This is a developing situation, this article aims to answer some common questions that are coming to my desk, mostly from existing clients. Please note time of writing for relevance. Article written August 2023. Also, most of my clients do short courses and not qualifications, so the article is focussed mainly on that type of training provider; the bulk of my clients.
This is a quick update on where the QCTO and their QAP’s (the SETA’s) are on the matter of creating QCTO skills programs to replace the unit standards that have now passed registration end date. Lime Green’s core focus is to serve training organisations in first aid, OHS, and fire. This is done through the provision of fine learning material, an easy to use QMS, and start to finish accreditation services.
Here is what we know about specific programs:
This curriculum and learning material will be available in September most likely. Lime Green has already written the learning material with Neil Kelham. It is based on the curriculum in its current form. The material will be released when the curriculum is officially released. There are three programs, all three are less than 8 credits (2,4,6 credits for level 1,2,3 respectively)
This is all possible because Lime Green has arguably been leading the charge and driving the curriculum development process. My office started on this late last year actively driving QCTO and HWSETA on the urgency of this. I gathered over 40 stakeholders with a core group of 10 subject matter experts doing the majority of the development work. Huge thanks to all who gave up precious time on this. Lime Green captured and compiled the curriculum matrix as guided by subject matter experts and then presented this to the QAP of QCTO (HWSETA) via their consultant. The mostly finalised curriculum has been going back and forth between HWSETA and QCTO, with a few mishaps on the way, but it is in final stages and will most likely be released early September 2023 with my material for it coming out around the same time.
Lime Green will start processing applications for accreditation for clients in September (or as the curriculum is released) so they can get accredited quickly and without hassle.
Please ensure you are on my mailing list if you want notification on this. Email me if not, I’ll add you.
The process of driving HWSETA and QCTO to establish first aid (as above) took up a fair amount of self-funded resources, and did so for nearly a year. As a result, I have only begun to investigate or drive SETA’s to establish other programs with QCTO as was done with first aid. Please note that my priorities are first aid (nearly done), then OHS and Fire, and then others. for more on how this process works, see other articles on this website.
Occupational health and safety: HWSETA (Champa) has given a very vague response stating that this will be looked into. My office is beginning to follow up and drive it as I did successfully with first aid. This will not move without drive though.
Fire (structure fire): CETA has responded this week to my request on an update on progress. They have not yet started, but recognise the need and seem open to discussion. My office is beginning to follow up as I did with first aid.
Fire (wildland fire): This SIC goes under FPM SETA. My office has not engaged with FPM yet.
Heights and fall related: My office’s cursory investigation shows that there is argument between IFWH and CETA. It is my professional opinion that Alti and IFWH rather work with CETA and support them (as I have done with first aid even though HWSETA have been extremely contentious). IFWH seem to be set on trying to establish the program and get CETA to recognise them as a professional body. I recommend they simply work alongside and assist CETA because QCTO is expecting their designated QAP to submit applications for these programs; and their designated QAP is CETA as per the SIC. Please note this is just my professional opinion on the matter. Also note that this update is at least a month old and the situation might have changed (moving into August 2023).
Audiometry, Spirometry, and Vision screening in an occupational health setting: This trio is in process and is privately funded and driven via Lime Green. One of the trio (Spirometry) has successfully been established and is live. The other two have finally been delegated by QCTO to an extremely contentious HWSETA. It is therefore moving forward as per QCTO process.
Others: Please have a look at the QCTO website.
A quick note on “regulated training”: There is so much confusion about this. Unfortunately I only have time for a quick note on this. Last month in a meeting with Thomas Lata at QCTO I asked if there is an agreement between a department (e.g. the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL)) for first aid, and QCTO, for first aid training, or ANY OTHER training at all, like there was with DEL and the SETA’s (for first aid for example). The answer was no.
This does not mean that “First aid training is going back to DEL” which is an extremely common misunderstanding and a big one. As a SDP you will still do the training and quality assure it through the body (was SETA, and now is becoming QCTO). They do the training component. DEL then assure the training component on top of your SETA accreditation. This agreement already exists between SETA’s and DEL and is practiced and followed. A similar agreement does not exist with QCTO and DEL yet, but must exist. Whatever the outcome of those discussions are, it does not mean that DEL will quality assure training like SETA’s (and QCTO) does. I.e. it does not mean “training goes back to DEL” which is the common misunderstanding other accreditation consultants are regularly saying to their clients. Your accreditation still starts with the QCTO now, as it did with SETA’s.
