Skip to content

Credential Policy — Practice Guide

ASQA Practice Guide · Credential Policy · Standards CP §1-3 · Published 17 June 2025 · Version 1.0

Verbatim reproduction of the ASQA Practice Guide, extracted from the source PDF with layout preservation (via pdftotext -layout). The body below preserves the original two-column table structure — performance indicators on the left, example activities and known risks on the right.

Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/for-providers/standards-for-RTOs/practice-guides

Companion docs: - standards-outcome.md / standards-compliance.md — the underlying legislative text - standards-explanatory.md — the Explanatory Statement commentary - compliance-reference.md — RTOpacks module × standard mapping


Practice Guide
Credential Policy
Ver 1.0
Published 17 June 2025

                  Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations
                                          Credential Policy

What are the key concepts?
The following key concepts are covered in this practice guide:

                                             Credential Policy
 •   Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment
 •   Credential requirements for the delivery of training and assessment for training products from the
     Training and Education (TAE) Training Package
 •   Credentials for validation of assessment


Achieving the Credential Policy in practice
The following tables provide guidance on achieving compliance with the Credential Policy as well as
important considerations, and risks to mitigate or avoid. Further to the credentialling requirements set
out below, the Outcome Standards set out additional requirements relating to individuals undertaking
VET training and assessment activities and as such, this Practice Guide should be read in conjunction
with the Instrument and the Practice Guides relating to VET Workforce.

                  Section 1: Credentials for the delivery of training and assessment
 This section specifies credential requirements for individuals delivering training and assessment for all
 training products other than AQF qualifications or skill sets from the Training and Education (TAE)
 Training Package. Standard 3.2 also sets out additional requirements for individuals delivering training
 and assessment for training products from the TAE Training Package.
 Subject to Section 2 of this policy, all people delivering training and/or assessment must either:
 •   have one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 1A, or
 •   be actively working towards one of the training and assessment credentials at section 1C, and work
     under the direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment
     credentials at section 1E, or
 •   have one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 1D, and work under the
     direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment credentials at
     section 1E.

                   Requirement                                   Considerations for compliance
 1A. Training and assessment credentials               •   You can demonstrate how you authenticate
 To deliver training and assessment without                (and retain evidence of) the credentials of those
 direction, including making assessment                    undertaking training and assessment for your
 judgements, the person must hold one of the               RTO.
 following credentials:


 •    TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                    •    You can demonstrate the systems and
      Assessment or its successor,                                    processes you have in place for the recruitment
 •    TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and                         and training of your RTO’s trainers and
      Assessment,                                                     assessors to ensure they are appropriately
                                                                      credentialled and skilled for their role.
 •    TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and
      Assessment1,                                               •    You can demonstrate your system for reviewing
                                                                      trainer and assessor performance and industry
 •    A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult                currency, and how this system helps to identify
      education or vocational education and training                  opportunities for professional development.
 •    A secondary teaching qualification and one of              •    You ensure that, where a fully qualified trainer
      the following credentials:                                      and assessor is supervising a person working
       o TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or                            under direction (such as an industry expert),
       o TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its                         they do not allow the person working under
           successor, or                                              direction to make assessment judgements.
       o TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School                      •    You can demonstrate that your RTO meets the
           Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set                     other requirements imposed on trainers and
           or its successor.                                          assessors under the Standards, including that
                                                                      they hold the relevant vocational competencies
                                                                      and current industry skills, regardless of
                                                                      whether they are working alongside an industry
                                                                      expert or not.
                                                                               Known risks to compliance
                                                                 •    Not having a system in place to authenticate the
                                                                      training and assessment credentials held by
                                                                      those undertaking training and assessment for
                                                                      your RTO.
                                                                 •    Not identifying or addressing gaps in trainer and
                                                                      assessor skills, knowledge and industry
                                                                      currency.
                                                                 •    Not recognising higher level qualifications in
                                                                      adult vocational education and training.
                                                                 •    Failing to ensure that secondary teachers
                                                                      delivering training and assessment and making
                                                                      assessment judgements without supervision
                                                                      hold one of a required Assessor Skill Set as
                                                                      listed in in the Credential Policy.
  1B. Assessment only credentials                                            Considerations for compliance
  To conduct assessment only, including making                   •    You can demonstrate your mechanisms for
  assessment judgements, the person must hold                         ensuring people do not perform tasks beyond
  one of the following credentials:                                   the scope of their assessment-only credentials.
 •    TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                    •    You can demonstrate how you authenticate
      Assessment or its successor                                     (and retain evidence of that authentication) the
 •    TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and                         relevant credentials held by assessors.
      Assessment                                                 •    You can demonstrate your system for reviewing
 •    TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and                         assessor performance and how this system
      Assessment2                                                     helps to identify opportunities for professional
 •    TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its                            development.
      successor                                                                Known risks to compliance
 •    TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set
                                                                 •    Not having a system in place to authenticate the
 •    TAESS00001 Assessor Skill Set                                   assessment credentials held by assessors.
 •    A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult           •    Failing to prevent people with assessment-only
      education or vocational education and training                  credentials from performing tasks beyond the
 •    A secondary teaching qualification and one of                   scope of their credentials.
      the following credentials:
       o TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or


1 2
 , Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the
two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing
assessment tools.

    o    TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its          •   Failing to ensure that secondary teachers hold
         successor, or                                     one of the required additional credentials listed
     o TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School                  in 1B.
         Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set
         or its successor.
1C. Actively working towards a training and                      Considerations for compliance
assessment credential                                  •   Where a person is working towards a training
A person who is actively working towards a                 and assessment credential, you can
training and assessment credential can deliver             demonstrate:
training and contribute to assessment (including            o that they hold relevant and current industry
collecting assessment evidence), provided they                 knowledge
work under the direction of a trainer or assessor.
Working towards these qualifications does not               o that the supervision and guidance
qualify the person to make assessment                          arrangements are reflective of the skills
judgements.                                                    and knowledge of the person
Those who are actively working towards a                    o how you ensure the person is only
relevant credential are still required to meet other           contributing to assessments not making
requirements imposed on trainers and assessors                 assessment judgements.
under the Standards, including holding relevant        •   You ensure that adequate time and support is
vocational competencies and current industry               given to the individual supervising the person
skills.                                                    who is working towards a training and
To be actively working towards a credential, the           assessment credential.
person must:                                           •   You have systems in place to ensure that the
•   be enrolled in and have commenced training             person’s progress towards completing the
    in one of the following training and                   credential remains on-track for completion
    assessment credentials:                                within two (2) years of commencing the course.
     o TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                     Known risks to compliance
         Assessment or its successor, or               •   Allowing a person working under direction to
     o TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational                      make assessment judgements prior to obtaining
         Education and Training or its successor,          the appropriate credentials.
         and                                           •   Not providing sufficient time and resources to
•   be making satisfactory progress to enable the          supervisors to adequately oversee the work of a
    credential to be completed within two years of         person working under direction.
    commencement.                                      •   Failing to appropriately monitor course
                                                           progression of the person to ensure completion
                                                           within the designated timeframe of two years.

1D. Training and assessment under direction                     Considerations for compliance
A person who holds any of the credentials listed in •      Where a person is working under direction, you
this section can deliver training and contribute to        can demonstrate:
assessment (including collecting assessment                o that they hold relevant and current industry
evidence), provided they work under the direction              knowledge
of a trainer or assessor, but is not permitted to
                                                           o that the supervision and guidance
make assessment judgements.
                                                               arrangements are reflective of the skills and
This section applies if a person does not hold the             knowledge of the person working under
credentials listed under 1A, which would permit                direction
them to deliver training and assessment without
                                                           o how you ensure the person is not making
direction.
                                                               assessment judgements.
RTOs must ensure that the credential held by
trainers and assessors in accordance with this         •   Your assessment materials clearly show that
section is relevant to their role, taking into account     the supervising trainer and assessor has made
the nature of the VET student cohort and the               the assessment judgements.
delivery context.                                      •   You can demonstrate that where an industry
To deliver training and conduct assessment under           expert is engaged to support trainers and
direction, a person must hold one of the following         assessors, this is based on a specific need for
credentials:                                               expertise related to the training product or VET
                                                           student cohort, and there is a system for
•   TAESS00021 Facilitation Skill Set or its               ensuring:
    successor
                                                            o the expert has relevant industry
•   TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School                          competencies, skills and knowledge and
    Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its               specialised industry or subject matter
    successor                                                   expertise
                                                            o the expert works under the direction of a
                                                                person with the credentials specified in the
•       TAESS00030 Volunteer Trainer Delivery and                        Credential Policy and, where the expert is
        Assessment Contribution Skill Set or its                         supporting the assessment judgement,
        successor                                                        they work alongside the trainer or assessor
•       TAESS00029 Volunteer Trainer Delivery Skill                      to conduct the assessment
        Set or its successor                                         o   sufficient oversight of the expert to ensure
                                                                         the quality of the training and assessment.
•       TAESS00020 Workplace Trainer Skill Set or
        its successor                                                       Known risks to compliance
•       TAESS00028 Work Skill Instructor Skill Set or            •   Not regularly reviewing the skills and knowledge
        its successor                                                of the persons working under direction to
•       TAESS00022 Young Learner Delivery Skill                      determine if their level of supervisory
        Set or its successor                                         arrangements and guidance require
                                                                     adjustment.
•       TAESS00015 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor
        Skill Set                                  •                 Not systematically reviewing the quality of work
                                                                     produced by persons working under direction.
•       TAESS00003 Enterprise Trainer and Assessor
        Skill Set                                  •                 Not ensuring the relevance of the credentials
                                                                     held by a person working under direction to the
•       TAESS00008 Enterprise Trainer – Mentoring                    VET student cohort being delivered to.
        Skill Set
•       TAESS00013 Enterprise Trainer – Mentoring
        Skill Set
•       TAESS00007 Enterprise Trainer – Presenting
        Skill Set
•       TAESS00014 Enterprise Trainer – Presenting
        Skill Set
•       A secondary teaching qualification.3
    1
     A person who holds only a secondary teaching
    qualification must deliver training and conduct assessment
    under direction per section 1D. To deliver training and
    conduct assessment without direction, the requirements
    under section 1A apply.


The RTO must be able to justify the relevance of
the person’s credential to the VET student cohort
being delivered to.
1E. Providing direction on the delivery of                                Considerations for compliance
training and assessment
                                                                 •   You can demonstrate how your systems ensure
A trainer and assessor who satisfies the                             that all persons providing direction in training
requirements of this section is permitted to                         and assessment always meet the requirements
provide direction to others delivering training and                  of the Credential Policy.
assessment in accordance with Sections 1C and
                                                                 •   You can demonstrate how you ensure that a
1D of this policy, or to experts engaged in
                                                                     qualified trainer and assessor monitors the
accordance with Standard 3.3.
                                                                     training delivered including providing feedback
Where a trainer or assessor is providing direction,                  to the person being supervised.
they are responsible for providing oversight,
guidance and quality assurance in respect of a                   •   You can demonstrate your systems for
person who does not have the full training and                       recording the guidance and quality assurance
assessment credential to ensure the quality of                       provided by the supervising trainer and
training and assessment delivered by that person.                    assessor.
The requirements below apply to all trainers or                  •   You ensure that adequate time and resources
assessors giving direction regardless of whether                     are allocated to the supervising trainer and
the person receiving direction is an industry                        assessor for them to perform their role
expert, holds a relevant skill set, or is actively                   adequately.
working towards a credential.                                               Known risks to compliance
A person providing direction must hold one of the                •   Not supervising or providing direction to a
following credentials:                                               person working under direction.
• TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                        •   Not allocating sufficient time to a supervisor to
  Assessment or its successor                                        be able to supervise the delivery of training and
• TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and                            assessment.
  Assessment


    • TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and
      Assessment4
    • A secondary teaching qualification and one of
      the following credentials:
       o TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or
       o TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its
           successor, or
       o TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School
           Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set
           or its successor,
    • A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult
      education or vocational education and training.


4
 Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the
two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing
assessment tools.

        Section 2: Credential requirements for the delivery of training and assessment for training
                                 products from the TAE Training Package
This section specifies credential requirements for a person delivering training and assessment for a
qualification or skill set in the TAE Training Package, for the purposes of Standard 3.2. Standards 3.2
and 3.3 set out additional requirements for individuals delivering training and assessment.
To deliver training and assessment for an AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training
Package, the person must either:
•       hold one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 2A, or
•       hold one of the training and assessment credentials outlined at section 2B and work under the
        direction of a trainer or assessor with one of the relevant training and assessment credentials at
        section 2C.
                       Requirement                                  Considerations for compliance

2A. Delivery of TAE training and assessment               •   You can demonstrate how your systems ensure
                                                              that all persons involved in training and
To deliver training and assessment for any AQF                assessment for any qualification or skill set from
qualification or skill set from the TAE Training              the TAE Training Package, always meet the
Package or its successor, the person must hold                requirements of the Credential Policy.
the qualification or skill set at least to the level
being delivered.                                          •   You can demonstrate how you authenticate
                                                              (and retain evidence of) the relevant credentials
To deliver training and assessment for the                    held by your TAE trainers and assessors.
TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                   •   You can demonstrate that you have systems in
Assessment or its successor or the TAESS00019                 place for the recruitment of TAE trainers and
Assessor Skill Set or its successor, the person               assessors, including the due diligence
must hold one of the following credentials:                   processes you undertake.
•       TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education          •   You can demonstrate your system for reviewing
        and Training or its successor                         TAE trainer and assessor performance and how
•       TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education              this system helps to identify opportunities for
        and Training                                          professional development.
•       TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education
        and Training                                                  Known risks to compliance
•       TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and           •   Not having a system in place to authenticate the
        Development                                           TAE training and assessment credentials held
•       TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and               by the trainers and assessors.
        Development, or                                   •   Not identifying or addressing gaps and
•       A higher-level qualification in adult education       opportunities for further professional
        or vocational education and training.                 development for your TAE trainers and
                                                              assessors.
2B. Delivery of TAE training and assessment                         Considerations for compliance
under direction                                           •   Where a person is delivering a TAE training
A person who holds one of the credentials listed              package qualification or skill set under direction,
in this section can deliver training and contribute           you can demonstrate:
to assessment (including collecting assessment                o that they hold relevant and current industry
evidence) for the credentials specified below from                knowledge
the TAE training package, provided they work
under the direction of a trainer or assessor who              o that the supervision and guidance
holds a relevant Diploma or higher-level                          arrangements are reflective of the skills and
qualification (as per section 2C), but cannot make                knowledge of the person
assessment judgements.                                        o how you assure the quality of their practice
To deliver training and assessment under                      o how you ensure the person is not making
direction for the TAE40122 Certificate IV in                      assessment judgements
Training and Assessment or its successor,                     o how you ensure that their supervisor has
TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its successor,                   sufficient support to perform the
or TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School                             supervisory role.
Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its
                                                          •   Your assessment materials clearly show that
successor, the person must hold one of the
                                                              the supervising trainer and assessor has made
following credentials:
                                                              all assessment judgements.
    •    TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and
         Assessment or its successor
                                                                      Known risks to compliance

    •    TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and                  •    Not regularly reviewing the skills and knowledge
         Assessment                                                    of the persons working under direction to
    •    TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and                       determine if their level of supervisory
         Assessment5                                                   arrangements and guidance require
                                                                       adjustment.
    •    A secondary teaching qualification and one
         of the following credentials:                            •    Not systematically reviewing the quality of work
                                                                       produced by those persons working under
         o TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set, or                           direction.
         o TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its
             successor, or
         o TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School
             Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set
             or its successor.
 2C. Providing direction on the delivery of TAE                               Considerations for compliance
 training and assessment
                                                                  •    You can demonstrate how your systems ensure
 A trainer and assessor who satisfies the                              that all persons providing direction on the
 requirements of this section is permitted to                          delivery of TAE training and assessment always
 provide direction to others delivering training and                   meet the requirements of the Credential Policy.
 assessment for a training product from the TAE                   •    You can demonstrate a qualified trainer and
 Training Package in accordance with Section 2B.                       assessor has monitored training delivered
 Where a trainer or assessor is providing direction,                   including providing feedback to students and
 they are responsible for providing oversight,                         providing feedback to the person being
 guidance and quality assurance in respect of an                       supervised.
 individual to ensure the quality of training and                 •    You can demonstrate you have appropriate
 assessment delivered by that person.                                  systems in place for recording the guidance and
                                                                       quality assurance provided by the supervising
 The RTO is responsible for determining the nature                     trainer and assessor.
 and extent of direction required and any
                                                                  •    You ensure that adequate time and resources
 necessary restrictions and ensuring the quality of
                                                                       are allocated to the individual supervising
 training and assessment is consistent with the
                                                                       delivery of TAE training and assessment for
 Outcome Standards.
                                                                       them to perform their supervisory role.
 To provide direction related to the delivery of                                Known risks to compliance
 training and assessment for an AQF qualification
 or skill set from the TAE Training Package, the                  •    Not allocating sufficient time for a supervisor to
 person must hold one of the following credentials:                    be able to supervise the delivery of training and
                                                                       assessment.
•       TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education
        and Training or its successor,
•       TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education
        and Training,
•       TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education
        and Training,
•       TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design and
        Development,
•       TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and
        Development, or
•       A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult
        education or vocational education and training.


5 Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the
two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing
assessment tools.

                               Section 3: Credentials for Validation of Assessment
 This section specifies credential requirements for individuals conducting validation of assessment for the
 purposes of Standard 1.5. Standard 1.5 also sets out additional requirements for individuals participating
 in validation.
 •    To conduct validation in relation to any AQF qualification or skill set from the TAE Training Package
      that enables individuals to make assessment judgements (as specified in section 1A and 1B of this
      policy), the person(s) conducting the validation must collectively meet the requirements of section
      3B.
 •    To conduct validation in relation to any other training product, the person(s) conducting the validation
      must collectively meet the requirements of section 3A.
                        Requirement                                           Considerations for compliance

 3A. Validation of assessment for training                        •    You can demonstrate how your systems ensure
 products excluding the TAE Training Package                           that at least one of the people undertaking
 For all other validation activity, at least one of the                validation must have one of the validator
 people undertaking the validation must have one                       credentials.
 of the following training and assessment                         •    You can demonstrate how you authenticate
 validation credentials:                                               (and retain evidence of the authentication) of
 •    TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and                          the relevant credentials held by your validator.
      Assessment or its successor                                 •    You can demonstrate your system for reviewing
 •    TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and                          validator performance and how this system
      Assessment                                                       helps to identify opportunities for professional
                                                                       development.
 •    TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and
      Assessment6                                                               Known risks to compliance
 •    A secondary teaching qualification and
      TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School                          •    Not having a system in place to authenticate the
      Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or                        training and assessment credentials held by the
      its successor                                                    validator.
 •    TAESS00019 Assessor Skill Set or its                        •    Not recognising higher level qualifications in
      successor                                                        adult education or vocational education and
                                                                       training.
 •    TAESS00011 Assessor Skill Set
 •    TAESS00001 Assessor Skill Set, or
 •    A diploma or higher-level qualification in adult
      education or vocational education and
      training.
 3B. Validation of assessment for AQF                                         Considerations for compliance
 qualifications or skill sets from the TAE
 Training Package                                                 •    You can demonstrate how your systems ensure
 To validate in relation to any AQF qualification or                   that at least one of the people undertaking
 skill set from the TAE Training Package that                          validation of assessment for qualifications or
 enables individuals to make assessment                                skill sets from the TAE Training Package has a
 judgements, at least one of the people                                TAE qualification or skill set at least to the level
 undertaking the validation activity must have a                       being validated.
 AQF qualification or skill set at least to the level             •    You can demonstrate how you authenticate
 being validated.                                                      (and retain evidence of the authentication) of
                                                                       the relevant credentials held by your TAE
                                                                       validator.
                                                                  •    You can demonstrate your system for reviewing
                                                                       TAE validator performance and how this system
                                                                       helps to identify opportunities for professional
                                                                       development.
                                                                                Known risks to compliance
                                                                  •    Not having a system in place to authenticate the
                                                                       training and assessment credentials held by the
                                                                       validator.


6 Note: The Credential Policy does not require people who hold TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to hold the
two additional units of competency in addressing adult language, literacy and numeracy skills and designing and developing
assessment tools.
Self-assurance questions
  1   How do you assure yourself that each person delivering training and assessment is
      appropriately credentialled?
  2   How do you know that the people working under direction are not making assessment
      judgements?
  3   What systems do you have in place to ensure that trainers and assessors remain appropriately
      credentialled?
  4   How do you determine the composition of the validation team and ensure the validation team
      fulfils the credential requirements?

Source: ASQA Practice Guide — Credential Policy. Published 17 June 2025, Version 1.0. Authority: Australian Skills Quality Authority. These guides interpret the Standards for RTOs 2025 into practical compliance guidance. The PDF was extracted with pdftotext -layout to preserve the two-column table structure of the original document.