Terms & Conditions

As part of our Enrolment Policy at ESSENTIAL TRAINING, it is our aim to ensure that all learners/potential students understand the terms and conditions of enrolment prior to applying for a course of study with us.

Essential Training therefore aims to recruit students in an ethical and responsible manner by providing comprehensive information that enables students to make informed decisions about their study plan and future goals.

All staff and authorised RTO representatives dealing with student enrolments will have appropriate experience and knowledge of the industry and RTO offerings to counsel potential learners accordingly.

We pride ourselves on providing a happy, safe, comfortable and productive learning environment for students and we therefore, ask all students to be sure that the terms and conditions have been read, understood and accepted, prior to submitting an application to enrol in a course with us.

Enrolment Eligibility:

For all training offered (nationally accredited, industry accredited or non-award/customised training), enrolment eligibility of learners will be assessed against the relevant training package pre-requisite requirements (where applicable) in addition to any entry requirements stated by Essential Training – e.g. learners must be over the age of 18 and have suitable LLN levels to successfully cope with course content and completion.

By submitting your booking form or enrolment form, you are warranting that you are at least 18 years of age and accept the terms and conditions stated herein, (plus outlined in further detail in the Student Handbook) including guaranteeing the adherence to the student code of conduct and liability to make payment of all agreed course fees.

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions:

On completion of the admissions process (course application sent, received and processed by ET, confirmation issued, invoice raised for agreed course fees), you understand that you are bound by the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. Please read the Statements below carefully to ensure that you are well informed prior to paying for your course/commencing your course with us.  Further information has also been provided below as explanatory notes on important topics related to your course enrolment and course completion – all of which are covered in detail in the Student Handbook.

Terms and Conditions relating to your enrolment:

It is a condition of your enrolment that you agree to the statements listed below (these conditions are comprehensively covered in the Student Handbook, outlined in the accredited course enrolment form or short course booking form,  as well as outlined in your confirmation letter prior to course commencement).

You must:

1. conduct yourself in an honest, ethical and professional manner consistent with the values of Essential Training;
2. inform yourself and act in accordance with the rules, policies and codes of conduct (including the Student Code of Conduct) of Essential Training. Codes of Conduct are binding on all students. The Codes of Conduct define misconduct and misbehaviour – that may have disciplinary proceedings;
3. pay fees according to the fees stated and in line with the Fee Policy applicable for the type of course being undertaken; and
4. keep your contact and next-of-kin details up to date at all times.

You acknowledge and agree:

1. that you have read and understood Essential Training ‘s privacy policy and that Essential Training may collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the applicable privacy collection notices that form part of the privacy framework;
2. that Essential Training may use electronic communication methods to deliver information relevant to your studies, personal safety, and otherwise;
3. to access all information provided to you relating to your course and to read your emails regularly (email address provided to Essential Training at time of enrolment or provided by Essential Training if one was required) at least prior to course commencement and completion – and once a week for longer-term courses;
4. that Essential Training can publish information on any awards and prizes you have been awarded and, where appropriate, the results of any special achievements;
5. you are responsible for informing yourself of and complying with the requirements for your course of study (including obtaining a USI for any accredited training course enrolments for awards/certification to be issued);
6. that if you enrol in units which are contrary to course guidance provided you are responsible for the consequences resulting from enrolment in those units including any fees and penalties for late enrolments and/or changing units that you are liable for should you incur them;
7. that you have read and understood Essential Training’s Academic Integrity information to ensure all work submitted is your own – you can discuss this with your trainer/teacher at any time if you are unsure about anything you are due to submit;
8. that Essential Training reserves the right to amend tuition and/or other fees, due to changes imposed under Australian Commonwealth or State legislation or regulation;
9. that Essential Training may at any time vary these Terms and Conditions (you will be informed in writing if you are a current student), and at any time you can refer to the Terms and Conditions section on the website; and
10. Essential Training may disclose your personal information and information about your enrolment to Australian Government and State Government Agencies, where this is required or authorised by Australian law or WA State law. This may include the Australian Taxation Office, Transperth (in connection with travel concessions offered to you), the Department of Education, The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) – Immigration and Border Protection, in administering the ESOS legislation relating to learners holding specific visa types), the governing bodies and peak bodies for compliance and auditing purposes and other Australian Government agencies as required by law.

Note: Even though Essential Training may liaise with Government Agencies on your behalf related to training provided, you are still required to notify Services Australia or any other Government Agencies of any change that may affect any government payments or subsidies you may receive towards your course/studies.

Further information and explanatory notes on important enrolment/course topics:

Consumer Protection:

Essential Training protects the rights of the Learner including but not limited to the Statutory requirements for cooling-off periods.

Where you have invited negotiations for the purchase of a training product, for example, you have expressed interest in our courses or have contacted one of our sales team directly, you are considered to be a ‘solicited consumer’. All courses contain a cooling-off period, effective after you confirm your enrolment and accept the terms and conditions as contained in the Student Handbook. The cooling-off period is calculated using actual days, so weekends and public holidays are included.

Learners are eligible to cancel their enrolment by placing a formal notice of cancellation in writing to the RTO (a letter or email is acceptable) within 48 hours for Short Courses/Units of Competency, OR within seven (7) days of enrolment for longer-term courses (courses of more than one week in duration) or full qualifications, unless the Learner has already commenced the training, or enrolled in a period of less than 7 days prior to course commencement. Please refer to the ‘Fee Protection’ and ‘Refund Policy’ in the Student Handbook for terms and processes on acquiring a refund.

As part of the consumer protection guarantee, Essential Training is obligated to:

• provide a safe and healthy learning environment
• advertise the courses offered accurately and in line with the RTO’s approved scope
• provide the advertised training
• provide details of course requirements and any entry requirements/pre-requisites
• provide support necessary to allow you to achieve competency
• provide a quality training and assessment experience for all students
• provide a clear, accessible feedback and consumer protection system, including an identified student support officer
• maintain procedures for protecting consumers’ personal information

At any time, consumers may seek additional information or advice from Consumer Protection via: Consumer rights | Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (commerce.wa.gov.au)

 Fees and Pricing Information

• All applicable fees related to the course, services or certification are clearly outlined in the Course Information provided on our website or via a comprehensive quote issued for any customised training requested.
• Our course fees include all learning and assessment resources and study materials for the course as well as the required learner support you will receive during your course. However, additional fees may be charged for extra services or provisions outside of the standard course requirements – e.g. reprinting of certificates, re-assessment fees etc. All applicable fees that may be charged in a particular circumstance are outlined in the Student Handbook.
• Course fees do not include the provision of computers/devices for online/e-learning course work or assessment, however, free wifi/internet access is provided to all learners while on campus.
• All fees due are stated in Australian Dollars (AUD)
• For any course fees where GST is applicable, this is clearly stated. GST is not charged on nationally recognised/accredited training.
• No fee refunds are applicable for missed training days due to learner absenteeism or training programs that include a national or state public holiday within the course timetable.
• Fees are payable upfront, once your enrolment has been confirmed (enrolment/booking form is processed, entry requirements have been met and confirmation letter has been provided), your invoice will stipulate a due date, however, ideally this should always be paid prior to course commencement. Payment Plans may be arranged for longer-term courses (over 1 week in duration). Any approved payment plans will clearly identify the duration of the plan, the amount and frequency of contributions required (due dates for each payment instalment) and all fees must be finalised prior to course completion.
• For ALL courses, no AQF Certification, Statements of Attainment, or Certificates of Completion can be issued until all due fees are paid in full.

 Refunds and Cancellations (General Information) :

Refund of Course Fees Information pertaining to the refund of course fees will be in line with the enrolment type – i.e. The refund policy will differ slightly depending on the course type (short course, accredited course or longer-term course/qualification).

Once the cooling off period has passed, the full refund/cancellation policy will apply that is outlined in detail in the Student Handbook on pages 24-29.

Note that all requests for withdrawal or course cancellation must be received in writing to training@et.wa.edu.au or via student support at: info@et.wa.edu.au and must be received prior to the expiration of the applicable cooling off period, otherwise full fees apply as per the terms and conditions of Refunds and Cancellations.

Students who have opted to pay their course off by payment plan or instalments are bound by the same refund terms and conditions. All outstanding fees and charges apply and must be finalised within the agreed timeframe. Termination of enrolment does not provide for a refund or waiver of future fees. Extenuating circumstances which can be evidenced and verified may lead to a separate formal arrangement such as course extension, or payment extension – ALL special/individual arrangements are made solely at the discretion of the RTO’s CEO or Delegated Authority, or may be put in place where the provider has defaulted on delivery.

Refunds and Cancellations for SHORT COURSES (with a duration of one week or less):

Refund applicable for current courses on offer (Short Courses – 5 days or less, and/or Units of Competency) – Extracted from Student Handbook:

• Learners who give written notice to cancel their enrolment at least 7 days prior to the commencement of training will be entitled to a full refund of fees paid. *Note: Students who enrol in studies where there is an e-learning/online component required prior to a practical course/training date, are deemed to have commenced studies if they open/access their learning material via the LMS.
• Learners who give notice to cancel their enrolment less than 7 days prior to the commencement of a program will be entitled to a 75% refund of fees paid/fees due. The amount retained (25%) by Essential Training is required to cover the costs of administration work and resources which will have already been committed based on the Learner’s initial intention to undertake the training, as well as potential re-scheduling logistics.
• Learners who cancel their enrolment within 1 full business day (or less) prior to training commencing will not be entitled to a refund of fees. However, where possible, Essential Training will make every effort to re-schedule the training for them into another course (course scheduling and capacity permitting).

Course Progress and Support:

As a student enrolled with Essential Training, it is important that you are aware of the services and support available to you during your studies. All students are provided with adequate monitoring and support to ensure they progress through their studies as planned. Additionally, all students have the following rights while enrolled:

• Fair and equitable treatment at all times, including access to all programs available on scope (subject to the relevant entry and LLN requirements).
• Proper access to the required support, training, and assessment as necessary to successfully complete the training they have enrolled in, regardless of location or mode of delivery.
• Access to student records held by Essential Training. These may be accessed by students at any time – either under supervision or extracts of records can be provided. Records held may include personal details, course progress information, intervention strategies in place or learner support plans, payment information, assessment results and certification documentation.

Course requirements

It is important to review the course requirements prior to enrolling. These are clearly stated in the Course Information provided for each course under the ‘Course Entry Requirements’ section, in addition to being outlined again in the Course Confirmation letters issued prior to course commencement.

Important items to be aware of include (but are not limited to):

• Internet access and your own personal portable electronic device or PC is required to access online learning content for courses with e-Learning components included.
• LLN level required to successfully participate in the course and attempt the required assessment/s.
• Health and fitness levels required to carry out physical tasks that are applicable to practical demonstrations for assessment.
• Age requirements (Essential Training is an adult education provider)

 Complaints and appeals:

Essential Training acknowledges that complaints may arise from time to time. It is Essential Training’s policy to address any complaint or appeal in a responsible, respectful and timely manner which is at no cost to the complainant/appellant.

Our comprehensive Complaints and Appeals policy and procedure is outlined in detail on pages 21-23 of the Student Handbook.

Data and Privacy:

The Privacy Act 1988 requires us to have a Privacy Policy in place. Essential Training provides a comprehensive Privacy Policy that is regularly reviewed and available on our website at all times. Please view our privacy policy via the link provided below to ensure that you are aware of what kind of personal and sensitive information we collect, why we collect it, how we use the information supplied and how we handle or store personal information.

Personal Information is information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.

Sensitive information is a subset of personal information and can include information or an opinion about your:

• Identification and contact details
• Employment status and/or employer details
• Financial situation
• Cultural and linguistic background
• Ethnic origin and citizen or visa status
• Religious beliefs or affiliations
• Sexual orientation
• Criminal record or history
• Health and welfare information (including any disabilities or medical conditions)
• Family circumstances or dependants

We only collect personal and/or sensitive information about you when it’s reasonably necessary for, or directly related to our RTO functions, activities and compliance with our governing Standards.

Data Exchanges:

Data exchange also occurs when we exchange data with other entities or agencies – we only do this to comply with relevant legislation to collect accurate and up to date information about our learners. The third parties (other entities that we may be required to provide your information to is clearly outlined in the Privacy Policy.

Financial Information:

At no time do we collect or store payment information together with your personal or sensitive information.

For cyber security purposes, we utilise a secure online payment gateway for any credit card payments and we request bank transfer payments as our preferred method of payment for tracking purposes in addition to reducing potential fraudulent activity related to the provision or storage of financial information.

> Click here to view our Privacy Policy

Workplace Health and Safety

Essential Training recognises the importance of providing a safe and healthy environment for Learners, staff and visitors during their participation in work and training activities with the organisation.

Extensive WHS Policies and Procedures are in place to protect all stakeholders and all learners are required to follow safety directions provided by Essential Training staff at all times. Learners are also encouraged to report any identified hazards or safety issues while on campus or at an approved training site.