What is validation?
VET validation is a formal quality review process. Registered training organisations (RTOs) use it to check, compare and evaluate their assessment tools, processes and evidence.
Validation ensures your assessments meet:
- training package requirements
- industry standards
- the principles of assessment (valid, reliable, flexible and fair).
What you need to do
As an RTO, you must demonstrate validation of assessment practices and judgements to ensure the assessment produces judgements that are consistent with the training product.
School RTOs should maintain a 5-year validation plan that includes details of all training products on the school RTO's scope of registration. (Validation plan guide and templates are available in the VET app in the QCAA Portal.)
Create or update a validation plan
Follow the steps below to complete or update a validation plan:
1. Identify the training product
- Select the training product that will be validated.
2. Identify what will be validated
Identify the components of the assessment system to be validated, including:
- evidence gathering techniques (observation, direct questioning, product review, third-party reporting, or a combination of these methods)
- assessment judgements.
3. Engage a validator or validator team
Engage a validator or team of validators who:
- hold the required credentials for validation of assessment
- have industry competencies, skills and knowledge relevant to the training product
- have current industry skills relevant to the training product
- were not solely designed or delivered the training and assessment of this training product.
4. Provide assessment material
Provide the validator with the assessment tools they will need to validate the training product. This includes:
- the Training Assessment Strategy (TAS)
- the assessment activity, including:
- context and conditions
- the task/s the students will need to complete
- details of the evidence the RTO will gather from, and use to assess, students
- mapping documents
- student profiles
- selection of student assessment responses.
5. Review and use outcomes
Analyse, use and document how outcomes have been used to inform changes to assessment tools.
6. Update the validation plan
Update the validation plan to reflect:
- the validation outcomes
- any changes made to assessment tools
- future validation activities.
More information
For more information, contact us:
- Email: vet@qcaa.qld.edu.au
- Phone: (07) 3864 0381
- Last updated:
- 22 September 2026
