This policy describes the practices and procedures by which Realistic Training Options ensures compliance with the relevant privacy legislation to protect the personal information and right to privacy in its dealings with persons and organisations.
This policy applies to all students and also persons employed by or contracted to Realistic Training Options.
The Compliance Manager is responsible for the control of this policy and procedure and ensuring that all complaints are dealt with fairly, efficiently and effectively. The Compliance Manager is also responsible for the registration of complaints in the Continuous Improvement Register. The Compliance Manager has the power to delegate the responsibility to appropriate Training staff members.
Realistic Training Options ensures that it respects the privacy of staff, prospective staff, students, prospective students and employers by implementing the National Privacy Principles.
Realistic Training Options ensures that it complies with the requirements of, and pays all fees and bears all costs connected with, all applicable laws and regulations, including without limitation all relevant privacy, anti‐discrimination and equal opportunity legislation.
The Privacy Act 1988 legislates how private sector organisations should collect, use, keep secure and disclose personal information. The principles give individuals a right to know what information an organisation holds about them and a right to correct that information if it is wrong.
Realistic Training Options operates consistently with the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APP) and collects personal information that is necessary for the conduct of its business. Realistic Training Options uses that information in the manner for which it was intended.
Realistic Training Options includes a standard privacy notice in all enrolment forms, in accordance with Queensland and Commonwealth privacy Acts.
The purposes for which Realistic Training Options collects personal information of students includes: satisfying legal obligations, administration, to keep employers informed of the student’s progress in the course of study, allow Realistic Training Options to discharge its registration obligations.
The purposes for which Realistic Training Options collects personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors includes: satisfying legal obligations, insurance purposes, administering the individuals contract of employment.
Realistic Training Options collects personal information solely for the purpose of operating as a Registered Training Organisation under the VET Quality Framework administered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority who is the National VET Regulator (NVR). The requirements of the NVR may mean the release of students or staff member’s personal information for the purposes of an audit.
The type of information Realistic Training Options collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about: students and parents and/or guardians before, during and after the course of a student’s enrolment, job applicants, staff members and contractors; and other people that come into contact with Realistic Training Options.
The information media may take the form of: interviews, feedback surveys, email correspondence, telephone calls, third party information, and application forms. Data is uploaded and retained in Realistic Training Options Student Management System (SMS).
Under the Australian Privacy Principles the student or staff member is able to access his/her personal information, and may correct inaccurate or outdated information about them.
Staff and students are able to access all information retained by Realistic Training Options. Realistic Training Options securely stores and uses the information appropriately and limits access to only those who have a legal reason to have access to that information, or to whom the student has given written permission (refer to Disclosure with Student Authorisation).
Students who request access to their information are given full access to the details required, at nil cost to the student unless the student has requested for an extra issuance of their Testamur, Statement of Attainment or Transcript of Result.
For students to access to their own personal records, the student must contact Realistic Training Options and provide identification (such as license, birth certificate or passport).
Realistic Training Options abides by the Australian Privacy Principles and does not provide students or other staff member’s information to anyone in any way that may be considered as breaching the Privacy Principles. For full details of the APP visit the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy‐act/australian‐privacy‐principles
Realistic Training Options will disclose student records and student record information in the specific, exceptional circumstances described below.
Where a student has been enrolled via a duly authorised third party contractor and/or representative of Realistic Training Options, where the authorised third party contractor and/or representative is authorised to act for or on behalf of Realistic Training Options in regards to Recruitment and/or Enrolment and/or Education Support Services and/or Fee Collection and/or Customer Service, we may, at our sole discretion, disclose any information relevant to your progress, learning outcomes, conduct and communications during and after enrolment to the authorised third party contractor and/or representative.
Information may be released by the Compliance Manager, where appropriate to the extent permitted or required by law.
While there may be some variation in the laws of particular jurisdictions and the release of information they require or authorise, examples of release to meet legal obligations may include release:
• ASQA: Australian Skills Quality Authority
• NCVER: National Centre for Vocational Education Research
• in response to a subpoena or search warrant;
• to cooperate with authorities undertaking an investigation of breach of the law including the criminal law;
• in response to a request from an ombudsman or a request under freedom of information legislation;
• to an external person or body authorised to act on behalf of the Realistic Training Options;
• to a government department or agency pursuant to legislation relating to the funding of Realistic Training Options programs;
• to relevant bodies administering social service benefits or immigration permits;
• to professional registration bodies to establish the entitlement of graduates to practice; and
• to the extent required by any other present or future laws in the jurisdiction.
Student record information may be released in the event of an accident or an emergency or where Realistic Training Options believes the use or disclosure of the information is necessary to respond to, lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to a student’s life, health, safety or welfare or a serious threat to the health, safety or welfare of the public.
Student record information may also be released where the student becomes incompetent to manage his/her affairs, on the authority of a power of attorney, or of a parent or guardian in the case of a minor, or of a legal guardian. In such circumstances personal information may be released to the police, medical or hospital personnel, civil emergency services, the student’s legal representative or nominated emergency contact person or such other person where Realistic Training Options reasonably believes this would address the identified threat.
It is essential to establish the credentials of any person to whom information is to be released, and to obtain authority to release the information from the Compliance Manager (or a delegate) unless to do so would cause unreasonable delay in the circumstances.
Under the Data Provision Requirements 2012, Realistic Training Options is required to collect personal information about you and to disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd (NCVER).
Your personal information (including the personal information contained on this enrolment form), may be used or disclosed by Realistic Training Options for statistical, administrative, regulatory and research purposes. Realistic Training Options may disclose your personal information for these purposes to Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies, and NCVER.
Personal information that has been disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed by NCVER for the following purposes:
• populating authenticated VET transcripts;
• facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys and data linkage;
• pre-populating RTO student enrolment forms;
• understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information; and
• administering VET, including program administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation.
You may receive a student survey which may be administered by a government department or NCVER employee, agent or third party contractor or other authorised agencies. Please note you may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.
NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the National VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER’s website at www.ncver.edu.au).
Associated documents:
• Student Records Management Policy and Procedure
• Notice of Complaint, Concern, Appeal Policy and Procedure
• Student Handbook 2015
• Code of Practice
• Privacy Act 1998
Policy developed by: Compliance Manager and CEO
To provide for appropriate handling of clients’ payments and to facilitate refunds in the case of cancellation by either party. The refunds process will allow clients the option to disengage from training in a manner in which a negative impact may be negated or reduced, depending upon notification time frame.
This policy covers all fees payable for training services provided within Realistic Training Options scope of registration.
The following reflects Realistic Training Options refund process:
This Payment Policy is based on providing and maintaining services that reflect fair and reasonable opportunity, and consideration for all clients and staff.
The CEO is to ensure all staff act in accordance with the company’s Code of Practice and all clients are made aware of their rights and responsibilities under our payment policy.
Payment Plans are available for most course fees and student contribution fees. The payment plans are facilitated through Debit Success who are a billing services company that specialise in the RTO industry. Realistic Training Options have engaged Debit Success to assist our students with there course fees when required so they can start their training sooner.
To enquire about eligibility for any payment plan options, please contact your Education Advisor or the RTO office.
The purpose of this section is to provide the information on if an overseas student who holds a student visa can undertake additional study at the same time as their principal course as per ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) regulations.
An overseas student is defined in Section 5 of the ESOS Act as a person (whether inside or outside Australia) who holds a student visa (as defined in regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994), excluding:
As specified in Section 8 of the ESOS Act, a provider must be registered on CRICOS to provide a course at a location or do so in accordance with an arrangement they have with another registered provider.
As such, an overseas student in Australia on a student visa is permitted to undertake additional study (that is, a course of education or training) at the same time as the principal course for which they hold a student visa. However, any course undertaken by a student visa holder must be registered on CRICOS. A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) should be issued for any additional study in a course undertaken by an overseas student whilst in Australia on a student visa.
CRICOS providers are responsible for all aspects of compliance with the requirements under the ESOS Act and its associated legislation. For example, as a CRICOS provider, you must have a written agreement with each student, and you must complete the visa-related reporting requirements relating to the student’s enrolment for each course. Failure to comply with the requirements in one course could lead to a student’s visa being cancelled and the student defaulting in both courses.
A student on a student visa who is seeking to undertake additional study should be aware of the requirements of their student visa and the need to:
Realistic Training Options (RTO Number 32496) is NOT a CRICOS approved Registered Training Organisation and therefore can not deliver any of our courses or qualifications to a person or persons who are in Australia studying on current student visas.
For more information please either contact our office or seek guidance from ASQA.
Helpful links are on the previous tab called “Regulations”.
