Certification Issuance Policy​

In accordance with the Standards for RTOs 2015, the College issues Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) certification documentation:

• only to learners who have fully demonstrated competence in all training product requirements, and
• evidence of this has been demonstrated.

The College recognises that inappropriately issued certification poses a significant risk to the College’s reputation and to the VET sector. To reduce this risk, the College has a centralised process for issuance of certification.

The College will issue AQF certification documentation to a learner within 30 calendar days of the learner’s being assessed as successfully meeting all requirements of the training product.

The College complies with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy by ensuring all learners who complete a program of learning that leads to the award of an AQF qualification receive the following certification documentation on award of the qualification:

• a certificate, and
• a record of results.

Learners are entitled to retain their certificates and records of results once they have been issued unless the AQF qualification is revoked under the terms of the College’s policy.

Certificates issued by the College for all AQF qualifications are identified using an AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council. The AQF logo is not used on certification documentation for non-AQF qualifications.

The College provides information on the certificate and record of results sufficient to ensure the documentation can be authenticated and to reduce fraudulent use. The certificate and record of results contains the information needed to correctly identify the:

• issuing organisation – name, RTO code and RTO logo
• learner who is entitled to receive the AQF qualification
• awarded AQF qualification by its code and full title
• date of issue/award
• AQF and NRT Logo
• Person/s in the organisation authorised to issue the documentation, and
• the College’s embossed seal as an additional authentication and security measure.

The issuance of a statement of attainment recognises that learners do not always study a complete AQF qualification. Learners who have completed one or more accredited units in these circumstances are entitled to receive a statement of attainment. A record of results may also be issued.

The statement of attainment correctly identifies the person entitled to receive the statement, the accredited units by their code and full title and the date issued.

The College ensures the statement of attainment is in a form that ensures it cannot be mistaken for a certificate for a full AQF qualification. It includes the statement:

‘A statement of attainment is issued when an individual has completed one or more accredited units’.

Learners are entitled to retain the statement of attainment once it has been issued unless it is revoked under the terms of the College’s policy.

The College understands it is responsible for authentication and verification of a learner’s statement of attainment and has in place mechanisms to reduce fraudulent reproduction and use of the statements of attainment it issues.

The College has a policy that permits the replacement of statements of attainment and takes responsibility for authentication and verification of any replacement documentation.

The College includes the following information on a statement of attainment:

• issuing organisation – name, RTO code and RTO logo
• learner who is entitled to receive the statement of attainment
• awarded AQF qualification by its code and full title
• date of issue/award
• NRT Logo only
• the words ‘A statement of attainment is issued by a Registered Training Organisation when an individual has completed one or more accredited units’
• the words ‘These competencies form part of [code and title of qualification/course
• the words, ‘These competencies were attained in completion of [code] course in [full title]’; and
• person/s in the organisation authorised to issue the documentation, and
• the College’s embossed seal as an additional authentication and security measure.

Note: The College does not include the learner’s USI on its certificates, statements of attainment or records of results, consistent with the Student Identifiers Act 2014.

The College may require the return of a certificate, record of results or Statement of Attainment in the following circumstances:

• In an instance where an alleged fraud or dishonesty has been substantiated, the CEO may revoke the qualification or Statement of Attainment and require its return on the grounds that the qualification or Statement of Attainment was improperly obtained.
• When a request for replacement of an original record of results or Statement of Attainment is submitted: in cases where a graduate makes an application for a replacement certificate due to damage or legal name change, the graduate is required to return the original document prior to being issued the replacement.
• Due to an error, that is, where the College’s record of results or Statement of Attainment was issued erroneously or contained incorrect details, the College will request the return of the documentation.
• In the unlikely event that the College is directed by the national regulator to revoke a qualification or Statement of Attainment issued to learners