenet to link trainers to the units they are qualified to deliver
- Maintain mapped credentials in Staff logbooks for audit-ready transparency
Learn more about Staff, Staff Courses and Units, Logbook and Checklists.
Quality Area 4: Governance
Outcome: Effective governance and a commitment to continuous improvement supports the quality and integrity of VET delivery.
Governance under the 2025 Standards is more than just oversight, it’s about accountability, proactive risk management, and fostering a culture of evidence-based decision-making. The Standards expect providers to embed governance as a strategic function, not just a compliance activity.
Key Focus Areas:
1. Accountability and Transparency
Leaders must provide visible oversight of training operations and compliance. This includes:
- Clear role responsibilities and delegation structures
- Transparent policies around financial, academic, and operational decisions
- Decision records that demonstrate learner- and industry-centred outcomes
2. Risk-Based Decision-Making
Governance now requires structured risk management practices that prevent, detect, and respond to threats to training quality.
- Identify and assess risks across all operational areas (training, assessment, finance, staffing)
- Maintain a live risk register and review it regularly
- Use data to monitor emerging trends, red flags, or anomalies
3. Continuous Improvement Culture
A key indicator of quality is whether the RTO uses feedback, data, and audit results to inform improvements.
- Implement formal review cycles (monthly, quarterly, annual)
- Involve staff and learners in feedback loops
- Document changes and evaluate outcomes over time
How Wisenet can help you meet this standard:
Use Wisenet’s Logbook in various sections to store relevant information.
- Use Wisenet’s Logbook File Notes to document key operational decisions and change logs
- Implement User Permissions to enforce secure, role-based access to critical data
- Use Tasks to schedule improvement activities and review cycles
- Record feedback outcomes and improvement actions via File Notes
- Create a centralised digital risk log using File Notes or linked documentation
- Automate alerts for expired qualifications, overdue assessments, or learner complaints
Learn more about Logbook and Access Roles.
Gap Assessment & Final Takeaways
Where you are vs where you need to be
A strong gap assessment is essential to ensure you’re not only compliant with the 2025 RTO Standards but also delivering meaningful outcomes. It starts by clearly identifying what’s required across the three pillars: Outcome Standards, Compliance Requirements, and the Credential Policy. Organisations must go beyond updating policies and procedures; they must validate that actual records such as learner files, trainer credentials, meeting minutes, and assessment outcomes match what their documents claim they do.
The process involves triangulating three layers:
- What you need to achieve
- How you say you’ll achieve it (your systems and documents)
- Evidence that you’re actually doing it
RTOs should not wait for an external audit to find the gaps. Instead, conduct an internal gap assessment now, involve your full team (including admin, support, and sales), and seek a “critical friend” to review your systems objectively. Compliance is a whole-organisation responsibility.
Utilise ASQA’s Practice Guides to self-assess, validate readiness, and address key risk areas. Embed these standards operationally through compliant documentation, governance frameworks, and learner-centric systems ensuring not just regulatory alignment, but also meaningful training outcomes.
Wisenet offers automation, tracking, and audit-ready transparency to simplify and strengthen compliance across every Quality Area. Talk to us or log a support ticket if you require further assistance.