Serve It Up (SIU) is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) with the registration number 22542, providing Vocational Education and Training (VET).

What sets us apart from other colleges is that we get to know every student; you will be more than just a number to us, you will be part of our family. You have more one-on-one attention and support and, as we have smaller classes than a large college, it’s easier for us to help you find work.

We believe in real skills for real jobs and we take the extra time to customise our course materials and create new and innovative ways of delivering course content. SIU has several industry partners and we have a dedicated team to build our employer networks for placements and employment opportunities for our students. 

SIU complies with the standards administered by the Victorian Qualification & Registration Authority (VRQA).

Our Head Office is 39/617-643 Spencer Street, West Melbourne, 3003. Our administration team work from here, alongside classrooms, training bars and a restaurant and event space.

     Guide to this Handbook

The information contained in this Handbook includes important details about how our RTO works, what you can expect from us and your rights and obligations as a student. Please read this handbook carefully and ask questions about anything you do not understand.

If you require further information on any of our policies and procedures, please contact the office and we will happily provide that information to you.

If you are a trainee, please also refer to the Traineeship Handbook on our website.

We hope you choose to study with us and join our family.

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Helpful Contacts & Useful Links

DOWNLOAD the course brochure and the statement of fees from www.serveitup.com.au and do some research on the course you are interested in studying.

INVITATION You will receive an invitation from SIU or one of our approved brokers asking you to attend the next information session for your course. Alternatively, you can chat to us about our courses at any time by filling out the “contact us” panel on our website, visiting our Head Office or calling 1300 555 748.

INFORMATION SESSION Attend the information session, where all course details are advised, and ask any necessary questions you may have to the trainer and SIU staff member. If you decide the course is for you, you will be given a Pre-Training Review (PTR) to ensure you meet the literacy and numeracy and other standards required. If both you and the trainer agree the course is appropriate, you’ll be sent a link to complete an Enrolment Form online. Read this Student Handbook to ensure you understand attendance requirements and other policies and procedures prior to confirming your enrolment.

START STUDYING We begin new classes each week, with options to study mornings, afternoons or evenings.

SIU conducts a detailed Pre-Training Review of a prospective student’s training needs to establish whether the course in question is appropriate for their needs.

Our review includes:

• Discussing why you wish to enrol in the qualification
• Ensuring understanding of training and assessment methods for the qualification you have chosen.
• Self-assessment of your digital literacy
• Discussion between you and the trainer to identify any additional support that you may require

     Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

If you want to obtain credit for skills and experiences you already have, please provide us with a completed RPL application form with a copy of your resume. Fees will apply for this service.

     Credit Transfer (CT)

If you have qualifications from previous studies, please note the details on your Pre-Training review form. You will be required to provide a Statement of Attainment. Once SIU has verified the documents, a Credit Transfer will be applied. In some situations, we recommend still attending the class as the context could be different, but you will not be required to undertake assessment for any credit transfer units. No fees apply.

     Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN)

Your LLN levels are assessed during your Pre-Training Review. The LLN assessment is an indicator of how your skills match the levels of the course. The assessment helps us to determine what kind of support you might require to successfully complete the course.

To successfully complete most training, you will need:

• Reading competencies sufficient to understand class materials and documentation used typically within industry (such as technical literature, standards documentation, procedure manuals).
• Writing skills sufficient to prepare notes and assignments on knowledge gained from classes, group discussions, industry experience, literature reviews, procedures, journals and to participate in written assessment exercises.
• Personal organisational skills sufficient to work independently, self-manage learning activities and prepare material for presentation in class and to assessors in accordance with an agreed schedule;
• Communication skills sufficient to engage in group discussion issues in your area of training and to present work in class and to assessors;
• Numeracy skills sufficient to perform basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) using a calculator.
• Digital literacy sufficient to access and browse the internet, log into a website, watching videos and read text online.

If you do not have some or all these skills, you may be eligible for Foundation Skills training. This will be discussed with you at your Pre-Training Review.

     Online Service Standards

Certain parts of the course are undertaken online so, as part of your Pre-Training Review, we will assess your digital and online literacy. We will endeavour to provide reasonable adjustment to students who, for various reasons, may not be able to complete online elements of the course. Please refer to our Online Service Standards as outlined on our website, which outlines support, learning and assessment requirements.

     Enrolment

The enrolment form will collect your personal details, data that is required to be reported to various government departments and outlines the terms and conditions of enrolling with SIU along with:

     Victorian Student Number (VSN)

Since 2009 in schools and since 2011 for vocational education and training (VET) organisations and Adult Community Education providers, a Victorian Student Number (VSN) has been allocated upon enrolment to each individual student aged up to 24 years. Students should report their VSN on all subsequent enrolments at a Victorian school or training organisation. In particular, all students who are currently enrolled in either a VET provider or a Victorian school (including those already participating in a VET in schools program) should obtain their VSN from their current education or training organisation and report their VSN on this enrolment form. Students who are enrolling for the first time since the VSN was introduced will get a new VSN.

SIU ensures that it complies with Victorian Student Number (VSN) reporting requirements and Unique Student Identifier (USI) requirements and includes the VSN as specified in the Victorian VET Student Statistical Collection Guidelines.

     Unique Student Identifier (USI)

All students undertaking a nationally recognised vocational training program are required to have a USI. You can apply for a USI directly or request that SIU apply for a USI on your behalf.

If you're studying nationally recognised training in Australia from 1 January 2015, you will be required to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). Your USI links to an online account that contains all your training records and results (transcript) that you have completed from 1 January 2015 onwards. When applying for a job or enrolling in further study, you will often need to provide your training records and results (transcript). One of the main benefits of the USI is the ability to provide students with easy access to their training records and results (transcript) throughout their life. You can access your USI account online from your computer, tablet or smart phone anytime. 

SIU will ask you for your USI (if you have one) at enrolment. We will help you to locate your USI if you can’t recall it or we can apply for your USI on your behalf, if you grant us permission on your enrolment form.  When SIU applies for a USI on your behalf it will have access to previous study records unless you deny this access, via the online portal.

Your USI will not be disclosed to anyone/company except as allowed by the Privacy Act 988. Refer to www.usi.gov.au for more information on your USI.

Serve It Up is a trading name of Serve It Up Training Pty Ltd. When we verify or create your USI, you will receive an email to notify you that Serve It Up Training Pty Ltd has verified or created your USI.

We can be prevented from issuing you with a nationally recognised VET qualification or statement of attainment when you complete your course if you do not have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). If you have not yet obtained a USI you can create one at the USI website. If you would like us to apply for a USI on your behalf you must authorise us to do so and declare that you have read the privacy notice on the USI website. Refer to www.usi.gov.au for more information on your USI.

     Eligibility for Government Subsidised Training

You may be eligible for a government subsidised place. This is called the Skills First Program. If you are eligible, the government will contribute to the cost of your training. To check your individual eligibility, or if you want further course information, call or email the office. There are limitations to using the Skills First Funding; you need to make sure you are enrolling in the right course, as it may affect your access to future government funding. Please refer to our website for more information on which courses have access to funding and associated fees.

You can check your eligibility and funding conditions online at Victorian Skills gateway. You can begin up to two government subsidised courses in one year and do up to two government subsidised courses at the same time if eligible. (These limits may not apply to Apprenticeships. For more information on these courses speak with an authorized delegate of SIU.) You can begin up to two government subsidised courses at the same qualification level (other than Foundation Skills) in your lifetime, regardless of whether you complete them. There is no lifetime limit on the number of Foundation Skills courses you can begin.

     Basic Skills First Funding Information

• You must be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand Citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident or are referred from either the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre or the Australian Red Cross Victims of Human Trafficking Program.
• You must be up-skilling to a higher qualification if you already hold one.
• Unless you’re under 20 years old at the 1st of January this year OR
• You’re enrolling in a Foundation Skills List course OR
• You’re enrolling as an Apprentice
• You can enrol in only two government subsidised courses in one year.
• You can undertake up to two funded courses at any one time.
• You can only ever begin a maximum of two funded courses at the same qualification level.
• Other eligibility criteria may apply.

     Prior Qualifications & Funding

SIU is required to collect information about the highest Australian qualification you have obtained as well as any other courses commenced or due to commence; this is to establish your suitability for the course and your eligibility for potential funding. If you provide incorrect information or omit information about current, past or future courses, and this results in your ineligibility for funding, then SIU has the right to change your fee structure to the appropriate tuition fee as listed on our website.

Contact SIU Student Support on:

• info@serveitup.com.au
• 1300 555 748

Student Support can help provide advice or direction to other services, such as:

• Student learning assistance
• Welfare services
• Accommodation services
• Financial support services
• Health and disability services
• IT support
• English language support (relative to the course)
• Facilities and resource
• Career Support & Job Application

Trainer/Assessors - Trainers are available for questions and additional help offered at the end of class. Any queries sent to trainers by students via email will be answered as soon as possible. Assessments submitted will be marked by the trainer according to the marking guidelines. Your trainer will provide feedback on your assessments at your next session or, if face to face classes have finished, via phone call or email.

One on One Student Support Bookings - One on one sessions are available with our student support trainer and assessor. Student Support is available for students who need additional help working through any learning material or assessments after first attending the class. Online student that require extra assistance can also book into one on one sessions or complete the unit in the classroom. SIU can offer support to students who need additional language, literacy or numeracy support. These services can vary depending on individual student requirements.

Administration Team - The administration team located at our Head Office are available from Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm (public holiday excluded) for any queries the student may have in relation to their class or course. The team are always willing to assist as much as we can. If you call the office directly, we aim to resolve your query there and then. On occasion it will be necessary to escalate the query within the office. We aim to respond to all queries within 5 business days.

We also recommend the City of Melbourne's Helping Out Guide - a comprehensive list of free and low cost services in Melbourne.

     Equity and Equal Opportunity (EEO)

SIU is committed to the principles of equity and equal opportunity aimed at providing a safe, harmonious workplace and learning environment, free from harassment and discrimination. Students have equitable access to all programs irrespective of their gender, culture, linguistic background, race, location, socio-economic background or disability. Every applicant who meets the entry requirements as prescribed by the appropriate Training Package and or ‘Key Selection Criteria’ will be accepted into any training/assessment program. Some programs may have a limited number of vacancies and these will be filled in chronological order upon completion of enrolment interview. Admission procedures will therefore be free of discrimination, and if an individual does not meet entry requirements, all attempts will be made to assist them to identify alternative options for them. SIU staff have been instructed in their responsibilities regarding Access and Equity principles.

SIU is committed to assisting those with special needs. This may include persons with disabilities, mature age adults, long-term unemployed adults, adults with low self-esteem / confidence, adults requiring literacy/numeracy assistance and single parents.

Please feel free to raise with SIU staff any issues around equity and special needs that might affect you.

     Disability

The Disability Discrimination Act uses the principle of reasonable adjustment, sometimes called reasonable accommodation, to ensure equity of treatment for people with disabilities. This means that, wherever possible, 'reasonable' adjustments must be made to meet the individual needs of any student with a disability.

Among the things we can do to assist with any requirements you might have are:

• Make training and assessment materials and methods more accessible
• Present information through a range of methods
• Adapt the physical environment and equipment

If you require more details about reasonable adjustment, please contact Student Support.

     Media Consent

SIU may take photos or videos of you in class. These photos might be used in advertising material on our website and other social media. Please let your trainer know if you do not wish to participate in any photographs.

     Communications

SIU will contact you regularly throughout your course; with assessment feedback, news and course information. Please ensure that SIU always has current contact information for you. This must include your current postal address and phone number at a minimum.

You’ll be in contact with both your trainer and the SIU staff. Ensure you always respond to SMS and email contact asking about your progress. This helps us provide you with the best experience.

After enrolment we’ll provide you with login details to the VETtrak Student Portal, where you can view key course information and messages from your trainer.

All trainers and assessors working for SIU hold a formal qualification in Training and Assessment which is in line with the current VRQA Guidelines for VET Providers. Each trainer is required to complete regular professional development.

Depending on the course you enrol into, training may take place in the classroom, online via Zoom and, where required, in the workplace. You’ll have self-paced learning to complete outside of the theory sessions and a practical placement or workplace experience for some courses. Your course brochure, timetable and training plan will specify the delivery method and assessment requirements for your course.

Your assessments are completed online through Canvas, our Learning Management System (LMS). Assessments may include several units and some units may be assessed across several assessments. Some units may be assessed as a cluster as they have similar requirements.

We will assign you a course mentor to review and mark your online assessments and provide feedback (as standard within 10 business days). If further training is required, your mentor will contact you to arrange this. They can offer some technical support, but you can always call or email the office with any technical issues you have relating to Canvas, and somebody can assist you. Your first port of call in Canvas is the Passport course, which will induct you to Canvas if you have never used it before and give you all the information you need to navigate the system, complete your work and submit your assessments.

Students will always be given notice of the time and form of assessment and will not be expected to complete an assessment for which they have not had time to prepare.

Your trainer will assess your competency in the course and provide feedback as needed throughout assessments. The trainer is required to mark and submit completed assessments to SIU Head Office within 10 working days of receiving them from you.

If you do not agree with your trainer’s assessment results, you can make an informal enquiry directly to your trainer or you can make a complaint via the complaints and appeals process, documented further within this handbook. A complaint and appeal form is located on our website.

     Online delivery via Zoom

Depending on the course and course delivery you select, some or all of your classes may be delivered via Zoom. Zoom is a popular video communication service, appropriate for delivering a presentation and facilitating discussion.

You can join Zoom classes using a phone or a computer, either through a browser or an app. We’ll record all Zoom sessions for record-keeping, quality assurance and training purposes.

     Canvas - our Learning Management System (LMS)

Your assessments are completed online through Canvas, a leading LMS used by schools and universities all over the world.

You can access Canvas to complete and submit assessments on a computer or phone. Some assessments will be easier to complete on a computer, whereas a phone will be appropriate for some written and multiple-choice questions. Canvas offers an app for Android and iOS.

We will assign you a course mentor to review and mark your online assessments and provide feedback (as standard within 10 business days). If further training is required, your mentor will contact you to arrange this. They can offer some technical support, but you can always call or email the office with any technical issues you have relating to Canvas, and somebody can assist you.

     Mode and Method of Assessment

SIU uses a variety of assessment methods to determine your competency throughout the course, including:

• Written, including short answer, multiple choice, projects and case studies. All written assessment is online, through our Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas.
• Practical simulations, demonstrations, and role plays – mostly assessed face to face, though there are options to record some skills and upload them to Canvas.
• Oral questioning
• Workplace observations and projects

We present our course material in various ways to cover different learning styles:

• Interactive role plays
• Class discussions
• PowerPoint presentations
• Videos
• Guided content
• Online learning

There are written assessments for every unit of competency that will need to be completed outside of class. Some assessments will cover multiple units, or there may be multiple assessments for each unit of competency. The assessments required for each unit and the methods used to assess each unit are listed on your timetable and training plan.

Some parts of the course are completed on our online Learning Management System (LMS), Canvas. We’ll provide reasonable adjustment for students who cannot complete online elements of the course. You’ll need internet access and a laptop or desktop computer to use Canvas. Student have access to free wifi on campus and laptops are available for use upon request. Students may bring their own devices if they wish.

Some of our courses require you to complete a practical placement or experience in the workplace. These qualifications cannot be successfully completed until the placement requirements have been satisfied.

     Reasonable Adjustment

We can vary the methods of assessment to suit your individual needs if required and if appropriate for the unit of competency. Discuss these with your assessor.  We will provide reasonable adjustment for students who cannot complete various online components of the course.

     Reassessment

If you have been assessed as Not Yet Competent/Satisfactory in a Unit of Competency you will be given the opportunity to complete a reassessment.

A student will not be charged a reassessment fee if they are assessed as Competent during the in-class reassessment process, in this case students are usually given three chances at reassessment (with re-training) within class hours. If a student is required to book in a reassessment to be conducted outside of class time, a reassessment fee may apply, fees are documented in the statement of fees and charges on our website.

     Attendance

You should attend all classes (80% minimum required); classes contain practical training & assessment will miss out on crucial theory and potentially assessments.

If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to arrange a catch-up session with your trainer or complete the session with another class. Student Services will contact you to arrange make-up classes if you continually miss class.

If you are disruptive, arrive late, leave early or miss too many classes this could result in official warning letters, cancellation or deferral of your studies.

     Student Progression

We require all students to display consistent engagement and progression with the course to remain enrolled. For students who utilise Skills First funding especially, there are particular requirements for evidence of participation.

We monitor student progression based on assessments submitted, classes attended and work completed through Canvas, among other factors. You can view the status of your enrolments and associated units by logging into the VETtrak student portal.

For students who do not demonstrate progression, we will attempt contact using email, sms and phone calls to best help get that student back on track. For students who continually demonstrate no progression or engagement or contact with us, we will follow our procedures for course withdrawal.

Several courses will require you to complete practical placement hours in a real workplace to gain competency. You will be practicing the skills you have learned in theory in a workplace. There are a specific number of hours required depending on your course and these will be documented in the course brochure and your Logbook.

     What responsibilities are involved?

During the placement, you will be expected to behave like a new employee, following the rules of the workplace and the directions of the workplace supervisor and other employees. You will need to comply with all safety and OH&S policies and procedures, as well as other protocols that are practiced by the host employer.

     Prior to commencing your work-based training:

• both you and a workplace representative sign an RTO & Employer Agreement
• you will complete an induction with the workplace

Your placement location MUST be approved by SIU head office prior to commencing. You must provide your workplace agreement to SIU to verify details and confirm that it is a suitable workplace for placement. A workplace supervisor will need to sign off on your shifts completed.

     What about Assessment?

For some courses, you may be required to maintain a Practical Placement Logbook. Your trainer will discuss this with you. Your trainer will also give you information on the way your assessments will be conducted and recorded.

     Attending your Placement

ATTITUDE

• be willing to learn
• listen to instructions and complete the tasks assigned
• ask questions
• be polite, courteous and well-mannered with all staff members
• dress appropriately
• follow all workplace policies and procedures.

SAFETY

• wearing protective clothing
• working in a safe manner
• reporting any hazards or unsafe practices that you observe
• reporting any accidents to your workplace supervisor & practical trainer immediately.

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY

• start your placement on time and stay for required shift duration
• take only the allocated time for lunch and tea breaks
• contact your workplace supervisor and your trainer immediately if you are unable to attend your placement.

     What if you have a problem with your placement?

Problems with your placement should be resolved as early as possible. Your trainer and employer have agreed dispute resolution procedures. Do not hesitate to contact your trainer if you experience any difficulties or problems while on your practical placement.

Once all assessments requirements for each unit have been deemed satisfactory, the unit will be made competent. Students successfully completing all assessment requirements for a qualification will be awarded a Certificate for the level of the completed course (for example, Certificate III in Individual Support). Certificates and/or statement of attainments are issued out within 10 working days of final competency being confirmed. Please note that fees must be paid in full before any certificates are issued.

     Statement of Attainment

If you withdraw or transfer after successfully completing any unit(s) of competency in which you enrolled, you will be entitled to receive at no cost a formal Statement of Attainment for the units you have successfully completed, provided you have paid in full all tuition fees relating to those unit(s) of competency and any material fees required.