Welcome to the RTO Superhero Podcast with me, Angela Connell Richards. Today we dive into the Center of Quality Area One. We talk about your training and assessment strategy, the TAS. Many RTOS still treat the TAS as a file to update once a year that habit weakens delivery and exposes risk. Under the outcome standards, the TAS becomes a strategic document. It guides design, delivery, support, assessment, and improvement. Today you will hear how the TAS has evolved, what QA1 demands, where RTOS slip, and how to use the QA1 strategic TAS planner to build a TAS that drives real outcomes. Let us start with why the TAS matters. QA1 shifts focus from planned delivery to proven outcomes. It asks how your design supports your learners. It asks how you align with industry. It asks how your team uses the TAS. The standard says training must match industry needs and suit the learner cohort. This means your TAS must reflect your context. It must match your delivery mode. It must link assessment to the unit. It must include current industry input. It must guide your trainers. It must show how support shapes delivery. The TAS becomes a map for quality. Now let us describe a compliant TAS. It must show clear delivery modes. It must explain why the mode suits the course and the learners. It must show which resources support that mode. It must show contextualized assessment. This means tools mapped to the unit, validation records, and real tasks linked to the workplace. It must show industry consultation. You must list who you spoke with, what they said, and what you changed. It must show learner support strategies. You must show LLN support, digital access, and support for diverse cohorts. These supports must link to delivery. It must show trainer alignment. You must show who delivers each unit, their competency, their currency, and their PD. Let us look at common mistakes. Many RTOS still use generic templates across multiple programs. Many use language that describes intent instead of practice. Many list processes that they cannot evidence. Many ignore learner profiles. These gaps weaken the TAS. They signal risk. The regulator looks for alignment between the TAS and actual delivery. If they do not match, the audit becomes difficult. Now let us bring in the QA1 strategic TAS Planner. This tool breaks the TAS into clear parts. It gives prompts for each section. It gives checklists for assessment alignment, learner support and trainer mapping. It gives a consultation log. It gives a version control register. It gives reflection questions that link design to outcomes. Use it to build a TAS that supports practice, not a TAS that sits in storage. Let us explore a real example. A provider planned to add new programs. Their TAS looked current, but many parts had drifted. Trainer mapping was missing. Delivery modes were outdated. Assessment methods lacked recent validation. Industry input was missing. They joined the Vivacity Compliance System. They used the TAS template and the planner. Their team received online training and live guidance. Each step aligned their TAS with delivery and support. Staff used the TAS in meetings. Trainers understood their roles. Their audit became clear and smooth. The auditor called their TAS a model of intent. The provider gained confidence and stability. Now let us outline what leaders must ask. If you use an old template, if trainer lists are not mapped, if statements are generic, then you must check if your TAS shows your real delivery. A TAS must reflect how you teach, how you assess and how you support learners. It must also reflect who you serve. It must support each part of QA1. Let us add more detail. Delivery modes must match your resources. If you claim hybrid delivery, you must show tools, guidance and logs. If you claim workplace delivery, you must show agreements and supervision. If you claim online delivery, you must show access checks, LLN adjustments, and digital support. All modes must link to your cohort. Assessment practices must be clear. You must show mapping and design. You must show how tasks reflect real work. You must show that tools match the unit. You must show evidence of recent validation. You must show how feedback changed your tools. Industry input must be current. You must show names, dates, and methods. You must show how feedback shaped your design. You must avoid generic statements. You must demonstrate real links to the sector. Learner support must be practical. You must show how LLN checks shape delivery. You must show how digital access is handled. You must show how you support diverse groups. You must show how support records link to outcomes. Trainer alignment must be clear. You must show mapping. You must show currency logs. You must show PD. You must show how each trainer fits the unit demands. The TAS must also guide daily work. Staff must use it. Meetings must refer to it. Program updates must align with it. Delivery must follow it. Support must connect to it. Validation must test it. The TAS must stay current. Let us go deeper. A strong TAS includes clear learner profiles. These profiles shape pacing, resources, and support. A strong TAS includes resource lists linked to delivery. A strong TAS includes a delivery schedule that matches the plan. A strong TAS includes risk points and response notes. A strong TAS includes evidence sources. Each part builds consistency. Industry expects learners to become job ready. The TAS must show how tasks reflect this expectation. You must show workplace links. You must show current examples. You must show how trainers bring industry practice into sessions. Risk also sits inside the TAS. Missing mapping, outdated modes or generic templates raise risk. Gaps in consultation raise risk. Poor alignment between the TAS and assessments raises risk. Weak trainer mapping raises risk. Leaders must review the TAS often to reduce risk. Continuous improvement shapes the TAS. When issues arise, update the TAS. When learner needs change, update the TAS. When delivery shifts, update the TAS. When assessments change, update the TAS. You must track these updates. Now let us outline a simple review cycle. Check your TAS each quarter. Bring your trainers. Bring your compliance team. Bring your support team. Check each section. Check alignment to the unit. Check alignment to industry. Check alignment to delivery. Check alignment to assessment. Check alignment to support update the file. Track changes. Then share the updates. The TAS must be a living document. It must shape action. It must reflect reality. It must align to QA1. Use the planner to guide each step. Thank you for joining me today. Stay strategic, stay student focused, and stay compliant.