Investigation summaries

Operation Hastings

15/12/2017

An investigation into allegations that a former officer of an industry training board had altered the final mark of an assessment examination to enable a candidate to pass when a licensed assessor had previously evaluated the candidate as a fail.

In February 2016, IBAC was advised of allegations that a former officer of the Electrotechnology, Printing, Information and Communications (EPIC) Industry Training Board had altered the final mark of a Licensed Electricians Assessment (LEA) examination to enable a candidate to pass when a licensed assessor had previously evaluated the candidate as a fail.

IBAC undertook an investigation, Operation Hastings, to determine if there was any evidence to support the allegation of serious corrupt conduct, specifically to determine if an offence had been committed under the Crimes Act 1958. The investigation examined all relevant documents and interviewed staff of the EPIC Industry Training Board who were involved in adjudicating, assessing or administration of the LEA.

IBAC found there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation that the former officer unlawfully altered the final mark of a LEA examination. IBAC identified a number of poor processes around EPIC Industry Training Board's LEA assessment and recommended EPIC Industry Training Board review and strengthen its processes around LEA assessments. IBAC also recommended that ESV audit previous LEA assessments to confirm they comply with ESV's assessment rules.

 

IBAC publishes responses to our recommendations in order to inform the community about actions agencies advise they are taking, and to share learnings that may help other agencies improve their systems and practices.

  • In February 2016, IBAC investigated allegations that a former officer of the then Electrotechnology, Printing, Information and Communications (EPIC) Industry Training Board (since renamed Future Energy Skills) had altered the final mark of a Licensed Electricians Assessment (LEA) examination, to enable a candidate to pass when a licensed assessor had previously evaluated the candidate as a fail.

    To gain an electrician’s license in Victoria, Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), the independent electrical safety and technical regulator in Victoria, states that an apprentice electrician must successfully pass a LEA assessment. Future Energy Skills is an ESV approved assessor for the purpose of conducting LEA assessments.

  • Following the investigation, IBAC concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation that the former officer had unlawfully altered the final mark of a LEA examination.

    However, IBAC identified poor processes around EPIC Industry Training Board’s LEA assessments which could give rise to corruption vulnerabilities including:

    • the final examination mark was altered without consultation with either the initial assessor and/or the second assessor, which was contrary to ESV’s assessment rules
    • examinations were marked in pencil and the name and signature of the assessor and the date of marking and review were not consistently recorded on examination, undermining the accountability of the assessment process
    • insufficient storage of examinations
    • no record of who accessed the database where EPIC Industry Training Board stored assessment results.

    In November 2016, IBAC recommended the EPIC Industry Training Board review and strengthen its processes in relation to LEA assessments. IBAC also recommended that ESV audit previous LEA assessments undertaken by EPIC Industry Training Board to confirm they comply with ESV’s assessment rules.

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