Our Team
Fortress Learning has a team of dedicated and specialised people at the ready, to support you through your learning.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We know there will always be queries when embarking on something new, which is why we’ve created a list of the questions we are commonly asked.
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TAE50116/50216 Diplomas
These are the latest TAE Diploma courses and are perfect for people who want to stand tall in the Vocational Education and Training Sector.
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TAE40116 Cert IV in Training & Assessment
Keen to enter the training industry or want to refine your skills in a current training position? Then this course is for you!
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Adult Literacy & Numeracy
TAELLN501 provides the knowledge and skills critical for any training professional, to assist others with language and literacy challenges they may have.
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How to Enrol
Committing to training is a big decision – we want to make sure the process of enrolling is any easy one, so you can get on with learning!
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Business Studies
With 6 combinations from 3 Diplomas, and 31 subjects to choose from, our Business program will give you the competitive edge in your chosen profession.
Whether the single Diploma of Business or the very popular Triple Diploma of Business, Business Administration and Leadership & Management, your program will put your goals first.
Learn moreOur Courses
Our Courses
Whether you are an experienced training professional, or just starting out in the training industry, Fortress Learning offers nationally accredited Training & Assessment and Business courses for people who are serious about more than the piece of paper.
We look at each person individually and take the time to work out where you are now, where you want to be and what you need to bridge the gap. As a result, our training plans are highly tailored. We have a refreshingly progressive approach to recognition of prior learning (RPL) and all of our materials are delivered online. You will be partnered with an experienced trainer who will walk with you and who wants you to succeed. Since 2009, Fortress Learning has supported more than 3500 people through nationally accredited training programs aimed at training professionals.
Our programs are designed especially for people who need an affordable and flexible training program that does not compromise on quality.
The snapshots below introduce our programs.
We invite you to explore them further, and to be in touch when you would like to explore a possible fit between what you seek and what we offer.
You can call us on 1300 141 994 or fill out the Contact Form.
Training & Assessment
Diploma of Vocational Education & Training (TAE50111/TAE50116)
Yes, we have the latest TAE50116 on our Scope of Registration.
This course is now the minimum qualification you must hold in order to train and assess others in TAE40110 and TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training & Assessment and is perfect for those who want to continue their professional development to become better leaders and educators.
Diploma of Training Design & Development (TAE50216)
This course is for experienced vocational training designers and those who are responsible for the process of developing training – from understanding needs, designing solutions and delivering best practice.
Dual TAE Diplomas (TAE50116/TAE50216)
This dual qualification makes the most of the overlap between the very latest two TAE Diplomas and is designed for trainers already working in the Vocational Education and Training Sector looking for a professional development opportunity. It includes TAE50111/TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education & Training and TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design & Development.
TAE Diploma Upgrades (TAE50116/TAE50216)
Our Upgrade Programs allow you to gain the very latest TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education & Training and TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design & Development, using your previous Diploma studies.
Certificate IV in Training & Assessment (TAE40116)
This qualification suits those who are wanting to enter the training industry, or those who are responsible for delivering accredited training and assessing skill levels of a trainee or apprentice within the workspace.
TAE Cert IV Upgrades (TAE40116)
Our Upgrade Programs allow you to gain the very latest TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, based on the combination of the TAE40110 Cert IV you have completed and experience you have gained since then.
TAELLN411 Address Adult Language, Literacy & Numeracy Skills
Every learner in the Vocational Education Sector is faced with new language and literacy challenges. As a vocational trainer you need to be able to help your learners foster and make evident these skill sets. This course enables you to develop these skills and deliver to those who need it most.
TAEASS502 Design & Develop Assessment Tools
Quality assessment is the hallmark of a strong VET sector. As a professional you understand the need to create tools for a range of purposes and be able to review and refine them. This is the very latest version of this unit which is a core unit in TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, and is already part of the TAE50111 Diploma in Vocational Education & Training.
TAELLN501 Support the Development of Adult LLN Skills
It’s been a while coming, but this unit is now a core unit in the new TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education & Training (which we offer). The TAELLN501 unit enables you to implement strategies to support your learners, and to support your colleagues to support their learners, too.
Business Studies
Business Upgrade Program
If you have completed an earlier version of the BSB50207 Diploma of Business, BSB51107 Diploma of Management or BSB50407 Diploma of Business Administration, then upgrading may be as simple as demonstrating your currency.
BSB50215 Diploma of Business
This introduction to the diverse world of business provides you with the skills and knowledge required to efficiently and systematically enhance business effectiveness.
BSB50415 Diploma of Business Administration
Keen to move on from the basics of administration? Running an efficient administrative operation is so much easier to do when you have the skills and knowledge gained through the BSB50415 Diploma of Business Administration.
BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership & Management
The BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management is an exciting new qualification, developed in response to the many challenges faced by Managers in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Developed from and superseding the BSB51107 Diploma of Management it now includes a number of interesting new areas of study, providing you with up to the minute skills which will distinguish you from your peers.
Dual BSB50215 Diploma of Business/BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership & Management
An understanding of the leadership process forms the foundation on which to build your management skills. Learn to effectively manage others and help and assist them to do their very best while also focussing your attention on the growth of your business throughout this dual qualification.
Dual BSB50215 Diploma of Business/BSB51915 Diploma of Business Administration
Essential business management and administrative skills, the focus of this most popular dual Diploma, provide you with the expertise to productively manage both the financial and administrative operations of an organisation.
Dual BSB50415 Diploma of Business Administration/BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership & Management (BSB50415/BSB51915)
Some people can ‘do administration’, others can ‘do management’, but few can do both. This Dual Diploma program offers the knowledge and skills to confidently act across a broader range of operations within any organisation.
Triple BSB50215 Diploma of Business/BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership & Management/BSB50415 Business Administration
Feel confident about dealing with the many challenges faced by Managers in today’s rapidly changing business environment and fast track your career with this savvy combination of business qualifications.
Combination Programs
We can offer a variety of combination programs to suit your needs, making the most of the Qualification Packaging Rules to reduce the total number of units needed.
Two examples are:
TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education & Training and BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership & Management
TAE50216 Diploma of Training Design & Development and BSB50215 Diploma of Business
Speak with us to see how we can help you achieve your particular goals.
Popular Posts
How does Fortress Learning respond to the challenges of online learning?
Let’s face it, learning online can be rewarding, affordable and convenient. But if not managed well it can be a lonely path filled with anxiety and uncertainty. So, how will Fortress help you have a great experience learning online?
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Online Learning versus Face-to-Face: Which is better?
We asked 300 people to tell us which was better: online or face-to-face learning. This article summarises their opinions and will give you some food for thought when making your own decisions.
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What do our students want, really?
We crunched 5 years of data to find out what Fortress students want from their us, and found they want three things.
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Personal Learning Plans
No two people are the same.
For us, making you jump through the same hoops as everyone else just doesn’t make sense.
That’s why we collect a bit more information from you before you start, and use it to tailor your own Personal Learning Plan.
Quite simply, every student who enrols has a course of study put together just for them.
Your Personal Learning Plan becomes your unique roadmap for how you can make your way through the course. It reflects your unique set of knowledge and skills, and allows us both to move forward with confidence.
It will tell you three things:
1. where you might be eligible for Recognition
2. which items of evidence you need to provide to support this Recognition
3. which tasks you need to do to fulfil any remaining course requirements.
Your Personal Learning Plan has a single goal: to ensure that your course best suits your situation. Experience tells us that this focuses us both on just those hoops that matter for you, saving both time and reducing frustration.
Your FREE Personal Learning Plan
To help you make an informed decision about your Cert IV TAE, we are happy to develop a FREE Personal Learning Plan for you. Just send an email to [email protected] and Amy will look after it for you.
Case Study 1 – GARY – ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
The Summary:
- Gary has been working for about 15 years, with the last 7 years in a supervisory role. In this role, Gary has to manage the performance of other staff, and provide them with any necessary training.
- Gary also does some voluntary work with the local Rural Fire Brigade, and this has involved him in putting together and conducting a training program for other volunteers
- More recently, Gary has attended some training offered by the Rural Fire Brigade in the area of assessment, specifically covering three units: TAEASS301B, TAEASS401A and TAEASS402A.
- Gary has a Diploma in Business. According to the Fortress Learning learning inventory, he is an Activist.
Gary’s Course
Based on the details provided, Gary could be eligible for a number of units by Recognition of Prior Learning, some by Direct Credit and some others through the completion of coursework.
To fulfil course requirements, Gary will need to provide a range of items, including:
- Other Evidence – such as Diploma of Business, CV and current position description
- Third Party Reports – to be completed for each unit for which Gary is seeking recognition of prior learning, using the templates that we provide
- Coursework – short answer questions related to the Design and Delivery Fields and A project to develop a training program that addresses fully the requirements of two units of competency
Putting it all together
- Gary will gain Direct Credit for the TAE units that he has already completed, as well as for one of the units completed as part of his Diploma in Business.
- Other evidence will demonstrate his ability with respect to the underpinning skills component of one Design unit and all Delivery units, which means he will not need to do the corresponding projects.
- His evidence does not extend to include the underpinning knowledge for these units, and so he can demonstrate those parts of the course by completing Short Answer Questions 1 and 2. The practical skills of the other Design unit can be demonstrated through completion of Project 1a.
- The Third Party Reports enable judgement of the currency of Gary’s skills.
Case Study 2 – SUSAN – ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
The Summary:
- Susan is new to her current role. Prior to re-entering the workforce, she cared for her three children for 3 years.
- Her work experience is limited to sales-type roles in retail stores, with no formal qualifications completed in the past 7 years.
- Susan has indicated that even if she is eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning, she would prefer to do the whole course.
Susan’s Course
Based on the details provided, Susan would be required to complete the full course of study through coursework. Our advice to Susan is that she should do the course in the following way:
- Do one set of Short Answer Questions at a time, then complete the corresponding projects.
- Start with the Short Answer Questions for the Design Field, then move to Deliver and conclude with Assess.
- Whenever she gets bored with a set of Short Answer Questions, we advise that she jump into a corresponding Project and do as much of it until she gets stuck, then return to the Short Answer Questions.
Repeating this process will enable Susan to complete the course in line with her preferred learning style.
Case Study 3 – ELAINE – DISABILITY SERVICES WORKER/PART TIME TAFE TEACHER
The Summary:
- Elaine has worked in disability support for 8 years. She has received lots of training for that role, and has recently accepted the role of part-time teacher at TAFE to share her experience.
- Elaine is keen to get as much of her studies completed before the term starts in 3 weeks. Her Disability Services Worker role involves supporting people with disabilities to live within the community.
- She has qualifications at the Certificate IV and Diploma level in Aged Care, as well as completing 3 years of a 4 year Bachelor of Education degree.
Elaine’s Course
Based on the details provided, Elaine is advised to plan her studies in line with her TAFE calendar. Further conversations reveal that TAFE will be providing a mentor for Elaine for the first 6 months of her work with TAFE. As a part-time staff member she is not required to attend departmental meetings where validation and moderation occurs.
Elaine completes all Short Answer Questions prior to commencing the next term.
Projects related to the Design, Deliver and Assess components of the course are renegotiated with Elaine to allow them to more closely align with the work she is doing. Instead of separate projects, the new task takes the form of a portfolio of items that Elaine develops as she moves through her first term of teaching. This includes:
- Term planning documents.
- Session planning documents.
- Term planning documents.
- Session planning documents.
- Sample resources.
- Feedback from students.
Assessment instruments, including completed ones showing feedback to the student.
Elaine negotiates with her mentor and current employer to attend the TAFE departmental meetings, during which time she participates in the two validation meetings required.
A Third Party Report from Elaine’s mentor is also obtained, to offer further evidence of her currency of competency.
Our Service Standards
Dip VET/TDD
RPL for the Dip VET/TDD: the Top 5 Places People Get it Wrong
Experienced VET professionals usually find RPL for the Dip VET/TDD not too difficult, but there are a few things that people seem to miss. We crunched some data on 100 RPL assessments and found a few places where people seem to need some help. Take a look: Take a look, and then take a look […]
Continuing Incompetence – The loophole that will undermine the quality of the new TAE Cert IV.
The TAE Cert IV cannot be trusted. It is common knowledge that holding one does not actually mean you have the skills and knowledge that it is meant to reflect. That’s why the powers that be have gone to a lot of effort to ensure that Trainers and Assessors are suitably skilled to make a […]
Wanting RPL for your TAE Cert IV or Dip VET? The first step is to make sure that you are competent.
To get RPL for any course of study, be it a single Unit or an entire Qualification, means that you can demonstrate that you are competent in all areas of the course. This might seem a bit basic, but experience tells me that there are many people who either wish to shortcut the RPL process, or […]
The Three Reasons Why People Don’t Finish Their Diploma of VET or Diploma of TDD
While we go to great lengths to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible, the reality is that not all people who commence their Diploma of Vocational Education & Training or Diploma of Training Design & Development will complete it.
How did we apply for the new TAE40116 Cert IV TAE and TAE50116 Dip VET.
We submitted our application to have the newest Cert IV TAE and Dip VET in early June. Since then, we have had a steady stream of people asking how we went about it since there seems to be general consensus that the whole thing is a bit of a mess, really (see image of my […]
How did we come up with our fees for the TAE Diploma Upgrades?
Where did your upgrade fees come from? It’s a fair question, and one that is easy to answer. Our TAE Diploma Upgrade Program fees were calculated after considering two questions. Let’s take a look at them both.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Fortress Learning Dip VET/TDD Program
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS DIPLOMA PROGRAM? This is a fully accredited and complete course of study that allows you to gain the nationally recognised TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education & Training and TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design & Development. It is the same course that TAFE and other Registered Training Organisations deliver, and also […]
How does Fortress Learning respond to the challenges of online learning?
It starts by listening. One thing our staff like to do is listen. It’s a skill we look for when recruiting our people. We like to listen because that tells us if our students are succeeding, and we want to know that for the simple reason that if they don’t succeed, then neither do we. […]
How and When to Upgrade your TAE Diplomas – Dip VET and Dip TDD
The new TAE Training Package that came out in April 2016 had a few changes. Understanding those changes is key to understanding how best to upgrade your TAE Diplomas, and when to do it. This article will introduce what has not changed, what has changed and what it all means. It will finish with some […]
What did you say? Why people are choosing – and not choosing – a TAE Diploma Upgrade.
We have said before that the question of a TAE Diploma Upgrade to the new TAE50116 Dip VET and TAE50216 Dip TDD is a personal one. In the most simple terms, it is not for everyone. But since Fortress Learning was granted approval to deliver the new TAE50116 Dip VET, we have had a steady […]
My Role as Your Trainer (Infographic)
Trainers don’t just train. They listen, they learn, they plan, they adapt, they help, they soothe, they challenge and they tolerate. Students expect all this, and often more besides. But, for a Trainer to be effective at training, they must be very clear about what is most important.
An Overview of the Requirements of the Dip VET & Dip TDD Units of Competency
To help you make an informed decision, the following questions allow you the chance to quickly self-assess your likelihood of gaining RPL for some or all of the units. You will see the questions are ordered by unit. If you can answer all questions that relate to a particular unit, then you may well gain […]
Some questions about ASQA’s new Provider Profile
How ASQA chooses to do stuff has a lot to do with risk management. Until recently, this was based on a Risk Rating that they gave each RTO. That score used to essentially inform how closely they would be watching any particular RTO. This is changing to a new system, called the Provider Risk Profile, […]
What’s with the TAE, and should you even bother to Upgrade to the new TAE50116 or TAE50216 TAE Diplomas?
The question about whether or not you should bother upgrading your TAE Diploma really is about looking at what is happening outside and then asking what you want to happen inside. It’s a personal thing.
Dear Future Student
Dear future student Soon, you will be starting a journey of sorts. It could be an amazingly wonderful experience filled with great moments of illumination, or it could be aching drudgery. It will probably be a bit of both. Either way, we will be in it together. In many ways, it is like going for […]
What’s more powerful than reputation, price and support in generating referrals? The Fortress Learning experience. (Infographic)
Reputation, price and support are the main reasons people choose to enrol in their Cert IV TAE, Dip TAE or Business Diploma with Fortress Learning. How do we know that? We ask them at the beginning: we want to know what they are expecting so we know what to do for them. But then something interesting […]
Why people refer Fortress Learning: The Top 5 Reasons
Over half of our students come from word of mouth. If you are thinking about enrolling with us, then you might want to know why so many people who do our courses are happy to recommend us to their friends and colleagues. This infographic shows the top 5 reasons. We are pretty happy with that […]
Why customer ratings may not give a true indication of a training provider’s quality
If I love hot and spicy food but you don’t, then I might give a restaurant a better review for a dish than you. Then, the next time you go looking for information about that restaurant, you might see
Why response times matter for Cert IV TAE and Dip VET online learners.
If there is one thing we have learned over our years of training Cert IV TAE and Dip VET students, it is this: people don’t just like to know what is happening, they need to know when it will happen. Everyone is busy. Our students are busy professionals who are juggling the often competing demands […]
Pieces of Paper Say More about Attitude than Skills
Bernard Salt was giving advice in his Weekend Australian column. He reckons that being over 50, he is entitled to do so (with the European cruise to come later, in his 60s). Anyway, his advice was to kids, and it was simply two things that he believes are required to ensure career and/or business success. […]
Why the new TAE must cost more
I believe the asking price for the new Cert IV TAE and Dip VET will go up. Why? The TAE has become a commodity. The number of RTOs advertising the qualification has, in recent years, exploded. The number of people demanding the qualification has also increased, with many of these people not really needing all […]
Why is Fortress Learning investing in VET research?
When we advertised the role of Research Coordinator we expected some people to ask about the job and see whether it might fit with them. What we didn’t expect was the level of interest in why we are wanting to conduct research in VET in the first place. This idea is one that has been […]
Studying your Cert IV TAE: 10 strategies to decimate distractions
Life is full of distractions (we promise this article isn’t one of them). When it comes to completing your online Cert IV TAE course – or any other course for that matter – distractions could be the difference between success and failure. We all know how good it feels to be completely consumed by a task and […]
There is only try. Or, why Yoda needs a footnote.
Do or do not. There is no try. Chances are we can all recall the scene. Yoda was getting Luke to do something that Luke was not confident with – lifting rocks with his mind or some-such. At the risk of pitting my wisdom against that of Yoda, I must disagree. Well, until yesterday I […]
Individualised RPL process for the Cert IV TAE and Dip VET
Every now and then, a graduating student writes a Review that we believe really captures what we try to do, in this case about RPL for the Cert IV TAE and Dip VET. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think […]
What we are doing about the new Dip TAE, Dip VET, Dip TDD … or whatever else they are called.
Well, this new TAE Training Package has certainly got people talking! I thought I’d best tell you what is going to happen with the new Diplomas. The Summary: We have the new Dip TDD on Scope, and have applied for the new Dip VET. Any student who enrolled in the old Dip TDD is being […]
Dip VET-DipTDD: The way things should be done.
Every now and then, a graduating student writes a Review that we believe really captures what we try to do; this time, it is about the Dual Dip VET – Dip TDD program. Instead of them ending up hidden among the others, we will share them with you, and try to explain why we think […]
It just depends: Online versus Face-to-Face?
This article will seek to summarise the recurring themes that emerged from a survey of 300 people, drawn mostly from a number of Linkedin and Facebook groups related to VET and higher education. Where used here, the responses of participants will be in italics – other than correcting a few typos, the comments are […]
Cert IV TAE
Should I Upgrade my Cert IV TAE or just do the Dip VET? Why not have the Option of doing both?
As we move away from the TAE40110 Cert IV TAE, more and more people are questioning the value of the qualification: Do I even need a Cert IV TAE anymore? Should I just do the Dip VET? It is a great question, but one that is not so easily answered. There certainly is a shift […]
The value of the TAE40110 for your career
Most people begin their TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment with some very clear goals in mind. These range from needing to get it because they need to update their qualification, it’s a requirement of a new job they would like to get or they may just want to gather more skills. I always […]
Do you Recognise Competency when you See it?
When you see someone performing their work, can you tell if they are competent or not? If someone is highly competent in their work, most of us can recognise it right off. We don’t recognise it so much by what they do, or even by how they do it, we recognise it by their attitude. […]
Dear Future Student
Dear future student Soon, you will be starting a journey of sorts. It could be an amazingly wonderful experience filled with great moments of illumination, or it could be aching drudgery. It will probably be a bit of both. Either way, we will be in it together. In many ways, it is like going for […]