In this insightful interview, our editor Sukh Sandhu had the opportunity to speak with Vanessa (Brooks) McCarthy, a trailblazing entrepreneur and expert in Vocational Education and Training (VET) compliance and quality assurance. Vanessa shared her journey, experiences, and the innovative digital solution she has created, known as Prickly2sweet™, which is reshaping the way Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) handle validation and compliance processes.
During the interview, Sukh Sandhu engaged Vanessa in a comprehensive discussion about her journey in the VET sector and how her diverse experiences have shaped her approach to compliance and quality assurance. Vanessa's extensive background, ranging from working in small to large providers, compliance roles, training and assessment, and even as an auditor, provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in the VET sector.
Here is the copy of the interview:
Q1 How has Prickly2sweet revolutionised the way RTOs handle validation and compliance, particularly in reducing validation time and stress in the workplace?
Revolutionising, by definition, is to change something radically or fundamentally. Prickly2sweet has done this for the process of assessment review, gap analysis, mapping and validation from a manual process to an automated process. This is both a change in method as well as radical cultural shift. It moves the focus on opinion, bias and assumption to an independent time and cost saving platform. It has also shifted the focus on finding the problems to solution focused using data.
Q2 With your expertise in technology integration, how do you see technology shaping the future of compliance and quality management in the VET sector?
There is so much potential for technology to enhance and provide support to administration process, this is on top of those that are already present. RTO’s are already using technology in LMS, SMS, AVETMISS data analytics, Survey technology, Learning and training technology, such as VR, simulators and online platforms such as Moodle. Now with NLP, Natural Language programs such as Chat GPT, Google Bard for assessment
content creation PLUS our Prickly2sweet system that uses AI to review content against the unit, it isn’t a matter of shaping the sector, it is more like creating the pathways and vision into future workplaces.
Q3 What are the most common challenges RTOs face in achieving compliance with VET standards, and how does your approach address these?
The most common challenge is culture of compliance. Fear, opinion, bias and assumption are the biggest barriers to innovation. The fear of out of control of their organisations, governed by audit and regulators, which slows growth. Our approach is to help show RTO’s that the old ways are no longer serving the sector, it is holding it back from a tide that is coming in. Ready or not it is here.
Our approach is to help show that by creating the data, using technology and innovation, increasing efficiency, removing blockages of time and inaccurate mapping and enabling compliance processes to provide data to make decisions means the RTO are back in control. Faster and more accurate processes releases time. This time can then enable the RTO to be creative, communicate more effectively to stakeholders and provide services to employers and students, at the same time save money.
Q4 Can you elaborate on the role of data analysis in improving the quality and compliance of VET programs?
Previous compliance processes that were manually completed were only providing two options of data, yes or no. Increasing efficiency means creating data that was not previously available. More data means the ability for more analysis, this in turn creates the ability to see trends, systematically improve areas that were previously hidden. Data is also crucial to the conversations the sector has with industry. Being able to drill down into areas of need as well as growth areas means the training and assessment is more aligned to industry needs.
Q5 What strategies do you recommend for RTOs to efficiently map their assessment resources to units of competency?
That’s simple become a prickly2sweet subscriber! Strategies of the past such as manual mapping as taught in TAE is no longer appropriate. The stats are there to provide it from audits that identify the highest risk of noncompliance is assessment. Mapping manually, and this includes those systems that scrap from TGA and provide an excel, or a system that gives the user a copy of the unit and they have to tick a box they ‘think’ links the question to the criteria. This is all still manual mapping.
Q6 How does Prickly2sweet help RTOs in generating clear and concise compliance reports and identify gaps for focused assessment improvement?
The prickly2sweet system have the users upload their assessments and then customise the data to identify what they call their method of assessment and numbering system, from there the system does the analysis, the holistic mapping, the gap identification, the rectification reports for the user to decide on the action and to encourage industry engagement.
Q7 In what ways does your solution facilitate evidence of improvement and effective industry engagement for RTOs?
As the system provides a dashboard over different periods of time of all reviews conducted, and includes best performing units and training package, when engagement is uploaded it also includes pineapples as indicators of which units have had this engagement. Other features that provide a visual overview, includes graphics of totals of reviews completed over time against targets and data related to departments for larger organisations. This all facilitates access to data, the user can visually see improvement over time.
Q8 What advice would you give to small businesses in the VET sector regarding assessment validation and compliance with new standards?
Don’t be afraid of implementing innovation, we have micro and boutique providers as well as larger public and university providers on our system. In fact innovation helps as small providers are usually trying to do everything themselves and it creates a blinkered focus. By implementing a system such as prickly2sweet they have all the extra resources without paying for another person, or outsourcing. Its like having a consultant in their pocket that doesn’t go away after you pay them.
Q9 Can you share your journey in the VET sector and how your experiences have shaped your approach to compliance and quality assurance?
My journey has been a long one of over 25 years. My experience shaped my approach as I have sat on all sides of the table. I have worked in small, medium, and large providers, in compliance as well as training and assessment, at different levels. I have created systems and taught others about them. I have also been an auditor, both quality and VET compliance. All these experiences have shown me all the sides. One thing that has been the constant focus however is the outcome and how can I make that pathway better for everyone to achieve it. Making clear communication and efficient process has been the key to success.
Q10 Where do you see the field of VET compliance and quality assurance heading in the next 5-10 years, especially with the evolution of digital solutions like Prickly2sweet?
I think the 5- 10 year projection is very exciting, I think we will get back to more industry cohesion, regardless of standards changing. That human to human connection and communication because industry innovation is not waiting for the skills and knowledge to catchup. Innovation will continue, recognition of skills and knowledge will be more of a focus with the aid of systems like prickly2sweet because it can process large amounts of evidence to a standards quickly and accurately so that the gaps are the focus not the process. Quality stakeholder processes that need human interaction will be key to success but only if Providers are not bogged down in manual processes to try and show compliance.
