Edition 56, May 2008

Offshore Skills Assessments process approved

To meet the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) requirement for a single offshore assessment process, the National Quality Council (NQC) has agreed to support the recognition and use of the Offshore Technical Skills Record by registered training organisations as evidence of prior learning.

The NQC communique outlining the offshore assessment process states that 'overseas skills assessments will be provided by a consortium of Victorian and Western Australian registered training organisations, led by VETASSESS. All prospective migrants from our key source countries of migrants with trade skills in key occupations will be tested to agreed Australian standards before coming to Australia'.

The offshore assessment process will meet pre-migration, qualification and occupational licence requirements to Australian standards in specified licensed occupations.

The new service is a world first for skills recognition and means more certainty for migrants and more certainty for employers. It comes as a result of extensive consultation with industry and state and territory governments.

The new service will include an assessment of qualifications, skills and licensing requirements to make it easier for skilled migrants to work immediately upon arrival in Australia. This will also assist in meeting industry demands. It will ensure that the quality of the migrant assessment process is not only maintained, but significantly increased.

Assessment will take place against standards set by Australian industry and regulators as part of the COAG process agreed in February 2006. In most occupations, the standard will be at the Australian Qualifications Framework Certificate III level except for the plumbing trade, where the migrant will be tested against nationally agreed specified units of competency. In all cases, the standard set will be higher than that presently used for assessment and migrants will be expected to meet the standard in full.

To view the communique visit www.nqc.tvetaustralia.com.au/nqc_newsletters (Select 'QCF - February 2008'.)

For more information on the Offshore Skills Assessment process contact VETASSESS on 03 9655 4872, tradeassess@vetassess.com.au or visit www.vetassess.com.au/index.cfm?menu=1.3a

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