Small Training Provider of the Year

The Small Training Provider of the Year Award recognises small registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer a range of training products and services, and that demonstrate excellence and high-level performance in all aspects of vocational education and training.

The winner of this award is nominated to enter a shortlisting process for the Australian Training Awards.


Download the South Australian Training Awards 2025 Nominations Guide

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Eligibility criteria

Your organisation must:

  • have fewer than 500 students enrolled at the time of nomination, as reported by RTOs in the most recent annual National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data collection period
  • be an RTO for which the delivery of VET is their core business
  • be approved by Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to deliver and/or assess the majority of your training in South Australia.

Only one nomination will be accepted per RTO code.

Applicants to the Small Training Provider of the Year Award may be subject to quality assurance checks by the ASQA. These checks will inform the selection process of applicants to this award category.

Conditions of entry

Preparing your nomination


Section A: Business Summary

Provide a brief description of your organisation, including the reasons why you are applying for this award.

(Limit: 500 words)

This information will not be considered or used for judging purposes, but it may be used as your summary throughout the Awards process.

Section B: Selection Criteria

Applicants will be judged against the following criteria:

How do you provide high quality VET? For example, you may consider:

  • how you demonstrate excellence and high-level performance in nationally recognised training arrangements
  • how you provide creative and innovative solutions to emerging training needs
  • the systems you have in place to manage, evaluate and enhance your VET products and services
  • how you implement and keep up with best practice
  • how your training influences best practice
  • how you measure success (e.g. outcome and completion data, satisfaction surveys, independent validations and evaluations, industry recognition, business outcomes from training activity)
  • how you undertake continuous improvement and apply quality controls within your organisation.

(Limit: 800 words)

How do you support students and meet their VET needs? For example, you may consider:

  • how you encourage access to your VET products and services
  • what support services you provide to students during their training
  • the systems you have in place to be able to reach different cohorts (e.g. online training)
  • how you are inclusive of different students’ needs
  • how you provide students with the skills they need to be successful in the workplace
  • how satisfied students are with their training
  • the success you have achieved in meeting the needs of equity groups.

(Limit: 800 words)

How do you monitor industry and market needs? For example, you may consider:

  • how you build new, innovative and effective partnerships with industry in the local or wider community
  • how you collect data on and understand industry and/or business needs and expectations
  • your capacity and flexibility to meet changing training needs and new training markets
  • how your training reflects changing industry requirements and expectations.

(Limit: 800 words)

How do you manage your business to ensure it is operating at a high quality? For example, you may consider:

  • the strategies you have in place to identify local and/or regional issues (e.g. social, economic, industrial or environmental issues) and how you incorporate these into your service delivery
  • the systems you have in place for planning and communicating your purpose, vision, goals, values and core business strategies (and for creating alignment across your whole organisation)
  • how you develop the capability and capacity of your workforce
  • the strategies you have in place to build a positive workplace culture
  • how you support employee wellbeing and positive mental health
  • how you incorporate inclusion and diversity into running your business
  • how you identify and attract new clients and new markets, and how you address these without impacting the sustainability of your operations
  • how you enrol, train and report on online learners
  • how you ensure the sustainability of your operations, including your understanding of risk and risk management.

(Limit: 800 words)

How do you demonstrate innovation in your approach to the design and delivery of training and assessment? For example, you may consider:

  • details of creativity, innovation and excellence in the design, development and delivery of training and assessment
  • how you demonstrate creativity and innovation in the design and development of your processes and techniques (operational or educational)
  • innovative methods that you use to create positive relationships or partnerships with others to enhance the effectiveness of your training and/or assessment
  • innovative approaches that you use to encourage access to training (e.g. mentoring, e-learning, collaborative learning).

(Limit: 800 words)

Attachments

Up to ten single A4 page attachments to be provided at a 100 per cent ratio, with one document per page.

All attachments need to be referenced in the nomination.

In addition, nominees for this category must submit:

  1. Official documentation listing the qualifications on their Scope of Registration.
  2. Evidence of the breakdown of enrolled student numbers in each state and territory (as provided to NCVER in the most recent annual data collection period).

Note that these attachments are not counted towards the attachment limit.

Nominations for the 2025 South Australian Training Awards are now open.

Nominate now

2025 Key Dates

23 May Nominations close
June - July Judging process
August Awards finalists announced
25 September South Australian Training Awards Gala Presentation
October - November Professional Development Program for winners in preparation for the Australian Training Awards
December Australian Training Awards