Author: Artibus News

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Concreting qualification for validation

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The update of the Certificate III in Concreting by the Construction, Plumbing and Services IRC is nearing completion. After several months of  consultation and review led by a working group of industry experts, the final versions of the qualification and units of competency are ready for validation. Industry advice has been implemented to ensure the qualification meets AQF level 3 criteria and encompasses the full range of highly skilled work performed by concreters in residential and commercial settings.  Units have been updated in response to changes in industry practices and to more clearly articulate technical skill and knowledge requirements. We are seeking your feedback to validate that the updated qualification:
  • aligns with the job of concreter across commercial and residential workplaces
  • meets industry expectations of the skills required for jobs in the industry
  • provides flexibility for learners to choose occupational pathways
  • is deliverable by RTOs, achievable by learners and meets industry needs.
The final drafts of training package components, summaries of feedback and key changes, and information on how to provide feedback are available on the project page.

Heritage skills

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In order to preserve and restore our built history, Australia needs a good supply of tradespeople skilled in heritage construction. The Construction IRC has addressed this need in a number of recent projects. Heritage units have been updated or added in qualifications for roof plumbers, plasterers and carpenters, and the Certificate III in Bricklaying/Blocklaying and the Certificate III in Stonemasonry each include a comprehensive stream encompassing heritage, conservation and restoration. The IRC is exploring further ways of strengthening Australia’s heritage skills labour force. One option that will be explored in the forthcoming Industry Skills Forecast is the development of qualifications for heritage specialists. If you have an opinion on this, or just want to register your interest, please let us know.

(Image ‘Queenslander House’ by NJM2010 from Wikimedia Commons shared under Creative Commons licence.)

Have your say on the future of training

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The Artibus Innovation research team is busy working on the IRC Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work (or Skills Forecast for short) for each of our IRCs. This document is an industry-led analysis of existing and emerging skills gaps in the workforce and of ways of addressing these gaps through training package development. The deadline for input for our 2020 Skills Forecasts is 17th February. Send us an email (research@artibus.com.au) or click on a survey link below.
Construction, Plumbing and Services Survey
Property Services Survey
To see a summary of feedback already received, see our Construction Snapshot and Property Snapshot.  

Bushfires and building

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The bushfire crisis has had, and continues to have, a devastating impact on life and property across Australia. When the current emergency is over, Australians will be rebuilding,  with decisions to be made on where and how this is done. Previous catastrophic bushfires have prompted state and territory governments to strengthen bushfire building standards. With more than a million homes in Australia within 100 metres of bushland, it’s important that a skilled workforce is available to ensure these standards are met. The Property Services IRC is seeking advice on the development of training for land-use and construction assessors in bushfire-prone areas—training for practitioners who can advise on planning and design in order to mitigate risk. To have your say, register your interest, or just find out more, please visit our project page.

Safe work unit

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In December, Artibus conducted webinars and face-to-face forums in capital cities and major regional centres throughout Australia in order to gather industry advice on a wide range of construction industry projects.  A issue common to all projects was the Construction IRC's recommendation that CPCCWHS1001  Prepare to work safely in the construction industry be included as a core unit in all Certificate I, II and III qualifications submitted to the AISC for endorsement. Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: Construction Work states that no one can undertake construction work unless they have completed general construction induction training. CPCCWHS1001, also known as the white card unit, encompasses the skills and knowledge required, and the IRC unanimously agreed that its inclusion as a core unit was important for work health and safety. More than 70% of employers supported the proposal. Support from RTO representatives was slightly less—60%—with many expressing concerns about the administrative burden this may cause.  The arguments and advice put forward by stakeholders have been summarised in the Cases for Endorsement to be assessed by the AISC in their February 2020 meeting.

Construction projects near completion

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The industry-led review and improvement of training package components in a number of projects is nearing completion, with Cases for Endorsement for the following projects to be assessed by the AISC in their February meeting:
  • Building Completions
  • Bricklaying, Blocklaying & Stonemasonry
  • Carpentry and Joinery
  • Painting and Decorating
  • Demolition
  • Plumbing Services
  • Construction Pathways
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this process We have sought input from stakeholders across Australia—including industry associations, large and small businesses, contractors, workers and unions—to ensure that qualifications and units fully cover the skills and knowledge required by Australian industry in the 2020s. We’ve talked extensively with regulators and registered training organisations in all states and territories to ensure that training is safe, efficient and comprehensive. We’ve received submissions and advice from many individuals and organisations. In some cases, there have been differing opinions about the best approach to take, but we have endeavoured—guided by our technical advisory groups—to hear all opinions, assess all options and achieve a fair evidence-based outcome to meet the needs of industry as a whole. For more details on how we’ve done this for each project, please see the Cases for Endorsement downloadable from each project page.
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