Articles

Welcome to our Articles Hub, where we share expert insights, practical learning and training tips, and valuable resources tailored for trainers, assessors, and educators in the VET industry.

Latest Articles

Re-centralising The Learner in VET

Re-centralising The Learner in VET

Dicusses the disarray the VET industry was in and why it's important to refocus on the learner being at the centre, and how.

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Qualification Packaging Rules – the 3 Important Things You Need to Know

Qualification Packaging Rules – the 3 Important Things You Need to Know

Qualification Packaging Rules – it’s a term we hear quite often in our world of Vocational Education and Training but one that we sometimes don’t understand.We have put together a video and blog to assist you in understanding Qualification packaging rules, how they work and why they are important to understanding how Qualifications work.

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Professional

Professional

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a review that we believe really captures what we try to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

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Pieces of Paper Say More About Attitude Than Skills

Pieces of Paper Say More About Attitude Than Skills

Bernard Salt was giving advice in his Weekend Australian column. He reckons that being over 50, he is entitled to do so (with the European cruise to come later, in his 60s). Anyway, his advice was to kids, and it was simply two things that he believes are required to ensure career and/or business success.

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Personality Type and Sales

Personality Type and Sales

Bringing the "service" back into the sales and customer services to better serve our customers using their personality type.

Special Interest
Overcoming Learner Discomfort

Overcoming Learner Discomfort

What is learner discomfort?“When a learner becomes conscious of their own performance – or lack of – that then can lead to them becoming anxious, which is an uncomfortable place to be.So by “learner discomfort”, I guess I am talking about feelings of anxiety, worry or concern. A lack of confidence in the learner’s ability to participate in any meaningful way; to progress in any meaningful way.”

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Never Felt Pressured With My Cert IV TAE

Never Felt Pressured With My Cert IV TAE

Every now and then, a Certificate IV TAE student writes a review that we believe really captures what Fortress Learning tries to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

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No Cause for Worry

No Cause for Worry

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a Review that we believe really captures what Fortress Learning tries to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

Testimonial
Online Learning: 6 Tips for Good Mental Health

Online Learning: 6 Tips for Good Mental Health

Online learning can sometimes be quite a lonely and tough way to learn, particularly if the content is challenging either because it’s complex and totally foreign to you, or because it’s boring as bat… stuff. This leads to the most common problem and what we’re really talking about here, which is how to keep motivated for online learning.

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No Regrets About Online Study

No Regrets About Online Study

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a Review that we believe really captures what we try to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

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Mixing Up Your Methods – Individual Work in Seminars and Workshops

Mixing Up Your Methods – Individual Work in Seminars and Workshops

Although the structure and delivery methods of most training and development seminars and workshops have improved dramatically over the last several decades, a valid criticism can be made regarding the proportion of group activity to individual work.In the early 1950s, American psychologist Kurt Lewin and others began to experiment with group functioning. Their work led to the T-Group (training group) movement that became immensely influential and popular into the 1960s and beyond.

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Marking Assessments – Do We Need to Change Our Mind-set?

Marking Assessments – Do We Need to Change Our Mind-set?

Over the years, many of my colleagues have had a whine about marking. They enjoy the training but they see marking as an unpleasant chore. I’m wondering if this is because it’s just seen as “compliance paperwork”, whereas I view marking as one of the best opportunities we can have to deliver training.

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Job Opportunities for Trainers and Assessors

Job Opportunities for Trainers and Assessors

So, you want to become a trainer. Before you embark on a new career as a trainer, it’s important to understand how job opportunities in the industry work. This article is designed to help you get a sense of what being a trainer is about and how to go about becoming one if that’s what you desire to do.

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Let’s Take a Leap of Faith, Together

Let’s Take a Leap of Faith, Together

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a review that we believe really captures what we try to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

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Keeping Up by Letting Go

Keeping Up by Letting Go

Recommendations from recent reviews (and likely an outcome of the in-progress rapid review) are that ASQA needs to take an educative role to guide registered training organisations toward compliance expectations.

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Is It Too Radical to Require a Workplace for TAE Students

Is It Too Radical to Require a Workplace?

Does it make sense to have an employer tied to the student's training? What are the barriers to this being possible, and why is it important?

Challenges Facing Vet in Australia
Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAEPDD501

Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAEPDD501

If you missed the background, we have decided to take a look at what experienced training professionals do, and compare that with what the TAE50116 Dip VET says they should be doing.

Research
It’s Not Easy but It’s Worth It

It’s Not Easy but It’s Worth It

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a review that we believe really captures what we try to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

Testimonial
Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAELLN501

Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAELLN501

For the sake of comparison, we will include in this table (and subsequent ones) the data for the earlier units for which we have collected data. For Performance Evidence, the figures represent the average percentages of benchmarks that were satisfactorily demonstrated and the range for that across all 50 sample candidates.

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Is Any Qualification Worthless?

Is Any Qualification Worthless?

We need to be mindful we exist as part of a system in which education enables people to competently do useful work. At least that’s the idea. What’s the deal with so many worthless qualifications? Why are some providers duping students into studying them? Shouldn’t purveyors of that sort be stopped?

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Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAEDES501

Investigating the Dip VET Unknown Unknowns: TAEDES501

The following table shows the summary of assessment outcomes in this unit. For the sake of comparison, we will include in this table (and subsequent ones) the data for the earlier units for which we have collected data.

Research
In Defence of TAEASS502 – the Single Unit That Might Help the Vet Industry Regain Its Confidence.

In Defence of TAEASS502 – the Single Unit That Might Help the Vet Industry Regain Its Confidence.

On the surface, it would seem that the majority opinion is that TAEASS502 Design and develop assessment tools does not belong in the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training & Assessment. We do not need to look far to find some very assertive – and often very aggressive – comments that lambast the decision to include it as a core in the new Certificate IV TAE.

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Investigating Dip VET RPL Outcomes to Unearth the “unknown Unknowns” in Trainer and Assessor Practice

Investigating Dip VET RPL Outcomes to Unearth The “Unknown Unknowns” in Trainer and Assessor Practice

We have decided to take a look at what experienced training professionals do, and compare that with what the TAE50116 Dip VET says they should be doing.

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Introducing Your Monthly Compliance Strategy

Introducing Your Monthly Compliance Strategy

Here at Fortress, we believe that by focusing on performance, compliance should follow.It’s easy to get so caught up in ticking boxes and complying that we forget why we are doing it in the first place.

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I Now Know How to Function Effectively as a Trainer

I Now Know How to Function Effectively as a Trainer

Every now and then, a graduating student writes a Review that we believe really captures what we try to do. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think they are so appropriate.

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What Our Graduates Say About Fortress Learning

Here is why we are the highest rated RTO on Trustpilot with over 1,750+ reviews.

Hi. I really enjoyed the learning experience offered by fortress learning. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a supportive and well organised online learning experience. A great team.

Andrew Trosic

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So far the best RTO that I have been with. Great support from the admin team, stable online blackboard platform, experienced trainers like Richard Gietman & Deb Thomas, along with efficient student processing services. Thank you Fortress, and 5 stars for the team!

Suresh Suppiah

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I had an excellent experience completing the Diploma of Vocational Education and Training through Fortress Learning. The whole team was incredibly supportive throughout the process—special thanks to Karen, Bheng, Jane, Maniya, and Emma for their professionalism and encouragement at every step. I would particularly like to thank my trainer, Emma, for her outstanding guidance, clear feedback, and responsiveness, which made the RPL journey smooth and achievable. I highly recommend Fortress Learning to any VET professional seeking a structured, supportive, and well-managed qualification pathway.

Yun Qian

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I have completed a few Cert IV and Diploma units with Fortress over the years and have had nothing but positive experiences (even with RPL). The team at Fortress are always helpful and supportive.

Christiana Mergan

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The Fortress Team were extremely professional to deal with all throughout my course. Always helpful, understanding and a pleasure to deal with. I would happily recommend them to anyone.

Lee Guest

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I really enjoy my study journey in fortress learning. The teachers and staff really helpful.

Physio Dian Nawir

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Highly recommend. Reasonably priced, easy to use interface, quick marking times and responsive trainers.

Bel Callea

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The TAE cert iv certainly isn’t an easy course to complete. I had to learn a whole new language and although I was expecting to be taught how to teach, it’s nothing like that - more like learning how best to support our students and to present the information to them in a way they can understand. The support provided by Fortress was really good - I chose the middle package as a safety net just in case I needed it. Initially my trainer was Brian, an awesome mentor, huge experience and very helpful. He left last year, and my new mentor was Richard - again fabulous support, almost always available relatively quickly and able to point me in the right direction. Marking turnaround was typically 1-2 days - shorter than the advertised time too which also helped. I have no hesitation in recommending Fortress Learning to anyone looking to further their VET journey. Many thanks Fortress and the team

Andy Graham

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Fortress learning was fantastic in all areas. From the customer support team to the trainers. The support team was always professional at all times and the communication was fantastic. The trainers were knowledgeable, empathetic and supportive during the whole course. I would highly recommend fortress learning. A special mention to Deb who is definitely an asset to the team and any future students.

Clint Parkes

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I have recently completed the TAESS00021 Facilitation Skillset, and the training material and content was not only top quality but also interesting. The admin staff and trainers were extremely punctual and helpful. Big thankyou to trainer Deb. I highly recommend training with Fortress Learning.

Sienna hardie

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I am so glad that I chose Fortress Learning for my course. The team was available and helpful along my entire journey. It was not easy, but my advisor exceled in encouraging me and enabling me to keep going! I highly recommend Fortress Learning to anyone! They are amazing at what they do.

Tim Hildebrand

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Fortress Learning is an outstanding RTO that delivers exceptional training and support. I recently completed my TAE upgrade, and the process was seamless, efficient, and well-structured. A huge thank you to Mel, Jan, and my incredible assessor, Deb, for their guidance and professionalism. Their expertise and dedication truly make them champions of TAE!

Daniela Accary

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