RTO Superhero 🎙️ Empowering RTOs to Thrive!
Staying compliant and running a successful RTO can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone! The RTO Superhero Podcast is your go-to resource for navigating compliance, training standards, and business growth in the ever-evolving VET sector.
Hosted by Angela Connell-Richards, CEO of Vivacity and compliance expert with over 30 years in the industry, alongside co-hosts Lauren Boon-Hollows, renowned RTO strategist, and Maciek Fibrich, compliance and business transformation specialist, this podcast breaks down complex regulations into actionable strategies.
Each episode delivers expert insights, real-world solutions, and practical tips to help RTOs stay ahead, reduce stress, and build a thriving business. Together, Angela, Lauren, and Maciek bring you a powerhouse of experience, giving you the tools and confidence to succeed.
Why Subscribe?
âś… Stay informed about the latest compliance changes and RTO best practices
âś… Gain expert advice from industry leaders and special guests
âś… Learn practical strategies to streamline operations and improve training outcomes
âś… Discover AI & automation tools to simplify compliance and admin tasks
âś… Be audit-ready with confidence and ease
Join Angela, Lauren, and Maciek as they turn compliance into your superpower — because running an RTO should be about growth and impact, not just regulations!
Episodes
102 episodes
Build Capability, Not Dependency: RTO Compliance Starts with You
A glossy promise, a long wait, and an audit that collapsed in four and a half hours—this cautionary tale shows how fast things unravel when a consultant says “we’ll take care of everything.” We walk through a real CRICOS case where outdated pol...
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Season 5
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Episode 39
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27:53
Beyond the Bot: Navigating AI Ethics in Vocational Education
The vocational education landscape is experiencing a seismic shift as artificial intelligence transforms everything from assessment design to compliance management. This thought-provoking conversation with AI expert Lauren explores the practica...
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Season 5
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Episode 38
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33:45
Navigating New Standards: First Audit Experiences
Ever wondered what your first audit under Australia's new RTO standards might look like? In this revealing conversation, Angela Connell-Richards and Lauren Hollows share candid insights from their recent experiences guiding RTOs through audits ...
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Season 5
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Episode 37
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20:12
Navigating the 2025 Standards: A Comprehensive Guide to RTO Re-registration
Navigating the re-registration process doesn't have to be stressful. This enlightening conversation between Angela Connell-Richards and compliance expert Maycheck reveals crucial strategies for approaching RTO re-registration with confidence un...
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Season 5
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Episode 36
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21:28
First-Hand Experience: RTO Initial Registration in the 2025 Standards Era
The training sector has witnessed significant regulatory changes with the introduction of the 2025 standards, leaving many RTOs uncertain about what to expect during their ASQA audits. This episode cuts through the noise to deliver practical in...
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Season 5
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Episode 35
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22:35
Your Policies Are Still Out of Date. Here’s Why.
In this powerful follow-up episode, Angela Connell-Richards revisits the policy topic with a reality check: even after updates, many RTO policies still fail to meet the new 2025 Standards. Why? Because they lack implementation, contextualisatio...
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Season 5
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Episode 34
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9:41
One Month Into the New Standards – Our Journey, Lessons, and Surprises
In this special reflection episode, Angela Connell-Richards shares an honest and insightful look at what the first month under the new 2025 Standards has really been like. From wins and breakthroughs to unexpected challenges, Angela takes you b...
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Season 5
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Episode 33
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8:05
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Complaint = Audit: Building a Bulletproof Response Process
In this crucial episode, Angela Connell-Richards sheds light on one of the fastest-growing audit triggers under the 2025 Standards: complaints. Even one unresolved student complaint can lead to a full ASQA investigation—so how you respond matte...
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Season 5
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Episode 32
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9:03
High-Risk Products: What You Deliver Could Be Your Weakest Link
In this high-stakes episode, Angela Connell-Richards breaks down the reality of delivering high-risk training products in the VET sector. From early childhood to cookery, some qualifications are magnets for ASQA scrutiny—and Angela shows you ho...
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Season 5
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Episode 31
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10:19
You Survived the Deadline... Now What?
We've crossed the 1 July 2025 compliance deadline, but the real work for RTOs starts now. Having updated policies alone doesn't make you audit-ready, especially as ASQA adopts a more vigilant, risk-based approach to monitoring.Top t...
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Season 5
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Episode 30
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6:29
Scope Trap: Why Expansion Can Trigger Audit Disaster
In this timely episode, Angela Connell-Richards explores the compliance risks that come with adding courses to your RTO’s scope—especially under the 2025 Standards. What seems like growth can quickly turn into an audit nightmare without the rig...
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Season 5
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Episode 29
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10:26
Funding Chaos: Navigating Australia's Complex VET Landscape with Lauren Hollows
🎙 In this episode of the RTO Superhero Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards and co-host Lauren Hollows tackle a confronting reality in Australia’s VET sector—how arbitrary funding decisions are crippling high-performing private RTO...
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Season 5
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Episode 28
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45:46
Beyond 1 July – Building a Culture of Self-Assurance, Not Just Compliance
In this forward-looking episode, Angela Connell-Richards explores what it takes for RTOs to move beyond the 1 July 2025 Standards deadline and embrace a culture of continuous self-assurance. Rather than treating compliance as a checklist, Angel...
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Season 5
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Episode 27
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6:47
Funding Fairness: Public vs Private RTOs with Lauren Hollows
🎙 In this episode of the RTO Superhero Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards, with Lauren Hollows, dives into one of the biggest funding battles in Australia’s VET sector—the growing inequality between TAFE NSW and private RT...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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30:13
Credential Chaos: Mapping Your Trainers to the 2025 Standards
In this practical episode, Angela Connell-Richards helps you decode the updated credential requirements for trainers and assessors under the new 2025 Standards. If you’re unsure whether your team meets current expectations—or how to evidence it...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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9:52
VET Talks: Future-Proof Your RTO - Embracing the 2025 Standards with Confidence
VET Talks: Future-Proof Your RTO - Embracing the 2025 Standards with ConfidenceIn this insightful episode of VETtalks, join Scott Rogers (CEO of eSkilled) and Angela Connell (CEO of Vivacity RTO Consulting) for a focused ...
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Season 5
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Episode 24
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1:07:03
LLND in the Real World: What RTOs Must Know About Standard 2.2
In this episode of the RTO Superhero Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards and co-host Maciek Fibrich unpack one of the most misunderstood aspects of the 2025 Standards for RTOs—Standard 2.2, with a laser focus on assessing Langua...
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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39:53
At the Brink: Why Private RTOs Can’t Afford Another Year of Funding Cuts
In this urgent episode of the RTO Superhero Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards takes you inside a growing crisis in Australia’s vocational education sector. Private RTOs—who deliver over 70% of the nation’s training—are being hit with de...
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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24:35
We Updated Our Policies… So We’re Compliant, Right?
In this thought-provoking episode, Angela Connell-Richards challenges the common assumption that simply updating your policies and procedures means your RTO is compliant. She explores the deeper truth behind the new Standards: implementation, u...
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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8:31
The Blind Leading the Compliant
As we race towards the 1 July 2025 implementation of the Revised Standards for RTOs, one uncomfortable truth is becoming clear: many RTOs are more prepared than the national regulator itself.In this unfiltered and empowering bonus episod...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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45:44
The Top 5 Mistakes RTOs Are Still Making Before July — And How to Fix Them Now
In this timely episode, Angela Connell-Richards tackles the most common mistakes RTOs are making as they scramble to prepare for the 1 July 2025 Standards deadline. Drawing on her work with dozens of RTOs in recent months, Angela shines a light...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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9:59
Audit Triggers You’re Not Watching: Scope, Complaints & High-Risk Products
In this insight-packed episode, Angela Connell-Richards uncovers the silent risks that could land your RTO in an ASQA audit—even if you’ve already met the 1 July deadline. From additions to scope, to complaints, to the delivery of high-risk qua...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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9:41
Marketing vs Misleading – Staying Compliant in How You Promote Training
In this essential episode, Angela Connell-Richards tackles one of the most overlooked audit risks for RTOs—non-compliant marketing. With the 2025 Standards now in full effect, your course flyers, website, and social media content are all under ...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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8:32
Policies with Purpose: How I’m Rewriting Compliance for the 2025
In this episode, Angela takes you behind the scenes of her massive compliance rewrite project. Discover why 2025 is the year to rethink—not just update—your policies and procedures. Angela shares the philosophy, strategy, and practical steps sh...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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8:58
Countdown to Compliance – Your Final 6-Week RTO Survival Guide
In this episode, Angela Connell-Richards breaks down the essential roadmap for RTOs facing the final stretch before the 1 July 2025 Standards go live. With just six weeks left, this survival guide helps you focus, prioritise, and take action wi...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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8:40
