Complaints and Appeals Policy 

Ampd Academy is committed to handling all complaints and appeals in a fair, confidential, and timely manner. We treat all complaints seriously, whether they relate to training and assessment, service delivery, staff conduct, or any other part of the student experience.

We encourage open communication and early resolution wherever possible, but also provide a formal process for lodging complaints or appeals if required.

Complaints and Appeals Procedure

1. Informal Resolution
   Where possible, students are encouraged to raise concerns directly with their trainer or a relevant staff member. Most issues can be resolved quickly and informally.

If the complaint involves a trainer, or if the student is not comfortable discussing the issue with them, the concern can be directed to the General Manager or another trusted staff member.

Students are welcome to bring a support person to any informal discussions or request communication adjustments (e.g. written instead of verbal explanation) to support accessibility or cultural comfort.

2. Submitting a Formal Complaint or Appeal
   If a concern cannot be resolved informally, a formal complaint or appeal may be submitted:

• Via the Ampd Academy website
• By requesting a Complaint or Appeal Form from the office

Forms should be submitted within 10 business days of the issue or decision.
All complaints and appeals are acknowledged within 1 business day of receipt.

3. Review and Investigation
   Once received, the complaint or appeal is logged and reviewed by the General Manager, who will:

• Review the submitted form and any relevant records
• Contact all parties involved (as required)
• Conduct a fair and objective investigation
• Organise meetings with the complainant and staff (if needed)

We aim to resolve all formal complaints within 21 calendar days and all appeals (e.g. assessment-related) within 14 calendar days.

If additional time is required (e.g. beyond 60 days), the complainant will be notified of the reason for the delay and kept informed of progress.

4. Outcome and Communication
   All parties will receive a written outcome that includes:

• A summary of the issue
• The decision made and reasons for it
• Any resulting actions or improvements

The outcome will be documented and securely stored for compliance and continuous improvement purposes.

5. External Review (if required)
   If a complaint or appeal remains unresolved, an independent reviewer may be engaged on a case-by-case basis. Students will be advised of any associated costs before this process begins.

Further external avenues include:

• Queensland Training Ombudsman – www.trainingombudsman.qld.gov.au
• ASQA (for RTO-related complaints) – www.asqa.gov.au
• National Training Complaints Hotline – 13 38 73

6. Student Rights

• Students are not penalised for lodging a complaint or appeal.
• Training and assessment will continue (where appropriate) during the process.
• Confidentiality will be maintained, and the process will remain unbiased and transparent.

Regulatory Context
ASQA accepts complaints about training providers such as Ampd Academy from all members of the community. ASQA uses student complaints as intelligence to inform its regulatory activities, although it does not act as a student advocate.

For more information:

• ASQA’s policy on Managing Complaints
• National Training Complaints Hotline – 13 38 73
• Queensland Training Ombudsman