You Survived the Deadline... Now What?

We've crossed the 1 July 2025 compliance deadline, but the real work for RTOs starts now. Having updated policies alone doesn't make you audit-ready, especially as ASQA adopts a more vigilant, risk-based approach to monitoring.

• Top three post-deadline compliance traps: assuming document updates equal compliance, underestimating audit triggers, and failing to implement self-assurance
• ASQA can now trigger audits through scope additions, student complaints, high-risk delivery, or routine risk assessments
• Self-assurance requires demonstrating continuous improvement, feedback collection, and staff training on new standards
• Three immediate actions: conduct a compliance health check, brief your entire team, and track evidence weekly
•  Download our free 30-day compliance health check to identify gaps before ASQA does

Next week we'll dive into the biggest audit blind spots: scope changes and the compliance traps they trigger. Be sure to subscribe, share and download your compliance health check now.

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 Join host Angela Connell-Richards as she opens each episode with a burst of insight and inspiration. Discover why compliance is your launchpad to success, not a limitation. 

Wrap up with gratitude and guidance. Subscribe, leave a review, and join our community as we continue supporting your compliance journey in vocational education. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the RTO Superhero Podcast, the show
dedicated to empoweringregistered training
organisations to navigatecompliance effortlessly and
deliver outstanding education.
I'm your host, angelaConnell-Richards, ceo and
founder of Vivacity, and todaymarks a major milestone We've
officially crossed the 1 July2025 line.

(00:23):
If you're listening, take adeep breath because the deadline
has passed.
But the real work starts now.
So let's talk about theelephant in the room.
1 July 2025 has been on theradar for well over a year.
Rtos across Australia have beenrushing to update policies,

(00:44):
train staff, refresh assessmenttools and tick every compliance
box they could find.
But here's the truth no onewants to hear.
Complying for the sake of adeadline doesn't mean you're
actually audit ready.
I've worked with hundreds ofRTOs and the pattern is familiar
you do a flurry of updates inthe final weeks and the patent

(01:06):
is for Mia.
You do a flurry of updates inthe final weeks.
Maybe you grab a policytemplate from a colleague or a
consultant, you run a PD sessionfor your trainers, tick, then
you relax and assume you're safeuntil the next re-registration.
But unfortunately, that's nothow ASQA works anymore.
Let's break it down.
Asqa isn't just interested inwhat's on paper.

(01:27):
They're watching how you applyyour systems, demonstrate
self-assurance and sustain yourcompliance over time.
We're now in an era where youraddition to scope requests can
trigger an audit.
One student complaint cantrigger an audit.
Delivering a high-risk unit orqualification can trigger an
audit.
One student complaint cantrigger an audit.
Delivering a high-risk unit orqualification can trigger an

(01:48):
audit.
Or ASQA might simply run arisk-based assessment and decide
you need a visit.
The deadline didn't make yousafe.
It made you visible and if yourcompliance strategy was let's
just survive till July, youmight already be out of step.
Let's talk risks.

(02:08):
These are the top three traps Isee RTOs falling into right now
, post 1 July.
One assuming you're safebecause you've updated your
documents.
If you haven't trained yourteam on the new outcome
standards, updated yourassessment validation plan,
mapped your trainer credentialsagainst the 2025 expectations,

(02:32):
then your new policies won'tprotect you.
Underestimating audit triggersyou think audits are just for
re-registration.
Think again.
A scope addition could lead toan audit in a heartbeat.
Ask was especially watchingtraining products with poor
outcomes.
Number three failing toimplement self-assurance.

(02:54):
Having a compliance folderisn't self-assurance.
Can your staff explain how youmonitor quality?
Do you have a schedule forpolicy review?
Are your student feedbackprocesses active and tracked.
The biggest shift in 2025 isn'tjust about what you do.
It's about how you prove it.

(03:15):
Self-assurance is your internalsafety net.
Let me ask you this If ASQAshowed up today, could you
demonstrate continuousimprovement?
Can you show them a history offeedback, analysis and change?
Do you have records of stafftraining on the new standards?
This is what they're lookingfor, and if you can't show it,

(03:38):
your audit risk is high.
So what now?
This is where we step in Stagetwo implementation, reflection
and sustainability.
Here are three things you can dothis week.
Number one conduct a compliancehealth check.
We've created a free checklistyou can download.
It's a 30-day self-review thatflags common gaps and helps you

(04:03):
identify risks before ASQA does.
Number two brief your entireteam.
It's not enough for yourcompliance manager to know the
changes.
Everyone admin, staff, trainers, the CEO needs to understand
the key shifts and how itaffects their role.
Track evidence weekly.

(04:23):
Create a shared complianceregister.
Document every improvement,every trainer, pd, every new
policy issued.
That's your audit story in themaking.
Quick example One of ourclients added a new CRICOS
course in May.
They had all their docs readyand submitted their scope

(04:45):
application.
Three weeks later, boom, asqaaudit.
What saved them.
They had done a pre-scope riskreview, mapped every trainer's
experience to the new outcomes,documented feedback from similar
past courses.
They passed with norectifications.
That's the kind offorward-thinking RTO that

(05:06):
everyone needs right now.
So if you're listening andthinking we've ticked the boxes,
but I don't know if we'reactually compliant.
You're not alone.
Now is the time to shift fromreactive compliance to strategic
assurance.
Let this podcast series be yourguide.
Next week we'll dive into thebiggest audit blind spots scope

(05:28):
changes and the compliance trapsthey trigger.
Be sure to subscribe, share anddownload your compliance health
check now and remembercompliance isn't a limitation,
it's a launch pad.
Thank you for listening andI'll see you next week on the
RTO Superhero Podcast.