COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Vocational Training & Assessment in Simulated Workplace Environments course. This program has been designed to provide VET trainers, assessors, and RTO compliance staff with a thorough understanding of how to design, deliver, and assess training within simulated workplace environments. In many cases, learners may not have access to real workplaces, or the full range of workplace tasks needed to demonstrate competency.

Simulation ensures they can still achieve competency outcomes, engage with realistic tasks, and prepare for industry standards in a safe, structured, and compliant environment. This program will guide you through the regulatory requirements, design principles, and best practices for creating authentic simulations that align with the 2025 Standards for RTOs, training package assessment conditions, and the principles of assessment.

Simulated workplace environments play a vital role in vocational education and training. This course begins by introducing the importance of simulation for ensuring competency outcomes where real workplace access is limited, providing learners with opportunities to practice safely, and preparing them for the realities of industry practice. It also outlines the regulatory context, including ASQA’s role in setting and monitoring compliance expectations, and the way training packages and accredited courses integrate simulation into their assessment strategies.

Building on this, the course explores the regulatory and standards foundations that govern training and assessment in simulated environments. This includes the legal and policy framework, the Standards for RTOs 2025 and their relevant clauses, and the requirements of the Standards for VET Accredited Courses. The section also revisits the principles of assessment—validity, reliability, fairness, and flexibility—and the rules of evidence, applying these concepts directly to simulation.

Clear definitions and key concepts are critical for consistency across the sector. This section explains the differences between real workplace and simulated training, the defining characteristics of simulation environments, and the importance of ensuring that simulated tasks remain valid, reliable, fair, and flexible. These principles are used to guide the design of authentic, industry-relevant simulations.

Training product requirements must always be mapped accurately to assessment activities. This section covers the process of reviewing training package requirements, mapping performance and knowledge evidence, and identifying when simulation is permissible, optional, or mandatory. By aligning simulations with assessment conditions, trainers can ensure compliance while maintaining the integrity of learner outcomes.

The design of simulated environments is explored in detail. This section highlights the risks and challenges of poorly designed simulations, as well as the key considerations for physical layout, safety, and compliance. It explains how to use scenario planning to introduce realistic complexity, ensuring learners are assessed against conditions that mirror actual workplace situations.

Supporting this, the course looks at facilities, resources, and equipment. It discusses industry currency and suitability, accessibility considerations, licensing or cost factors, and adjustments to meet the needs of learners with disabilities or special requirements. Ensuring environments are well-resourced and inclusive is essential for both compliance and learner success.

Trainers and assessors play a pivotal role in simulation delivery. This section outlines the qualification and industry currency requirements for assessors, skills needed to facilitate simulation, and the importance of ongoing professional development to maintain quality in practice.

Authenticity requires strong industry engagement. This section explores strategies for consulting with industry stakeholders, validating scenarios, and maintaining ongoing feedback to ensure simulations reflect current workplace expectations. It also addresses the importance of considering the learner cohort, including prior knowledge, language and literacy needs, diversity, and reasonable adjustment requirements.

Simulation design is then addressed in depth. This section guides trainers through developing scenarios, embedding complexity and error conditions, and creating opportunities for learners to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. It connects these scenarios with assessment tool design, including checklists, rubrics, and observation templates, ensuring that evidence collected is valid, reliable, and sufficient.

The course also explores assessment execution—how to conduct observations, manage logistics, maintain safety, and apply consistent judgement. Student preparation and support are discussed, including pre-simulation orientation, provision of resources, and ongoing feedback. Integrity and assurance measures are reinforced, with guidance on preventing misconduct, verifying student work, and applying validation and moderation processes.

Finally, compliance requirements for record-keeping, documentation, and quality assurance are addressed. This includes recording outcomes, maintaining evidence, ensuring transparency of conditions and costs, and embedding continuous improvement through audits, feedback, and monitoring outcomes.

By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge and skills to design and deliver simulated workplace training that is authentic, safe, compliant, and aligned with industry expectations. You will be equipped to support learners in achieving competency outcomes, while ensuring your RTO meets the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to VET Simulated Workplace Environments

1.1 Importance of Simulated Workplace Environments

·       Supporting competency outcomes where real workplace access is limited

·       Ensuring learners are prepared for industry standards and practices

·       Providing safe, structured, and controlled environments for assessment

1.2 Regulatory Context

·       The role of ASQA in setting and monitoring standards

·       Regulatory Expectations in the 2025 Standards for RTOs Relating to Training and Assessment Environments

·       Links between training packages, assessment conditions, and simulation

2. Regulatory & Standards Foundations

·       Legal and Policy Framework

·       ASQA Standards for RTOs and Relevant Clauses

·       Standards for VET Accredited Courses and Assessment Strategy Requirements

·       Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence

3. Definitions & Key Concepts

·       Workplace vs Simulated Training and Assessment

·       Characteristics of a Simulated Workplace Environment

·       Validity, Reliability, Fairness, and Flexibility in Simulation

4. Training Product Requirements & Mapping

·       Understanding Training Package Requirements

·       Mapping Performance and Knowledge Evidence

·       Determining When Simulation is Permissible or Required

5. Designing Simulated Workplace Environments

·       Risks in Simulated Workplace Environments

·       Physical Layout and Resource Requirements

·       Safety and Regulatory Compliance in Simulation Spaces

·       Scenario Planning for Realism and Complexity

6. Facilities, Resources & Equipment

·       Availability and Suitability of Facilities

·       Maintenance and Industry Currency of Equipment

·       Accessibility, Licensing and Cost Considerations

·       Adjustments for Learners with Special Needs

7. Trainer & Assessor Competency

·       Required Qualifications and Industry Currency

·       Skills for Simulation Delivery and Assessment

·       Professional Development and Ongoing Training

8. Industry Engagement & Stakeholder Consultation

·       Engaging Industry in Simulation Design

·       Validating Scenarios for Authenticity

·       Maintaining Ongoing Industry Feedback

9. Learner Cohort Considerations

·       Prior Skills, Knowledge and Background

·       Language, Literacy and Numeracy Needs

·       Diversity, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustment

10. Simulation Design & Scenario Development

·       Identifying Competency Tasks to Simulate

·       Embedding Complexity and Multiple Tasks

·       Designing Error Conditions and Rare Situations

11. Assessment Tool Design & Methods

·       Choosing Suitable Assessment Methods

·       Designing Checklists, Rubrics and Observation Tools

·       Ensuring Validity, Reliability and Sufficiency of Evidence

12. Conditions & Contexts for Assessment

·       Specified Assessment Conditions in Units of Competency

·       When Simulation is Acceptable or Mandatory

·       Holistic and Clustered Assessment Approaches

13. Student Preparation & Support

·       Preparing Learners for Simulation Activities

·       Providing Pre-Simulation Resources and Practice

·       Ongoing Support and Feedback During Simulation

14. Assessment Execution

·       Conducting Observations and Judging Competence

·       Managing Assessment Logistics and Resources

·       Ensuring Safety and Risk Management

15. Authenticity, Integrity & Assurance

·       Verifying Student Work and Preventing Misconduct

·       Ensuring Authentic and Industry-Relevant Tasks

·       Validation, Moderation and Quality Checks

16. Record Keeping, Documentation & Legal Obligations

·       Recording Assessment Outcomes and Feedback

·       Maintaining Evidence of Compliance and Resources

·       Transparency of Assessment Conditions and Costs

17. Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

·       Internal Validation and Moderation

·       Student, Trainer and Industry Feedback

·       Monitoring Outcomes and Non-Compliance Trends

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.