Support hub

Fortress Learning ensures that all prospective students seeking to enrol in a qualification/training product have access to clear and accurate information before enrolment, including making informed decisions about the training product and the RTO and being made aware of changes that affect them.  The following information is easily accessible to VET students on the Fortress Learning website and within this Student Handbook and includes:                                                                

• All training product codes and titles, course durations, course mode(s) of delivery, course locations, course commencement dates (where not enrolled in an online course with rolling enrolment dates), workshop schedule, assessment requirements, whether any licencing or occupational licence requirements apply, and details of any third party arrangements
• The training support services, and well-being support services are available both from Fortress Learning and from external service providers (where Fortress Learning cannot supply them) This information also outlines contact details and website links on how to access the listed services
• Any fees and costs payable by the VET student, including payment terms and conditions, refund policies and the availability of any relevant government training entitlements and subsidy arrangements
• The VET student’s obligations or liabilities, including any obligations relating to work placements, external physical or human resources required within the course, equipment or IT, additional costs and processes associated with VET student withdrawal and obtaining a Unique Student Identifier
• The Transition Arrangements in place include information about how Training Package changes affect VET students, including the transition of superseded, deleted, or expired training products, and how Fortress Learning informs VET students of these as soon as practicable.

You, your employer, and your trainer will meet online to finalise your Training Plan

This document outlines how your training will run, including:

·       Delivery method

·       Employer responsibilities (e.g., 20% of work time set aside for training)

·       Assessment details

·       Support needs

·       Credit Transfer or RPL (if applicable)

After the meeting

·       You will receive a copy of the Training Plan by email.

·       You and your employer must sign and return it to us within 5 business days.

·       Oncereceived, we will upload it to the government portal to trigger yourtraineeship payment.

·       The Traineeship admin support will notify Accounts to issue an invoice of $350 to the Trainee unless fee exemptions or concessions apply.

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‍Tuition Fee

·      Traineeships are government-funded and applicable in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) only.

·      The User Choice Funding program requires a mandatory minimum tuition fee of $350.

·      We will invoice you directly for this fee.

·      Once payment has been made, your learner portal will be activated, and learning can begin.

Fee Exemptions and Concessions

Details about available fee exemptions and concessions for Trainees (also called Australian Apprentices - AAs) including eligibility criteria and the application process are provided below.

Fee Exemptions

1.     During your pre-enrolment discussion, your Trainer will discuss potential eligibility for fee exemptions.

2.     Eligibility criteria includes:

a.    If the employer is the Training Provider for its own Trainee.

b.    The Trainee leaves one employer and recommences within 12 months withanother employer, in the same qualification and with the same trainingprovider.

c.     The Trainee is required to go to a different training provider becauseof a change of RTO process.

d.    the student is an ASBA, and the school is the training provider.

3.     If you meet the eligibility criteria, please notify the RTO who willapply for the exemption within 10 business days of the enrolment; no separateapplication form is needed from you.

Fee Concessions

1.       During your pre-enrolment discussion, your Trainer will discuss potential eligibility for fee concessions.

2.     You may be eligible if:

a.    You hold a current health care card or pension card.

b.    You can prove genuine hardship.

c.     If you believe you are eligible, inform your RTO.  They will provide you with an"Application for Fee Concession Reimbursement" form.

3.     You must provide supporting documentation with your application.

4.     Fortress learning may waive the remaining tuition fee.

5.     If your concession is approved, the training provider will be reimbursedby the Directorate.

General Information

·      Exemption and concessionapplications are processed within 5 working days.

·      All fee-related transactions, including exemption and concession applications and approvals, are kept by the Finance Department and in your Student Folder.

·      If you disagree with a decision regarding your fee exemption or concession application, you can discuss your concerns with your Trainer. If unresolved, you can lodge a formal appeal in writing to the Training Manager within 10 working days, following Fortress Learning's Appeal Policy and Procedure.

For detailed processes on fee exemption and concession application see  Appendix 1 and Appendix 2

·   You will receive an email with a link to officially enrol on the course.

·   After enrolling, we will activate your Learner Portal where you can access your learning materials.

·   We will also set up a Welcome Meeting with your trainer too:

o   Walk you through how to use the portal.

o   Confirm your start and end dates.

o   Schedule regular monthly check-ins

o   Revisit any support you need.

o   Explain the Workplace Activity Log (this needs to be completed for every unit)

·       This discussion will be recorded in your Traineeship Contact Log.

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Course Activation  

1. Upon completion of your Online Enrolment Form, your Student Learner Portal is then activated, and the enrolment period and course commencement begins.
2. You will receive an email called Fortress Learning Create your  Global Account which will allow you to create your aXcelerate  account and access your learner portal.
3. Our Enrolments Team will also send an SMS     to let you know the Portal is now active and you will be directed to log  n to your Portal after you have created your Global account.
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Course commencement

Your allocated Trainer will reach out to set up a welcome meeting to walk you through the learner portal and get you started with your learning and assessment.

The trainer at this time will:

·       review the planned start and end dates.

·       agree regular monthly check-ins.

·       discuss any support needs required.

·       apply any pre-defined support strategies as necessary throughout the enrolment period.

·       Explain the Workplace Activity Log and the requirement to complete for all units and the assessment.

You will now begin your training and assessment journey.

As you move through your course

·      Your trainer will meet with youeach month to talk about your progress, answer any questions, and offersupport. These are essential to help you stay on track.

·      Everything discussed in yourcheck-ins—progress, support provided, and next steps—will be recorded in yourTraineeship Contact Log.

·      Every 3 months, your trainer willalso meet with your employer to provide a progress update and gather workplacefeedback.

·      Our support team will send youregular SMS messages to check in—but if there’s ever anything serious, yourtrainer will be in touch directly.

·      If any changes need to be made to your training contract (such as extending the end date), your trainer will work with you and your employer and update the required documents in the government AVETARS system.

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Assessments and Completing Units

Here’s how assessment works during yourtraineeship:

1.       Your assessments will include:

a.    Knowledge Questions

b.    Coursework Tasks and a Workplace Activity Log -This is a key part ofyour learning. You’ll record what you’ve done on the job for each unit. Yoursupervisor must review and sign this off before we can mark the unit ascomplete
or

c.     RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) and a Third-Party Report. If you're completing a unit through RPL,this report (signed by your supervisor) replaces the activity log.

2.     Your trainer will mark your assessments within 4 business days ofsubmission.

3.     You’ll receive feedback through your learner portal, and your trainerwill check in with you monthly to discuss your progress.

4.     Before your unit can be officially marked as competent:

a.    Your trainer will let our Training Manager know it’s ready formoderation.

b.    The Training Manager will review and approve it.

c.     Then the unit will be officially marked as Competent in the system.

5.     Once that’s done:

a.    The unit will be updated in your training records

b.    Your employer will be notified via email that you’ve achieved the unit

c.     A claim will be submitted to Skills Canberra for that unit

If You Need More Time

·      If you’re not on track to complete all your units by the original contract end date:

·      Your trainer will work with you and your employer to extend your training contract.

·      This must be done before your end date, so let us know early if you’re falling behind.

·      If there are any challenges—like not getting enough time at work for your training—your trainer will help resolve it and may need to report the situation to the Directorate.

Assessing Students Whose Enrolment Period Has Concluded.

·       Fortress Learning students can submit assessment items up until midnight of the last date of their Enrolment Period. However, submissions that are submitted within 4 business days of the expiry date are subject to the following process:

·       Fortress Learning students can submit assessment items up until midnight of the last date of their Enrolment Period. However, submissions that are reviewed following expiry will be subject to a pre-review of the portfolio’s completeness.

·       During the pre-review, we will seek to identify any omissions or errors, which by themselves would deem it not possible for the Rule of Evidence: Sufficiency to be satisfied, and thus preventing a successful outcome to be awarded for that/those unit/s of competency.

·       Where there are no such omissions, the submission is assessed and feedback provided as per usual. Where such omissions do exist, no further assessment will occur; feedback will be provided to the candidate that the portfolio was incomplete, thus deeming the outcome Competency Not Achieved or RPL Not Granted.

·       Further assessment, and associated feedback of a more detailed nature, will be provided only following the student signing up for a time extension. However, AQF qualifications for trainees must be issued before the traineeship period expires (unless there is a variation in the training contract)

·       ASQA can be contacted regarding records here: https://www.asqa.gov.au/students/student-record

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What Happens If the Course Changes (Transition)

Sometimes courses get updated or replaced. If this happens during your enrolment:

·      We’ll map your completed work to the new version.

·      If needed, your training contract will be updated to reflect this.

·      If Fortress Learning can’t continue delivering your course, we’ll help you transfer to a new provider and make sure your records are up to date.

·      We’ll also issue a Statement of Attainment for any units you’ve completed, within 30 days.

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Graduation – Finishing Your Traineeship

Once you’ve completed all your units:

1.       Your trainer will update and sign off your Training Plan and prepare a Traineeship Final Agreement.

2.     You, your trainer, and your employer will meet one last time to officially confirm you’ve completed the qualification and your workplace requirements.

3.     Everyone signs the agreement—this is your formal sign-off date, which will be recorded on your certificate.

4.     Then:

5.     Your final agreement is saved and sent to our Graduation Officer.

6.     The Graduation Officer will check everything’s complete and issue your:

o   Certificate of Qualification

o   or a Statement of Attainment (if applicable)

7.     Your certificate will include a note confirming it was completed through the Australian Apprenticeship program.

8.     You’ll receive your certificate within 3 business days, and your employer will be notified. 

The following information outlines the variations that may occur to a training contract.

Extensions

1.       An extension to a training contract may be granted if the Trainee/Australian Apprentice (AA) will not achieve the required competencies by the due completion date.

2.     In thiscase, the training provider must help the employer request an extension.

3.     Allrelevant parties must validate the extension request.

4.     Ifnumerous extensions are requested for the same training contract, theDirectorate may request an update from the training provider on the Trainees’competencies and reasons for the extension.

5.     If thetraining contract is not extended, it will automatically expire at midnight onthe “due to complete’’ date, and any training delivered after this expiry willnot be funded.

6.     All parties, including the training provider, will be notified by email of the approval or rejection of the extension request. If approved, the notification will include the new “due to complete” date.

7.     Extensions must be initiated at least 10 business days prior to the original due to complete date on the training contract.

Suspensions

1.       Training contracts may be suspended for extended absences, such as parental leave, sick leave, workers compensation arrangements, or other significant periods where the Trainee cannot attend the workplace and/or structured training.

2.     Thetraining contract is suspended for an approved period and resumes when the Traineereturns to work and/or training.

3.     A requestto suspend the training contract must be initiated in AVETARS, including thedates and reasons for the suspension before it commences. It should not berequested retrospectively.

4.     Asuspended status is considered ‘active’ in the ACT.

5.     Theimpact of a suspension must be discussed between the employer and the trainingprovider. Training must not continue during a suspension unless prior approvalhas been obtained through formal discussion and agreement with the Directorateby the training provider.

6.     The datethe Trainee is expected to complete their training contract will be changed toreflect the length of the suspension once a return-to-work date has beenconfirmed. Training providers can assist by advising the Directorate by emailif they are aware of return or non-return to work.

7.     Allparties, including the training provider, will be notified by email of theapproval or rejection of the suspension request. If approved, a new due tocomplete date will be calculated when the AA returns to work and/or training.

Cancellations

1.       Thetraining contract must be cancelled when the employer and/or Trainee no longerwish to continue the training contract, or the Trainee has ceased employment.

2.     Atraining contract may also be cancelled by the Directorate for specificreasons, such as when the employer refuses to allow the Trainee to attendstructured training or other requirements related to the ACT training contractare not being met.

3.     Acancelled training contract cannot be transferred to a new employer, even ifthe Trainee continues to undertake structured training with the same trainingprovider. Without an active training contract, there is no AustralianApprenticeship.

4.     In the secircumstances, the training provider must:

a.    Assist the employer and Trainee to initiate a request to cancel the training contract through their AVETARS portal. The cancellation date is the last day the Trainee was in the workplace (if ceasing employment), or the last day of involvement with the training provider if still employed but ceased training.

b.    Mutualconsent for cancellation of a training contract is required, except when thetraining contract is cancelled within the probationary period.

c.     When anemployer or Trainee is unable to validate the cancellation, the Directorate maycancel the training contract after 28 calendar days.

d.    Contactthe Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP) to arrange a new training contract,where applicable.

e.     If the Traineedoes not return to work following a suspension, the cancellation date is thelast day the Trainee was at work or training. The Directorate may requestcopies of pay slips or training provider attendance evidence if a disputearises regarding the cancellation date.

5.     Cancellations must be initiated within 10 business days of the training provider identifying that the Trainee has withdrawn from training or changed employers.

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Change of Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

·       If a training provider is contacted by an employer or Trainee to take over Australian Apprenticeship training and assessment services from another training provider, the new training provider must be listed as an approved provider for the qualification on the ACT Qualifications Register.

·       The change of RTO request must be initiated by the employer or the Trainee.

·       The employer, Trainee, and previous training provider must all validate the request.

·       Once validated, the previous training provider has 30 calendar days to claim any payments for the Trainee and issue the Statement of Attainment. Claims submitted outside 30 calendar days will be ineligible for payment.

·       The new training provider is responsible for seeking clarification regarding the transfer of business and value remaining in the training contract.

·       Change of RTO - The original training provider will have 30 calendar days from the approval date to claim any outstanding payments and issue the Statement of Attainment.

Other Variations

For any other variations to a training contract, speak to your trainer who will advise how variations can be processed through AVETARS for Australian Apprenticeship training contracts:  

Fortress Learning is committed to dealing with complaints and appeals in a timely and constructive way. Complaints and Appeals include, but are not restricted to, matters of concern to a student or staff member relating to training delivery and assessment including the quality of the training, student support, learning materials, discrimination, and sexual harassment.

Natural Justice is concerned with ensuring procedural fairness:

●      Decisions and processes shouldbe free from bias.

●      All parties have the right to beheard.

●      The respondent has a right to know what s/he is accused of.

●      All parties are told the decision and the reasons for the decision.

As per the general directions from the regulator (ASQA: Complaints about training providers) Complaints refer to the quality of training delivered as well as the services and business practices of training providers.

How to go about making a complaint

Step 1: If you have a complaint about your training provider, the first step is to submit feedback through their complaint process. Information about your Fortress Learning’s Complaint Process is outlined below.  

Complaints Process

If you wish to make a complaint or an appeal concerning any aspect of a Fortress Learning course, or a course provided by a Third-Party Partner of Fortress Learning, the student should refer to the following process:

Step 1: Attempt to informally resolve the issue with appropriate Fortress Learning staff.

Step 2: If unsuccessful they should lodge a formal complaint inwriting and using the Complaints& Appeals Form that is available on request. It should be submittedto:

The Manager
Fortress Learning
PO Box 1096
Maroochydore QLD 4558

Or via email to: complaints@fortresslearning.edu.au

Fortress Learning will seek to resolve all appeals andcomplaints within 60 days of its receipt, and where a longer period is likelyto be required, Fortress Learning will conduct a thorough investigation intoall communications relevant to the complaint and advise in writing the reasonsfor this.

No changes to enrolment status are permitted to occurwhile a Complaint is being addressed. This includes graduation, extensions, anddeferments.

Fortress Learning will advise the Directorate in writingwithin 10 business days of identifying any issues related to training that mayreduce the likelihood of a successful outcome, for example, an employerrefusing an Trainee’s attendance at formal training, identification that the Traineeis not receiving adequate opportunities to undertake informal training andlearning or lack of appropriate supervisory staff.

‍Step 3: If, after following your RTO’s internal procedures, you still believe the RTO is breaching or has breached its legal requirements, you can submit a complaint to ASQA by completing the online complaints process available from here:  https://www.asqa.gov.au/

Please note.

ASQA cannot resolve disputes between students and training providers. ASQA’s regulatory functions allow them to collect, analyse, interpret, and disseminate information about vocational education and training. They do not have the legislative power to function as students advocate.

If the complaint is specifically about fees/payments/refund, you should contact the consumer protection agency in your state or territory as they:

●      can provide information about seeking a refund or cancellation of your course fees.

●      can provide information about your rights and obligations.

●      may be able to help you negotiate with yourtraining provider.

●      A list of state and territory consumer protection agencies can be found on the Commonwealth Ombudsman website.

Assessment Appeals

Students have the right to make an appeal against the academic decisions made by Fortress Learning.

Appeals should be made within ten (10) working days of the original decision having been made.

An appeal against an assessment decision can be made on the following grounds:

●     The student was not provided with a clear explanation of theassessment process.

●     The student needs were not taken into consideration where appropriate.

●     The assessment process did not meet the requirements of the training package.

●     The student genuinely believes there has been an administrative error in the calculation of their assessment marks; or

●      alleged bias or incompetence of the trainer.

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Seeking advice from the Directorate

Fortress Learning will always seek the Directorate’s assistance in writing where the Training Provider and the employer and/or AA cannot resolve differences of opinion about assessment.

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Assessment Appeals Process

This process applies to all students enrolled in courses delivered by Fortress Learning who wish to appeal an assessment outcome.

1. Informal Resolution (Optional but Recommended)

1. Before lodging a formal appeal, students are encouraged to:

●      Discuss their concerns with the assessor who made the decision.

●      Seek clarification on the assessment criteriaand outcome.

●      Request feedback and reassessment if appropriate.

●      If the issue remains unresolved, proceed to a formal appeal.

2. Lodging a Formal Appeal

If a student is not satisfied with the informal resolution, they may submit a formal appeal by following these steps:

2.1 Complete the Assessment Appeal Form

●      Obtain the Assessment Appeal Form from your Fortress Learning student portal.

●      Provide the following details:

○      Student Name and ID

○      Course and Unit Name

○      Assessor’s Name

○      Assessment Task and Decision Being Appealed

○      Reasons for Appeal (with supporting evidence,if applicable)

2.2 Submit theAppeal

●      The completed Assessment Appeal Form must besubmitted within 10 working days of receiving the assessment outcome.

●      Submissions can be made via email, studentportal, or in person to the Compliance Team.

●      A confirmation email will be sentacknowledging receipt of the appeal.

3. Appeal ReviewProcess

Once the appeal issubmitted:

●      Our Training Manager will review the appealfor completeness.

●      An independent assessor (not involved in theoriginal assessment) will be assigned to reassess the student’s work. Theindependent assessor will:

○      Review all evidence submitted.

○      Conduct an objective reassessment of the task.

○      Consult with the original assessor if required.

4. Appeal Outcome Notification

The student will be notified of the appeal outcome within 10 working days of submission. The possible outcomes include:

●      Originaldecision upheld – no change to theassessment result.

●      Assessmentoutcome modified – result adjustedbased on review findings.

●      Reassessmentopportunity granted – student givenanother chance to complete the task.

5. Further Escalation (If Unresolved) and record keeping

If the student remainsdissatisfied with the appeal outcome, they may:

●      Request a review by Fortress Learning’s RTO Manager.

●      Lodge a complaint with ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) if they believe the process was not managed fairly.

All appeals, reviews, andoutcomes will be documented and stored securely.

Records will be maintainedin accordance with RTO compliance and confidentiality policies.