Early childhood RTO provider approval cancelled by ASQA

A registered training organisation (RTO) providing both Certificate III in Children’s Services and the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care has had their provider approval cancelled by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), effective 23 January 2019.

Despite the pending cancellation, Upskilled continue to present “business as usual” through their website and social media, offering “20 per cent off in December” making no mention of the 23 January cancellation, nor the regulatory decision to prospective students.

When contacted, an Upskilled consultant advised that a prospective student wishing to study Certificate III would be offered a 20 per cent discount on the course fee of $4,450, saying the discount would be applied if the full fee of $3,593 was paid upfront for the January intake of the course.

Commissioners for ASQA said their decision was to cancel provider approval under s 36(2)(f) and s 39 of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVR Act), terminating Upskilled’s registration with effect 35 calendar days after the date Upskilled was given written notice of the decision.

The ASQA decision was handed down on Wednesday 28 November 2018. The status of the decision on the ASQA website is listed as pending.

The cancellation of provider approval is the final and most severe sanction which can be placed on an RTO, with the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 allowing for a range of sanctions of increasing severity – escalating from enforceable undertakings and additional conditions on registration through to suspending or cancelling the registration of an RTO.

Upskilled were approached for comment, with Joel Gage, Founder and Director of Upskilled saying: 

“Upskilled is proud of its record over the past 10 years in which we have provided training for more than 25,000 students across Australia.

We are committed to the nearly 4,000 students currently enrolled and undertaking their chosen courses with Upskilled, under the guidance of almost 100 devoted and talented staff members.

Upskilled has implemented all recommended upgrades to our programs as requested by ASQA following a compliance audit. 

Upskilled has requested a review of ASQA’s decision and we are confident that it will be resolved in the very near future.”