On 12 September 2016, the Department of Education and Training launched the Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT).
FSAT is a free, interactive online tool designed to identify and measure an individual’s foundation skill levels (English language, literacy and numeracy skills as well as employability skills). It is now available at https://www.fsat.education.gov.au/
FSAT provides valuable information to trainers and educators such as registered training organisations (RTOs), enabling them to assess their client’s foundation skill levels, and identify skills and knowledge where additional development may be beneficial. This, in turn, will assist students and job seekers, by targeting the areas where individuals may require additional support.
More information on FSAT, including answers to ‘Frequently Asked Questions’, is available at: http://www.education.gov.au/foundation-skills-assessment-tool
Validation of FSAT
While FSAT is available to the VET sector, it is important to note that the department is currently working with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to finalise and validate FSAT.
Users such as RTOs are invited to use and test the tool as it is refined ahead of full implementation. During this process, results from this version of FSAT can be considered indicative of a participant’s skills. This makes FSAT suitable for use for purposes where an indication of a learner or jobseeker’s skills against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) is useful for purposes of personalising learning or for support and development.
Promotion of FSAT
By participating in this phase of FSAT development, RTOs will be helping to ensure that a final and free version of FSAT is available to the VET sector as quickly as possible.
In order for this release of FSAT to be a success, and for the tool to be validated and finalised, it will be important for it to be widely promoted across the VET sector.
Fact Sheet – Foundation Skills Assessment Tool