Definition of Terms

Keyword definitions relevant to the SRA process from the NTIS website http://ntis.gov.au

Acceleration - progression through an education or training program at a faster rate than usual.

Assessment - the process of gathering and judging evidence in order to decide whether a person has achieved a standard or objective.  

Assessor - a person qualified to carry out assessment

Competency / Competence - the ability to perform tasks and duties to the standard expected in employment.

Competency standard - an industry-determined specification of performance which sets out the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to operate effectively in employment.   Competency standards are made up of units of competency, which are themselves made up of elements of competency, together with performance criteria, a range of variables, and an evidence guide.   Competency standards are an endorsed component of a training package.

Core competencies - identifies units of competency within a competency standard that an industry has agreed are essential to be achieved if a person is to be accepted as competent at a particular level.   All units may be core, but in many cases competency at a level will involve core units plus optional or specialisation units of competency.   Core competencies are normally those central to work in a particular industry.

Credit Transfer - the granting of status or credit by an institution or training organisation to students for courses (subjects) / units of competency completed at the same or another institution or training organisation.

Elements of competency - any of the basic building blocks of a Unit of Competency which describe the key activities or elements of the work covered by the unit.

Evidence guide - the part of a competency standard which provides a guide to the interpretation and assessment of the unit of competency, including the aspects which need to be emphasised in assessment, relationships to other units, and the required evidence of competency.

Learning Pathway - a path or sequence of learning or experience that can be followed to attain competency.   Learning pathways may be included as part of the non-endorsed component of a Training Package.

Performance criteria - the part of a competency standard specifying the required level of performance in terms of a set of outcomes which need to be achieved in order to be deemed competent.

Program - is the qualification enrolled in or to be undertaken.   A program is made up of a series of Units of Competency.

Qualifications - National qualifications are defined in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Within the vocational education and training sector the following nationally recognised qualifications may be issued:

•  Certificate I

•  Certificate II

•  Certificate III

•  Certificate IV

•  Diploma

•  Advanced Diploma

•  Vocational Graduate Certificate

•  Vocational Graduate Diploma

The qualifications arising from Training Packages comprise particular combinations of endorsed competencies that are meaningful in the industry or enterprise context and packaging against AQF qualifications.

Qualification certification - awarded to a person on successful completion of a course in recognition of having achieved particular knowledge, skills or competencies.

Range of variables - (also called range statement) the part of a competency standard which specifies the range of contexts and conditions to which the performance criteria apply.

Recognition of current competencies (RCC) - the acknowledgement of competencies currently held by a person, acquired through training, work or life experience.   More commonly known as recognition of prior learning.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) - the acknowledgement of a person's skills and knowledge acquired through previous training, work or life experience, which may be used to grant status or credit in a subject or module.

Statement of attainment - certification issued to a student for partial completion of a qualification, including, where relevant, the units of competency achieved under nationally endorsed standards.   Achievements recognised by statements of attainment can accumulate towards a qualification within the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Student Guidelines - William Angliss Institute has policies and guidelines relating to important issues such as enrolment, assessment, equal opportunity, health & safety and grievance procedures at www.angliss.vic.edu.au

Training Package - an integrated set of nationally endorsed standards, guidelines and qualifications for training, assessing and recognising people's skills, developed by industry to, meet the training needs of an industry or group of industries.   Training packages consist of core endorsed components of competency standards, assessment guidelines and qualifications, and optional non-endorsed components of support materials such as learning strategies, assessment resources and professional development materials.

Unit of Competency - is a standard of a key function or role in a particular job or occupation.   A Unit of Competency usually consists of four sections:

•  Description

•  Element of competency and performance criteria

•  Range of variables

•  Evidence guide