QLD Schools - Marketing External Qualifications

Can you change another RTO’s content to suit your formatting requirements??

Hmm good question…

Although most people would say NO, it’s not OK to change another RTO’s branding or content - this is exactly what is happening to some RTOs delivering through third party arrangements with schools.

Image by Beckie Hermans

Scenario

The External RTO has provided content with a logo to be marketed in the Curriculum Handbook and/or on the school’s website. The RTO Manager has checked that everything is accurate and approved the Curriculum Handbook for publication. The administrative team format the Handbook, taking off the External RTO’s logo and changing the content so that all the pages are consistent and reflect the schools branding requirements, which is their job.

Is this okay?

NO, the External RTO MUST approve ANY changes to its content or marketing. It is a huge risk to the External RTO if the school changes any part of their marketing information as they are the RTO responsible for issuing the certification and are subject to the requirements of Standard 4.1.

In short…from:

ASQA’s Marketing and Advertising Fact Sheet

From the External RTO viewpoint - ‘When a third party provides information on behalf of your RTO, your RTO remains ultimately responsible ensuring the requirements of the Standards for RTOs 2015 are met.’

Another consideration is that the External RTO may well use these mediums to market to the wider community, so if the branding is removed they are not as recognisable and their marketing loses its impact. Most RTOs wouldn’t be happy with that I would think!

All marketing should have a final check by the RTO Manager prior to publication to avoid this issue.