National Investigation Training Services Pty Ltd

Access and equity

National Investigation Training Services recognises that adult education is a need and right for all adults. It exists with a primary commitment to fair access and equity in the provision of its program of courses, irrespective of gender, culture, age, location, disability or disadvantage.

Accidents

Accidents or injuries, no matter how small, need to be reported immediately to your instructor.

Breaks

Depending on courses conducted, tea and coffee may be provided for course participants. As all courses are conducted on client’s premises, this will depend on the client.

Chairs

To ensure the safety of all, chairs need their four legs on the floor at all times.

Emergency contact

If assistance is required from staff during office hours contact your instructor or phone 03 9761 833. For emergency contact outside office hours, phone 0417 323 667.

Facilities and equipment

Depending on the location and type of courses conducted participants may have available for their use:
• Quiet space for study and small group meetings
• Texts, videos and other course related material
• Computers on site with internet access
• Notebook computers for use off site
• Photocopying and printing of course related material

First aid

For any first aid requirements please contact your instructor.

Location of classes

National Investigation Training Services facilitate all their courses off site at client locations

Participant feedback

Participants will be asked to complete satisfaction surveys on course completion. These are important documents as the feedback received is acted upon. Your comments allow us to address any issues that may improve the courses for other participants.

Public liability insurance

Course participants are covered by our public liability and professional indemnity insurance.

Safety procedures

Your instructor is responsible for your safety. Please follow all instructions should an emergency occur. .

Smoking

All classes operate in a smoke-free environment.

Support services

Tutors, course coordinators and office staff have many years’ experience in their specialised fields and can assist participants with matters relating to their course. They also have available information on appropriate other personnel or organisations who may be approached for support and assistance.

Course Information

Course selection

National Investigation Training Services offers a wide variety of courses. The web site gives a brief description of each course. It is advisable to contact staff who can assist you determine if a course will suit your needs. You will also be told if an interview or assessment is required before you can enrol.

Participants are selected for courses by demonstrating a genuine interest in the area, a determination to complete the course and in some cases specific industry experience. Class sizes are limited so it is advisable to enrol early.

Enrolment and induction

Information on course content and other relevant information is available to potential participants prior to enrolment. Flyers are available from NITS. Student Information Booklets are available on the web at www.investigatortraining.org.

Tutors will refer to information contained in the Student Information Booklets. Tutors will also show participants amenities and facilities, which are available.

Grievances and complaints

National Investigation Training Services will ensure that course participants receive accurate information about:

• course content, course competencies, tutors, venues, dates and times, fees and charges

• specific units including assessment procedures and tasks which must be completed successfully for a certificate or statement of attainment to be awarded

All participants will be given reasonable and fair time and information on changes in the advertised times, venues, tutors and course content, competencies and assessment procedures.

If a participant feels these statements have not been achieved, he/she may lodge a complaint:

All grievances should be approached with an open view and to attempt to resolve problems through discussion and conciliation with appropriate personnel.

Procedures:

• Any written grievance will be documented in the Complaints/Grievance Register and the problem will be resolved fairly and equitably within a nominated time frame

• If the grievance is unable to be resolved, the staff member contacts and arranges for an appropriate external and independent agent to act as mediator between the parties. This independent person will in normal circumstances be another RTO or a TRC

• If a grievance is associated with assessment results, the staff member, in consultation with the assessor/trainer, reviews the initial assessment and/or identifies alternative assessment methods, and notifies the trainee accordingly.

• All applicants shall be given the opportunity to formally present their case to the mediator

• The applicant shall be notified in writing the outcomes of the grievance.

• Appeals


Procedures:

• Upon resolution of a complaint or grievance, the client/student may wish to dispute the outcome of a resolution/assessment and seek a reassessment. All appeals are requested to be submitted in writing

• If the appeal is in respect of an assessment, a reassessment is conducted within a reasonable timeframe by an independent third party assessor. The appellant will be given the opportunity to formally present his/her case. This is designed to ensure fairness and consistency and underpins the continuous improvement process

• If the appeal is to dispute the outcome of a grievance other than an assessment, the appeal will be scheduled to be heard by an independent person or panel, inviting the appellant to formally present his/her case

• Upon a decision being made, the appellant is provided with a written statement of the appeal outcomes, including reasons for the decision. All decisions are documented by in the Appeals Register.

Assessment for accredited courses

Participants in accredited courses are required to undertake a range of assessment tasks in order to display competence. Tutors will have an assessment grid and outcome sheet to record results:

• Competent (C)
• Competency not achieved (NC)
• Withdrawn (W)
• Not complete (NA)

National Investigation Training Services will ensure that assessment processes:

• recognise the principles and proper operation of Recognition of Prior Learning/Recognition of Current Competency (RPL/RCC)

• allow credit transfer when properly documented

• allow accelerated progress towards completion of assessment tasks and demonstration of competency when required by participants

• are relevant, appropriate, fair, flexible and recognise the requirements of the participant and the national training recognition system

Assignments are one method tutors use to assess competence. Assignments must be handed in to the tutor directly. Assignments handed in will be dated and signed by the staff member receiving them.

A student, who is dissatisfied with an assessment result, may appeal the decision. To appeal, the following steps occur:

• The student notifies the trainer using the Assessment appeal notification form available on request within 21 days of receiving the result

• The two parties negotiate a re-assessment

• The trainer in consultation with the Managing Director provides a written statement of the outcome of the reassessment within 14 days

• If the student is still dissatisfied, he/she may seek arbitration by a third party or panel acceptable to the parties to the appeal

• If the appeal is still unresolved, the student will be advised of external organisations that may be able to assist.

Certificates/Statements of attainment

Certificates are issued on completion of accredited courses. Statements of attainment are issued on successful completion of accredited units. For non accredited courses, certificates of participation may be issued if the participant has attended all sessions.

Code of conduct

All participants at National Investigation Training Services have the rights of adults as learners in a mature age relationship between tutors and other learners and as a consumer of a high quality commercial product. As such, adult learners have both rights and responsibilities.
Participants can expect that they:

• will receive high quality customer service from staff and high quality teaching from tutors

• will be treated with respect as adults by tutors and other course participants

• have access to a proper process for the resolution of grievances if dissatisfied with any aspects of the administration or teaching of the course

• have the right to a course refund in accordance with the fees and charges policy.

Participants have a responsibility to:

• pay course fees on enrolment

• respect the rights of other course participants to a pleasant, mature and undisturbed (including mobile phones) learning environment

• care for the facilities and property involved in the provision of the course

• attend all timetabled sessions

Fees and charges

• All participants are expected to pay for their course on enrolment.

• Participants may pay for lengthy courses over the duration of the course. Conditions apply as follows:

• National Investigation Training Services determines which courses this applies to

• payment arrangements must be made prior to commencement of course

• certificates will not be issued until full payment has been received.

• Participants may enrol in person, by phone, mail, fax or email.

Language, literacy and numeracy support

National Investigation Training Services acknowledges that all vocational education and training includes language, literacy and numeracy tasks. Out tutors provide materials, resources and assessment tasks at a level of complexity required in the workplace for that competency only. Tutors also provide opportunities for repeated and supported practice.

National Investigation Training Services has a staff member qualified to assess language, literacy and numeracy levels. Support may be available to meet course requirements. Participants will be encouraged to enrol in language and literacy classes.

Mutual recognition

Qualifications issued by National Investigation Training Services will be nationally recognised. National Investigation Training Services recognises the AQF qualifications and statements of attainment issued by any other registered training organisation.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)/Recognition of current competency (RCC)

National Investigation Training Services recognises that participants may be able to demonstrate some or all of the defined competencies of the course for which they have enrolled. This competency may have been gained through previous learning, through work and life experiences, through employment experience and/or previous formal education and training.

National Investigation Training Services endorses the policy of formally recognising and giving credit for the satisfactory demonstration of specific competencies in those modules through credit transfer, completion of assessment tasks or RPL/RCC.

If a participant applies for RPL/RCC, charges apply.

Policies

For a full policy document, please contact Management. Policies include

• Privacy
• Code of Conduct
• Appeals and Grievance Policy
• Fees and Charges Policy

Privacy

Information privacy is important. As a requirement of some funding bodies and for our own purposes, NITS staff request personal information from participants in our courses. The information collected and stored includes:

• Name and address
• Date of birth
• Employment status
• Education achievement
• Ethnicity
This information is required as a condition of government funding. When that information is sent to funding bodies, it is done in a format that deletes the participants’ names and addresses.
National Investigation Training Services recognises the importance of protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information collected about our customers. For the purposes of this Privacy Statement, the word customers includes students, visitors to our web sites, subscribers to and users of our services, purchasers of our products and advertising customers.
We are bound by the National Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) in relation to the handling of personal information.

National Investigation Training Services will use a participant’s name and address for communication purposes. This may be to send information about your current course, other courses which we offer or to send out certificates or invoices. Occasionally, your name and address will be used to request information about our own customer service or to gain feedback about other areas of our business.

Access to Personal Information

You have a right to access most personal information we hold about you and if we deny access in some circumstances we will tell you why.

To request access, please contact the Managing Director on 03 9761 8333.

Refunds for non accredited courses

Refunds will be made in full if National Investigation Training Services has to cancel a course. National Investigation Training Services is not responsible for changes in a participant’s circumstances. Courses need to be chosen carefully.

If exceptional circumstances occur, written application for a partial refund may be made. This application must reach management within five working days after course commencement. An administration fee of up to $15 may be charged for refunds not caused by National Investigation Training Services. All refunds will be made by cheque.

Refunds for accredited courses

All courses conducted by NITS are of short duration or have been negotiated with your organisation for an extended period. You may withdraw from a course up to 10 days prior to the commencement. After this time full fee is payable.

Reissuing of certificates

Misplaced certificates can be reissued on request. A cost of $11 GST inc will be charged.

Withdrawal from courses

To withdraw from an accredited course or module inform the course coordinator on 03 9761 8333.