commencement
consultation
assurance
Approval
This project was completed on the 8th of January, 2021.
The Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying will be updated to ensure it complies with National Construction Code 2019 and reflect key developments in the construction industry.
The Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) has also approved the deletion of CPC80215 Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying.
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Summary of development
Building surveyors play a key role in ensuring the safety, energy-efficiency and accessibility of the built environment. Recent building failures and tragedies in Australia and overseas have highlighted the importance of the profession and of the need for rigorous and comprehensive training.
Consequently, the Construction, Plumbing and Services IRC has appointed a technical advisory group (TAG) to review vocational education and training for building surveyors. The group has met on six occasions over the last few months, and its members have worked closely with their industry networks. They’ve made a number of recommendations.
Key outcomes
Please note, this project is a review of vocational qualifications as listed on the national VET register. It does not encompass university qualifications.
Deletion of graduate diploma
Currently, there are two qualifications for building surveying on the national register, an advanced diploma and a graduate diploma. The graduate diploma, however, has not been delivered by any training organisations for four years. It is recommended for deletion.
Changes to the advanced diploma
The current qualification consists of 14 core and 3 elective units. The proposed new qualification will consist of 19 core and 3 electives
Limiting the scope of the advanced diploma
Currently, buildings of up to three stories and 2000 m2 can be inspected, assessed and certified by someone with an Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying. For larger buildings, a university degree or higher qualification is required.
The TAG recommends that this delineation be adjusted to two storeys and 500 m2. The reasons are outlined below.
Performance solutions
Building that are larger than this size tend to have more reliance on performance solutions. Assessment of performance solutions requires higher-level engineering skills, skills that can only be partially addressed in an AQF6 qualification such as the advanced diploma. Poor application of performance solutions is routinely found to be a major cause of building deficiencies.
While the advanced diploma covers some aspects of performance solutions—and these are being strengthened—the proposed two-story and 500 m2 limit is designed to reduce the risk of building surveyors signing off on work without the required background knowledge and skills.
Regulatory requirements
Firefighting requirements become more stringent for buildings larger than 500 m2. At this size, commercial buildings require active firefighting provisions, including hydrants and hose reels. Hydrodynamic calculations of friction and flow rate are required. Again, these calculations are beyond what can be fully covered in an advanced diploma.
Regulatory requirements for disability access, energy efficiency and waterproofing also become more stringent for buildings over two storeys.
Assessor requirements
The existing qualification requires assessors to have 'current membership of a relevant industry association and have current registration on the National Building Professionals Register in the Building Industry Control category (level 1) or be accredited under the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) National Accreditation Scheme at Building Surveyor level’. The TAG would like to know whether you feel this is an appropriate requirement.
Addition of construction units
Trainers and assessors report that some students enter this qualification without sufficient background in the construction industry. To address this issue, the TAG recommends that four units covering essential background skills and knowledge be added to the core. These units have been updated/developed as part of the Building and Construction Project and are awaiting endorsement by the AISC. The final versions of these units are available below:
- CPCCBC4001 Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 1 and 10 buildings
- CPCCBC4010 Apply structural principles to residential and commercial constructions
- CPCCBC4012 Read and interpret plans and specifications
- CPCCBC4053 Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 2 to 9 Type C buildings
It is expected that many students will already have these competencies and will be granted recognition of prior learning.
Other units added
Ethics and performance solution units have been added to the residential skill set, and elective units have been added encompassing bushfire attack levels, reading plans, energy efficiency and thermal performance.
NCC alignment
Unit content has been updated to align with the National Construction Code, and titles have been changed to align with appropriate building classes.
Consultation strategy
Our consultation strategy is based on the principles of:
- open and inclusive industry participation
- allowing industry to drive and influence change
- transparency in communicating changes and the reasoning behind them
- transparent, fair and evidence-based systems for addressing conflicting views
We allow at least a four-week time frame for consultation on draft one (the current stage of this project) and at least two-weeks for the final (validation) draft.
Your feedback is being reviewed
Thank you to those who recently provided us feedback through our online consultation. Your feedback will be presented to the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) who will review and further advice us on the way forward. The next opportunity to provide feedback is likely to be at the validation stage, pending the outcome from the next TAG meeting.
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Summary of development
The period to provide feedback on the second draft of training products for the building surveying national qualification review (VET) has now opened for validation.
Industry experts have been consulted to review units of competency to ensure compliance with the National Construction Code 2019 and reflect other key developments in industry.
The purpose of validation is to ensure the:
- content and structure of proposed training package products meets industry needs
- proposed changes made to the CPC60120 Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying and units are relevant to industry needs and fit for purpose
- stakeholders support the proposed qualification and units of competency being submitted for endorsement.
Proposed key changes
Proposed key changes are outlined below:
| Component(s) | Proposed change(s) |
| CPC60120 Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying | Modifications to the packaging rules of the CPC60120 Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying have been undertaken to ensure it meets industry needs. Four Certificate IV units on building and construction have been included in the core. The qualification also includes imported units relating to bushfire attack levels, access and energy efficiency. The proposed qualification is non-equivalent. |
| CPC80215 Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying | The CPC80215 Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying is being proposed for deletion due to low enrolments and lack of industry demand. This deletion has been directed by the Australian Industry and Skills and Committee (AISC). |
| Units of competency/Assessment requirements |
The units of competency and assessment requirements have been updated to ensure alignment with the NCC and industry expectations. Key changes include:
|
| Skill set | The CPCSS00004 Provide building surveying services for residential buildings up to three storeys has been updated to reflect the recent changes to the units of competency and assessment requirements. |
To read about the changes that have been applied to these units, please download the Summary of Changes Document.
Thank you to those who participated in the recent validation survey. Your responses are being evaluated and will be presented to the TAG at their next meeting.
Please note: the qualification includes four draft units from the Certificate IV in Building and Construction as core. These units are expected to be endorsed before this qualification is finalised. To view the units see the project downloads below.
The project is expected to be considered for implementation by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) at their meeting on 13 October 2020.
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Summary of development
The validation round of consultation for this project is now closed. Through this process industry expressed concerns about the updated qualification progressing with decreased dimensions;
- building size delineation – it is 2000m2 and was proposed to be 500 m2
- building storey limitation – it is three storeys and was proposed to be two storeys
It was felt that these changes could eventuate in a qualification without an occupational outcome as the regulations have yet to be changed.
The Technical Advisory Group considered this feedback and recommended to the Construction Industry Reference Council that the updated qualification be submitted with the current building size and building storey limitations, that is 2000m2 and three storeys.
Should the regulations for this occupation be changed, the IRC will consider updating the dimensions covered in the qualification.
Industry experts were consulted to review the units of competency to ensure compliance with the National Construction Code 2019 and to reflect other key industry developments.
Proposed key changes
Proposed key changes are outlined below:
| Component(s) | Proposed change(s) |
| CPC60120 Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying | Modifications were made to the packaging rules of the CPC60115 Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying to ensure the update meets industry needs. Four Certificate IV units on building and construction have been included in the core. The qualification also includes imported units relating to bushfire attack levels, access and energy efficiency. The proposed qualification is non-equivalent. |
| CPC80215 Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying | The CPC80215 Graduate Diploma of Building Surveying is being proposed for deletion due to low enrolments and lack of industry demand. This deletion has been directed by the Australian Industry and Skills and Committee (AISC). |
| Units of competency/Assessment requirements |
The units of competency and assessment requirements have been updated to ensure alignment with the NCC and industry expectations. A key change is:
|
| Skill set | The CPCSS00004 Provide building surveying services for residential buildings up to three storeys has been updated to reflect the recent changes to the units of competency and assessment requirements. |
Thank you to those who participated in the recent validation survey.
Please note: the qualification includes four draft units from the Certificate IV in Building and Construction as core. These units are expected to be endorsed before this qualification is finalised. To view the units see the project downloads below.
The project is expected to be considered for implementation by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) at their meeting on 13 October 2020.
PREVIOUS DOWNLOADS
Click to download
Project status
The Case for Endorsement has been finalised by the Construction Industry Reference Committee and has been submitted for consideration by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) at their meeting in October as part of CPC Training Package Release 8.0.
What happens next
Following endorsement by the AISC the project will be considered by the COAG Skills Council for final endorsement. When final endorsement is announced in the AISC Communique the qualifications will be added to the National Register.
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Project status
On behalf of the Construction Industry Reference Committee, Artibus Innovation is pleased to announce that at the October 2020 meeting, the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) fully endorsed Release 6.0 of the Construction, Plumbing and Services (CPC) Training Package.
We would like to sincerely thank the people who participated in these updates to the training package, whether through TAG membership, the provision of expert advice, attendance at forums and/or providing stakeholder feedback. It is great to see the commitment and passion within the vocational education sector which is a tribute to the sector as a whole.
The training package component from this project can be found on training.gov.au at the following link:
Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying