Cultural Competence RTO Staff
The new Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2025 have introduced the requirement that the RTO learning environment fosters a culturally safe learning environment for First Nations people, emphasising the importance of cultural competence among trainers and staff. This article explores two successful engagement strategies: enhancing the cultural competence of RTO staff and increasing the employment of First Nations trainers and support staff.
These suggestions originate from my enriched experiences as a non-Indigenous trainer with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from many nations and working alongside First Nations trainers. These suggestions are also not an exhaustive list of possibilities to explore with your team and will vary from learner cohort to learner cohort, as First Nations cultures and students are not a homogenous group, and success strategies must be locally contextualised.
The Importance of Cultural Competence
Research has shown that one of the key factors contributing to the retention of First Nations learners in Vocational Education and Training (VET) is the cultural competence of trainers who develop a strengths-based lens, focusing on positive attributes and abilities, rather than their weaknesses or deficits. Trainers who are culturally competent can create a learning environment that respects and acknowledges the cultural backgrounds of First Nations learners, helping connect new learning and contributing to successful positive outcomes.
Current Gaps in Training and Assessment qualification
Despite the importance of cultural competence, there is a notable gap in the initial Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE) qualification, which does not include cultural competence as part of its curriculum. Although there are qualifications and accredited courses that include learning about First Nations culture and knowledge, in the Health, Creative Arts and Culture, Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation, and Community Services training packages, there is no reference to delivering to First Nations learners in the Training and Education training package. These courses specifically prepare health care workers, aged care workers and rangers to be culturally competent, but this is missing from the entry vocational teacher training TAE course.
To address this gap, it is recommended to introduce a unit of competency or accredited course that supports the delivery of vocational training to First Nations learners. This unit could cover topics such as First Nations history, culture and knowledge, colonisation and decolonising of education in Australia, culturally responsive frameworks, approaches to remote teaching, and culturally respectful practices. These teachings could also be responsive to different nations groups and implemented as professional development in a cross-cultural space, ideally led by First Nations people.
Professional Development
Ongoing professional development (PD) in cultural competency is essential for trainers and all RTO staff to promote a workplace culture committed to the success of First Nations learners. This training should be reflective of the region and community aspirations, as First Nations cultures and learners are not a homogenous group. Successful PD strategies must be locally contextualized to accommodate the diverse histories, cultural backgrounds, colonial experiences, knowledge and languages of First Nations learners. This includes the recognition and accommodation of local cultural obligations and ceremonies, including the understanding of sorry business practices, family responsibilities, and providing flexibility with assessment arrangements during cultural events. This will support respect for cultural protocols and an awareness of the importance of family and community obligations.
Increasing Employment of First Nations Trainers and Support Staff
It is well recognised that the Australian VET sector needs to increase the number of First Nations owned and led RTOs to provide the culturally responsive education, which supports First Nations learners’ outcomes. Additionally, there is a need for greater representation of First Nations trainers and support staff to drive First Nations led decisions within the RTO and engage in both ways learning as an open-ended journey of sharing knowledge.
In conclusion, fostering a culturally responsive learning environment through enhanced cultural competence and increased employment of First Nations trainers and support staff is crucial for the success of First Nations learners in VET. By implementing these strategies, we can support a more inclusive educational landscape for all.
In this series, we will continue to explore shaping organisational culture and Closing the Gap. For more articles on supporting First Nations vocational learners, please visit https://www.harrisstyles.com.au/news-advice/.
Reference
Guenther, J., Bat, M., Stephens, A., Skewes, J., Boughton, B., Williamson, F., Wooltorton, S., Marshall, M., & Dwyer, A. (2017). Enhancing training advantage for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. NCVER. https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/enhancing-training-advantage-for-remote-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-learners
Hearn, S., & Kenna, L. (2020). Spending for success: identifying ‘what works?’ for Indigenous student outcomes in Australian Universities. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2020.27
Joyce, S. (2019). Strengthening Skills: expert review of Australia’s vocational education and training system. [Joyce review]. http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/501346.
Taylor, E.V., Lalovic, A., & Thompson, C. (2019). Beyond enrolments: a systematic review exploring the factors affecting the retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health students in the tertiary education system. International Journal for Equity in Health, 18(136), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-019-1038-7
