Strategic Plan

Guidelines and template

 Guidelines for creating a Strategic Plan

This document is intended to result from a management planning session that works through
the following steps:

1. Consult with stakeholders

Consider any comments, background papers, client and staff feedback from the past
year that could be useful for the planning process.

2. Carry out environmental scan

Consider factors that might impact on approaching year, such as economic conditions,
market demand, social and political change, environmental factors and technological
progress.

3. Evaluate outcomes
Consider outcomes for the year against the current annual Strategic Plan by referring to
the Performance Summary for the past year.

4. Decide key priorities

Decide what is to be achieved by the end of the year. Be realistic – this is not a wish
list. In the left column, list as dot points the outcomes you want to achieve in each
Result area.

5. Decide actions
Then, in the right column, write sentences to explain the actions needed to achieve the
dot points on the left. They may be numbered for easy reference, but do not have to be
in priority order.

6. Communicate
Share the new Strategic Plan with RTO personnel so that they are aware of the
objectives for the coming year.

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Purpose of Strategic plan
The Strategic plan is an aspirational document for the purpose of improving the business. It
opens the quality cycle for the year as it documents the organisation’s preferred direction. A
good Strategic plan will:

 Provide a ‘roadmap’ for the year in the interests of effectiveness and efficiency
 Set targets that can be reported against in the Performance summary
 Articulate preferred practices

Format of Strategic plan

The Excellence Criteria provide a framework to describe desired quality of performance and
outcomes. As it is designed specifically for the education and training environment, it is also a
useful framework for a Strategic plan. Therefore, the suggestions below about what could be
addressed in each of the result areas are taken from the Excellence Criteria documentation.
However, the Strategic plan is only guided by this framework – it is not necessary to
addresses all elements. Choose the ones that are most relevant to your organisation for the
coming year.

Audience for Strategic plan

The Strategic plan is an internal document intended to inform personnel of the year’s direction.
It is important to remember that this is not a business plan or a report for an auditor or an
outside evaluator. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy formal document – it should reflect the size
and culture of the organisation.

Compiling a Strategic plan

There are five result areas. Each result area has two parts:

Goals
These are short, clear statements of what ought to be achieved by the end of the year. It is
important to be realistic, and as specific as possible, so that these goals are achievable.

Actions
These are steps that must be taken to achieve the goals. In some cases there will be more
than one action needed to achieve a goal.

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Result area 1 Leadership

Objective Our organisation has a clear strategic direction

1. Governance
This element covers defined management roles and responsibilities; ethical and responsible decision making,
financial reporting with integrity, and effective recognition and management of risk, through key actions which could
include:
• accountability, transparency and disclosure
• ethical and responsible decision-making processes
• processes to support effective recognition and mana
• ethical and transparent reporting of the organisation’s financial posit
• encouragement of continuous high-performance across the organisation
• rigorous management processes

2. Strategic development and implementation

This element covers establishing strategic direction and purpose, relevant and effective policy development and
effective implementation of a strategic plan through key actions which could include:
• identifying direction and purpose
• developing and implementing strategic plans
• developing policy
• reviewing processes

3: Supportive work environment

This element covers a culture of excellence, a set of values to support creativity, collaboration and innovation, and
social and environmental responsibility through key actions which could include:
• developing organisational values throughout the organisation’s workforce
• processes to support the application of organisational ethics
• supporting organisational ethics

Examples:

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

[Examples only ]

• An established organisational structure that includes

a Managing body and a Quality group.

• Processes in place to ensure we stay aware of

internal environment issues, opportunities and
advances that may impact on operations

• Identifiable revenue streams

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Result area 2 Learning and assessment

Objective Our products and services are industry standard and client responsive

Element 1: Planning and design

This element covers industry and community involvement, teaching/training expertise, and learning pathways,
through key actions which could include:

• proactive involvement of industry, community and individuals in learning and assessment product design
and modification
• ensuring that current national and international educational theory, research and new technologies inform
planning, review and design of learning and assessment products and services
• identifying and designing a range of learning and assessment pathways, including integrated support for
recognition of prior learning (RPL)
• a focus on learning and assessment products and services which achieve high-quality outcomes for
employability, language, literacy and numeracy and cross-cultural skills
• innovative use of training packages

Element 2: Development and delivery of learning and assessment programs, strategies and resources
This element covers innovation and flexibility, technology support, and responsiveness to clients through key actions
which could include:

• active engagement of stakeholders with decisions about delivery strategies

• learning and assessment programs, strategies and resources that make the best use of technology in
meeting the needs of individual clients and workplaces
• easily accessed learning and assessment infrastructure to support clients through a wide range of learning
styles, for example online access to resources and staff
• benchmarking products with other high-quality training providers
• innovative and flexible assessment practices, customised to different contexts

Element 3: Review and evaluation of learning and assessment

This element covers well-designed and well-understood processes for proactively engaging with clients, stakeholders
and other best-practice organisations locally, nationally and beyond, to continuously improve training and
assessment services through key actions which could include:

• a range of successful strategies to gain feedback on the organisation’s performance, including through the
use of technology
• moderation processes inside and outside the organisation for continuous improvement
• effective strategies for incorporating feedback into learning and assessment product and delivery reviews
• effective and streamlined review processes integrated into training practices for all learning and assessment
services

Examples:

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

Sample only
• A clearly defined training and assessment portfolio
• Conduct market research to determine most suitable
course offerings.
• Training and assessment materials for all programs
• Set a rolling schedule for completion of training and
• Integrated a blended model of delivery
assessment materials.
• A completion rate of 70% for XXXX unit • Investigate best way to offer a flexible and blended
model of delivery.

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Result area 3 People development

Objective Our personnel are recognised as a cornerstone of our organisational capability

Element 1: Management of the workforce

This element covers future-directed workforce planning, best-practice recruitment strategies, and
developing a high-performance culture, through key actions which could include:
• workforce planning
• recruiting
• managing performance

Element 2: Staff motivation and learning

This element covers targeted and sustainable staff development, leadership opportunities and
training, through key actions which could include:
• developing staff
• developing leadership

Element 3: Staff participation

This element covers collaborative decision making for building high performance teams thorugh key
actions which could include:
• empowering staff at all levels of the organisation to contribute to decision making processes
• recognition processes for high achievement

Examples:

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

• High quality personnel with industry background

working as trainers and assessors

• A systematic organisational approach to professional

development

Result area 4 Relationship management

Objective Our products and services meet client requirements

Element 1: Client relationships

This element covers internal and external client relationships, targeted market research, and
developing communication and marketing strategies through key actions which could include:
• developing clear understanding of clients and their needs
• developing communication and marketing strategy
• working with clients and the community

Element 2: Industry and community capacity building

This element covers developing productive and mutually beneficial relationships with industry,
other registered training organisations and local communities, and building learning communities through workplace
learning by key actions which could include:
• contributing to the broader workforce and economic development
• investment in training in the community

Element 3: Alliances and partnerships

This element covers fostering, creating, and managing strategic alliances, through key actions which could include:
• developing strategic alliances
• developing and managing business and partnership relationships

Examples:

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

• Established a solid client base

• A recognised brand with a state wide profile

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Result area 5 Integrated information systems

Objective Organisation has effective processes that support its strategic objectives

Element 1: Management and protection of resources and assets

This element covers identification, monitoring and use of sustainability indicators, effective infrastructure and
equipment management, and protection of intellectual property through key actions which could include:

• managing risk
• implementing control systems
• managing intellectual property

Element 2: Information and knowledge management

This element covers the systematic management and dissemination of core policies and procedures, producing
evidence-based research, and ensuring knowledge sharing and dissemination through key actions which could
include:
• protecting corporate memory
• sharing knowledge
• managing knowledge

Element 3: Management and improvement of processes

This element covers setting and realising targets, strategic collection and use of data for continuous improvement,
and review of organisational performance and benchmarking through key actions which could include:

• collection and use of data

• developing tools and techniques to improve data
• standardising processes

Element 4: Measurement, analysis and review of organisational performance

This element covers management reviews, data and information availability and benchmarking through key actions
which could include:
• reviewing management
• making data and information available
• formal or informal benchmarking with similar organisations

Examples:

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

• Have RTO Quality Framework fully deployed to

manage RTO processes

• Have appropriate venues for the delivery of off-the-

job training

• Have technology systems in place to support

operations

Process:

1. Remove these guidelines and complete the template

2. Present it to the Quality group and management
3. Publish to all personnel
4. File in Quality docs: completed

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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 LOGO HERE

Strategic Plan

20XX

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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 Strategic plan
This Strategic plan opens the quality cycle for the year as it documents the organisation’s
preferred direction for the purpose of improving the business. It will

 Provide a ‘roadmap’ for the year in the interests of effectiveness and efficiency
 Set targets that can be reported against in the Performance summary
 Articulate preferred practices

Information is grouped under five result areas. For each result area there is at least one goal
and action/s that need to be completed to achieve the goal/s.

Leadership
This relates to the establishment and implementation of purpose, values, directions and
performance expectations to achieve a sustainable and reputable training organisation.

Learning and assessment

This relates to the achievement of high quality learning and assessment outcomes that
meet or exceed client, industry and community expectations.

People development
This relates to management of the workforce to ensure that it is motivated, skilled and
capable of delivering the planned high-quality learning and assessment outcomes.

Relationship management
This relates to management and development of relationships with clients and other
stakeholders to add value for clients and the wider community.

Integrated information systems

This relates to the management of resources, assets and knowledge base to improve
overall performance.

Document author/s: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Date of completion: XX/XX/20XX

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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Result area 1 Leadership

Objective Our organisation has a clear strategic direction

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

Not in order of priority

Result area 2 Learning and assessment

Objective Our products and services are industry standard and client responsive

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

Not in order of priority

Result area 3 People development

Objective Our personnel are recognised as a cornerstone of our organisational capability

Goals: By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

Not in order of priority

Result area 4 Relationship management

Objective Our products and services meet client requirements

By end of 20XX we shall have: Actions required

Not in order of priority

Result area 5 Integrated information systems

Objective Organisation has effective processes that support its strategic objectives

By end of 20XX we shall: Actions required

Not in order of priority

NAME OF ORGANISATION
RTO Quality Framework: 20XX Strategic Plan
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