Posted in Awards

USI Problems

Improvements for the Unique Student Identifier (USI)

I have three (3) suggestions that will improve the Unique Student Identifier (USI), there are many problems related to the USI these have been well documented and discussed on many occasions, however its time to look at ways to make the USI better for employers and individual.

Firstly, pastoralists, farmers and weed control businesses are enrolling employees in VET courses for the sole purpose of licensing and chemical authorisation, these businesses require the Professional Ground Spray License or Schedule 7 Authorisation or 1080 Authorisation, these all have a five (5) year life so completing a VET courses every five (5) is a legal requirement.  These businesses will renew VET courses regardless of what they did 5 or 20 years ago, therefore the USI is waste of time and money for these enterprises.Knowing your history is irrelevant forcing the USI on every business costs money.  The solution is make the USI optional units that are linked to licenses and chemical authorisations.

Secondly, many people enrol in VET units just to gain a single unit of competency and have no intention of completing a certificate.For instance, Dentists complete 4WD course so they can drive vehicles in remote Indigenous community’s as part of their job, they have no intention of enrolling in a Certificate III in agriculture so the USI is pointless.  Again, the Dentist will renew the 4WD course every 10 years just to keep up with currency but the USI cost time and money.  The solution is make the USI optional for enrollments in single units.

Finally, the vast majority of unit enrolments are fee-for-service clients, so the USI costs have to be pasted on to the customers and yet the clients will never use the USI yet they are paying for it.  Fee-for-service paying customers should have an option to choose the USI service, RTOs could offer the clients two (2) pricing options and let the Industry or enterprise decide which service fits their business.

All the data shows that these two (2) cohorts will never complete a higher certificate and maintaining the students history is more red tape, greater costs and has no benefit.  If you have a problem with the USI contact you local politician.