Confidentiality Policy

Introduction

The Confidentiality Policy has been formulated taking cognisance of the National College of Australia’s (NCOA) values and its mission statement. This policy is underpinned by the Information Privacy Act 2009, the Child Protection Act 1999, Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2025, and the Data Provision Requirements 2020. NCOA is committed to maintaining an interactive environment that supports and encourages positive and safe experiences amongst both employees and learners.

The confidentiality policy provides guidelines to all employees of NCOA regarding the standards of behaviour expected in the organisation. The confidentiality policy must be consistently observed during the employee’s period of employment and thereafter. Employees must sign their agreement that they will adhere to NCOA’s confidentiality policy upon commencement of their employment.

The Australian Blockchain Association (ABA) partners with NCOA, the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), to market and promote accredited courses in emerging technologies, including the Course in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology, Certificate III in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology, Diploma in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology, and Certificate III in Artificial Intelligence.

Scope and Application

The policy is applicable to all staff, contractors, and stakeholders of NCOA.

This policy is applied to all aspects of NCOA’s operations, including its obligations as a registered training organisation, with a focus on practical applications in blockchain, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence (AI), such as neobanking services or hybrid centralised/decentralised exchange (CEX/DEX) services to facilitate on-chain activities without full asset custody.

Overview

NCOA’s primary purpose is the provision of quality vocational education and training programmes to learners.

To specify the conditions under which NCOA will apply its Confidentiality Policy as part of its commitment to serving the best interests of its employees and learners engaging in its qualifications.

NCOA will apply this policy consistently and fairly to all employees, prospective learners, and learners, ensuring alignment with digital data management practices under the 2025 RTO Standards.

Policy

General Principles

Ethics

This includes workplace behaviour and respect for all employee, learner, and individual information. NCOA expects that all information will be treated with integrity and employees will demonstrate commitment to NCOA’s system of governance, accountability, and transparency.

Values

All employees, contractors, and stakeholders are expected to contribute to an honest, inclusive, and non-discriminatory work environment.

Accountability

NCOA expects its employees, contractors, and stakeholders to take responsibility for their own actions, ensure appropriate use of information, exercise diligence and duty of care obligations, and avoid conflicts of interest. Employees will comply with their job description, demonstrate their commitment to the organisation, and properly use NCOA’s computer, internet, and email facilities.

Standard of Practice

Employees, contractors, and stakeholders are expected to remain up to date with current policies and procedures and operational manuals. They should seek advice from supervisors if they feel that there are conflicts within the policies, procedures, and work practices provided to them by NCOA.

Disciplinary Actions

Employees, contractors, and stakeholders must handle confidential information professionally in line with NCOA’s policies and procedures. Failure to adhere to these conditions will result in penalties and/or disciplinary action.

Maintinaing Confidentiality

Learners must be made aware of the requirement for NCOA to keep records in relation to the learner’s training, assessment, and progress in accordance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2025.
The CEO is responsible for records management.
The CEO is also responsible for the storage of all learner details, records, files, training and assessment outcomes, and records in accordance with the VET Quality Framework, specifically, the Standards for RTOs 2025.
Learners will only have access to their personal records kept by NCOA that relate to them as an individual. These records will be kept securely for a period of 30 years in accordance with Schedule 5 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Learner completed assessment items will be retained in accordance with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) Retention requirements for completed learner assessment items.
Learners are made aware that their personal information is open to inspection by an authorised person within NCOA.
Information in relation to confidentiality issues and concerns will be dealt with in line with the Information Privacy Act 1988.
Learners are not charged a fee to access their records, unless a learner requests further copies of their original qualifications, wherein a fee of $20.00 is required.
Breaches of confidentiality may be made in accordance with the Complaints and Appeals Policy, or under the terms of employee’s conditions of employment as appropriate.
Except as required under the Standards for RTOs 2025, government contracts, or by law, information about a learner will not be disclosed to a third party without the written consent of the learner. NCOA will endeavour to protect the confidentiality of its learners or affiliated organisations at all times.
NCOA is required to maintain an AVETMISS compliant learner management system to record and maintain all learner details and training records.

Under the Data Provision Requirements 2020, NCOA is required to collect personal information about learners and to disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). This personal information may be used or disclosed by NCOA for statistical, administrative, regulatory, and research purposes.

NCOA may disclose learners’ personal information for these purposes to:

Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies.
NCVER.

Personal information about learners that must be forwarded to NCVER by NCOA includes and is not limited to:

Learner’s name.
Start date/expected completion date.
Address.
Contact details.
Personal information relevant to studies or course requirements.
Employment or placement details.
Details of fees owing or paid.
Copies of written agreements between NCOA and the learner.

Personal information disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed by NCVER for the following purposes:

Facilitating research relating to education, including surveys and data linkage.
Understanding the VET market for policy, workforce planning, and consumer information.
Administering VET, including programme administration, regulation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Learners are informed that they may receive a student survey from a government department or NCVER employee, agent, third-party contractor, or other authorised agency. Learners may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.

NCVER collects, holds, uses, and discloses learners’ personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth.), the National VET Data Policy, and the policies and protocols published on its website, at www.ncver.edu.au.

In line with the 2025 RTO Standards’ emphasis on secure digital practices, NCOA utilises AI-enhanced tools for data encryption and access controls to safeguard learner information in our blockchain, cryptocurrency, and AI education offerings. For enquiries, contact the ABA team today.