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Calls for Changes to Student Identifier Numbers

call-for-changes-to-student-identifier-numbers

Master Builders is calling for a consistent approach to Student Identifier Numbers

The Student Identifiers Amendment (Enhanced Student Permissions) Bill 2019 is currently before the Federal Parliament. The Bill proposes changes to the Student Identifiers Act 2014 to enable VET graduates to grant more people, such as employers, access to their authenticated VET transcripts.

Currently VET graduates, via the Unique Student Identifier website, can access their authenticated transcripts and can grant access to VET training organisations.

Master Builders Australia has lodged a submission to the Senate inquiry in support of the proposed changes, which will strengthen the integrity of recruitment processes by enabling businesses to quickly and easily check the authenticity of employee, potential employee and sub-contractor credentials.

In the Submission, Master Builders Australia points out that this is not the only Bill currently before Parliament that proposes changes to the Student Identifiers Act 2014. There is another Bill which will extend the Unique Student Identifier to also cover higher education students. Amendments should be made to ensure consistency between VET and higher education in relation to access to transcripts and penalties for fraudulent activity.

The extension of student identifiers to higher education students also presents the opportunity to create a single digital database and platform of authenticated transcripts and qualifications for all post?secondary – vocational and university – education. This would mean learners have a single authenticated lifelong record of their post-secondary educational attainment and would be able to grant access to others as required, for example when applying for jobs, further education or occupational licences. Master Builders Australia encourages the Senate Committee to consider this opportunity as part of the inquiry process.

View the submission

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