Category: CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services

Artibus Innovation Year Book

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Artibus Innovation is pleased to announce that our 2019-20 yearbook is now available to download.  This summarises the most recent Training Package (CPC & CPP) endorsements and outlines ongoing projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed to our Training Package updates, from suggestions for minor updates to hours and hours spent reading and reviewing draft qualifications and units of competency.

Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated by the Industry Reference Committees, by us and by the Construction, Plumbing and Property industries.

The Year Book is available for download on our Resources page

CPC Releases 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 endorsed for implementation

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On behalf of the Construction Industry Reference Committee, Artibus Innovation is pleased to announce that at the August 2020 meeting, the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) fully endorsed the above releases of the Construction, Plumbing and Service (CPC) Training Package.  It determined that the directives from the February meeting had been satisfactorily addressed and that Release 5.0 was now fully endorsed for implementation, subject to final sign-off by the Skills Ministers.

We would like to sincerely thank the hundreds of 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’s great to see the commitment and passion within the vocational education sector which is a tribute to the sector as a whole.

The qualifications below will soon be available on training.gov.au.  Training providers with these qualifications currently on scope will receive notification from ASQA about the effect, if any, these updates will have on their scope.

Extensions to the Learner transition time-frames for the Plumbing, Building and Construction and Carpentry qualifications are anticipated.  We will make further announcements once these time-frames are confirmed.

CPC Release 5.0

CPC10120 Certificate I in Construction
CPC20120 Certificate II in Construction
CPC20220 Certificate II in Construction Pathways
CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry
CPC30420 Certificate III in Demolition
CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating
CPC30720 Certificate III in Rigging
CPC30820 Certificate III in Roof Tiling
CPC30920 Certificate III in Scaffolding
CPC31020 Certificate III in Solid Plastering
CPC31120 Certificate III in Steelfixing
CPC31220 Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining
CPC31320 Certificate III Wall and Floor Tiling
CPC31420 Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing
CPC31920 Certificate III in Joinery
CPC32320 Certificate III in Stonemasonry
CPC32920 Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations
CPC33020 Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying and Stonemasonry
CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction
CPC40320 Certificate IV in Building Project Support
CPC41020 Certificate IV in Demolition
CPC50220 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)
CPC50320 Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)
CPC60220 Advanced Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)

CPC Release 6.0

CPC20720 Certificate II in Drainage
CPC32420 Certificate III in Plumbing
CPC32620 Certificate III in Roof Plumbing
CPC32720 Certificate III in Gas Fitting
CPC32820 Certificate III in Fire Protection
CPC40820 Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Building
CPC40920 Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services
CPC50520 Diploma of Fire Systems Design
CPC50620 Diploma of Hydraulic Services Design
CPC Release 7.0

CPC Release 7.0

CPC30120 Certificate III in Shopfitting
CPC30320 Certificate III in Concreting

CPP Release 11.0

The endorsement of CPC Release 5.0 has enabled the implementation of the following qualifications for Building Design within the CPP Training Package:

CPP40120 Certificate IV in Residential Drafting
CPP50920 Diploma of Building Design
CPP60420 Advanced Diploma of Building Design
CPP80220 Graduate Diploma of Building Design

New Cross Sector Infection Control Unit and Skill Set

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To support Australian business to stay open and keep workers COVID-19 safe, a new Cross Sector Infection Control unit and skill set has been released by the Australian Government. The new unit and skill set has been designed for all industries, and complement the existing skill sets for Retail, Food Handling and Transport and Logistics.

The new cross sector infection control unit and skill set were developed in close consultation with industry and will help minimise the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus as Australia moves towards rebuilding businesses and getting people back to work.

For more information, visit https://www.aisc.net.au/content/communiques-and-training-package-updates

CPC 2020 Industry Skills Forecast

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The 2020 Construction, Plumbing and Services Industry Skills Forecast has been submitted for consideration by the AISC at its upcoming meeting in August.

The full 2020 CPC Industry Skills Forecast is available for download on our Resources Page, along with forecasts from previous years. Forecast for the Property Services Training Package are available also.

Building and Construction

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In response to the February 2020 directive and further correspondence from the AISC, the workplace assessment requirement has been removed from the Building and Construction qualifications package and final endorsement by the AISC is expected at the August meeting.

For more details on the progress of the project, see the Building and Construction Project Page for information and updates.

Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package

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CPC Release 5.0

The Construction Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has been addressing the directives from the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) February meeting. 
 
Once these have been resolved, CPC Release 5.0 will proceed to final endorsement by the COAG Skills Council. It is anticipated that the following updated training products will be available on the National Register by October 2020. For more information, see whats happening on the Artibus home page.

Brick, Block and StonemasonryDemolition
Building and ConstructionHigh Risk Work
Construction WaterproofingRigging
Roof TilingScaffolding
Solid PlasteringSteelfixing
Wall and Ceiling LiningCrane Operations
Wall and Floor TilingPainting and Decorating
Construction PathwaysBuilding Design (CPP)

Building Information Modelling – Skill Set

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Validation Draft

The validation draft of BIM training products for the construction industry is now available for final stakeholder consideration. We are seeking feedback to confirm that the content of the proposed units of competency meets industry needs. The project is being guided by a Technical Advisory Group which has considered the stakeholder feedback received to date and has incorporated that feedback, where appropriate, into the draft units of competency. 
  
There are three units of competency which will be presented as a BIM awareness skill set. The units below can be downloaded here.

  • CPCBIM4001 Plan building or construction work to comply with BIM project requirements
  • CPCBIM4002 Use BIM processes to carry out building or construction work
  • CPCBIM4003 Finalise building or construction work to comply with BIM project requirements

Provide feedback here by COB Thursday, 9 July 2020.

A webinar has also been scheduled for 2.00pm (Eastern Standard Time) on Wednesday, 8 July 2020 to give stakeholders an opportunity to discuss the proposed units of competency. Register here for that event.

Please let your networks know that this project is reaching finalisation and that feedback is welcomed.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) Skill Set

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Reminder - Feedback survey open until 16 June 2020

This project is to develop a skill set in BIM awareness for the CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package. BIM is an emerging technology within the construction industry and will be a requirement across many occupations, making a micro-credential in BIM awareness an essential component of the training package. Other training packages that cover occupations across the built environment will also be able to import this skill set as a means of upskilling or continuing professional development.The first draft of the three proposed units is now available for feedback until 16 June 2020.

Read more about the project on the BIM Project Page

 

CPC40820 Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Building – Approved

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The Australian Industry Skills Committee approved the redeveloped qualification CPC40820 Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Building at their April meeting. It has eight core and ten elective units of competency and provides increased flexibility to meet individual learner and enterprise needs across two elective groups:

  • Group A - provide specialist technical skills and knowledge
  • Group B - provide safety, planning and project management and small business management skills and knowledge.

The implementation of this qualification will be delayed until all previous CPC Release 5.0 projects are approved for implementation (currently anticipated by August 2020).

The qualification components are downloadable here.

For a detailed view of the project, visit the Swimming Pool and Spa Building Project Page

Construction Training support during COVID-19 Pandemic

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Construction work in Australia is expected to continue during the pandemic. However there are strong indicators that significant numbers of workers have been adversely impacted. A recent report by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) identified the construction industry as the second largest industry group to register for the JobKeeper allowance, with more than 100,000 applicants. A crude calculation based on this figure suggests that up to one in three construction businesses may have experienced a downturn of at least 30 per cent.[1]

Reduced industry demand for current and new workers is likely to be temporary, with supply chains and demand expected to return, although the duration of the pandemic and its long term impacts are difficult to predict.

Skilling and Reskilling Australia

The federal government has said that a ‘new economy’ is expected to emerge from the pandemic. In anticipation of this, the government’s response has included support for online approaches to training. Minister for Education Dan Tehan has said the response is “unashamedly focused” on domestic students.

On 12th April 2020, Ministers Tehan and Cash announced a range of training and education responses. The Higher Education sector’s development of new six-month micro-credentials, to be completed by students between May and December 2020, has received the headline attention. Support for the VET sector includes the following support for RTOs and students:

  • Regulatory fee relief for RTOs – ASQA fees refunded or waived
  • VET Student Loan fees six-month exemption to support full-fee paying students to continue studying

Minister Cash also said the government has been working with registered training organisations and that there are 2000 vocational education and training courses available online, and that these can be identified on the MySkills website. There are 32 construction industry courses listed on MySkills.gov.au with online delivery options. The specific nature and extent of online delivery is not yet detailed on the MySkills website.

State and Territory Support for Construction Industry

States and territories have also developed their own specific support for VET-based training during the pandemic, ranging from a shift to online or blended delivery through to free micro-credentials and skill sets to options to upskill retrenched workers, through to continuing to offer free qualifications in the construction industry. These tangible support and training offerings vary considerably between jurisdictions, and are detailed in the summary below. This list was accurate at the date of writing, but it is important to note that new developments are moving swiftly, with many of the responses listed here having emerged within the last week. 

There are new and existing training incentives to attract people to the construction industry, with some states offering free micro-credentials, and skill sets which will allow retrenched and stood down workers to upskill in areas that would value-add to their current work. These vary by state and territory, with areas including digital literacy, digital data essentials, business skills, mental health peer skills, and mentoring and supervision. 

Implications for the Construction Industry

The Construction Industry is expected to be negatively impacted by the pandemic, particularly its workforce. However, this is also an opportunity for its workforce to develop new skills in digital literacy and data, mental health peer skills, and business and customer service. These skills are often mentioned by industry stakeholders as requiring further development to take the industry from 3.0 to 4.0.

The federal, state and territory government responses are to be commended. To better meet the needs of industry, further work is needed to:

  • ensure consistency of micro-credential and skill set availability across the commonwealth. These opportunities need to be equally available and accessible.
  • The limitations of exclusive online delivery for meeting licensing and evidence requirements needs acknowledgement. Blended delivery options need further exploration in order to meet trade requirements.
  • The benefits of upskilling options need to be further promoted to constructions workers who have been retrenched or stood down.
  • Further work is needed to understand how jurisdictions are supporting apprentices and trainees who may be unable to meet requirements.

Summary of Australian government VET training and education support during COVID-19 pandemic, at 20 April 2020.

GovernmentOrganisation/sDetails
CommonwealthDESE- ASQA fees refunded or waived
- VET student loans six-month exemption
- Micro-credentials online – priority area study to be completed May to Dec 2020
QueenslandTAFE Queensland’s IsoLearnFree micro-credentials and skill sets, delivered online, to Queensland residents.  

Micro-credentials offered:
- Digital Literacy Essentials (MCC00013)
- Cyber Security Essentials (MCC00014)
- Communication Technologies for Business Success (MCC00015)
- Digital Data Essentials (MCC00016)
- Data Security Essentials (MCC00017)
- Data Analysis Essentials (MCC00018)  

Four of the nine free skill sets are potentially relevant to workers in CPC industry[2]:
- Mental Health Peer Work Skill Set (CHCSS00103)
- Basic Customer Engagement Skill Set (BSBSS00034)
- Mentoring and Supervision (SITSS00039)
- Transport (Driver) Skill Set (SSTLI0021)
VictoriaFree TAFE to continue, with additional fundingThere are six CPC courses on Victoria’ Free TAFE course list:
- Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building)
- Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)
- Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying
- Certificate III in Concreting
- Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing
- Certificate IV in Plumbing and Service
NSWFree TAFE in pandemic21 fee-free, accredited  short courses offered by TAFE NSW (maximum 2 per person), however only five of these short courses are currently available. These are:
- Develop Administration Skills
- Enhance Your Digital Impact
- Grow Health and Medical Knowledge
- Improve Leadership Performance
- Practical Business Skills  
South AustraliaTAFE SATAFE SA has extended its mid-semester break (previously 9 to 27 April 2020) to start 30 March 2020. Courses will resume on 27 April 2020. All TAFE SA and training organisations are encouraged to increase their ability to deliver training remotely or online where possible.
TasmaniaSkills Tasmania’s Rapid Response Skills Initiative (RRSI)    $3000 to pay for training, including licences, for people who have lost their jobs (through redundancy, workplace closure, being let go by employer).
Western Australia
*updated on 27/4/2020		Government of WA and Construction Training Fund (CTF)$24.5 million support package for the construction workforce, including:
- $2,000 payment to employers to maintain existing apprentices and trainees
- $9.5 million in new monthly payment program to employers of apprentices and trainees
- $5 million to support more than 5,000 building and construction apprentices and trainees to complete short training courses
- Apprentices and trainees employed in the industry can claim up to $1,000 to support the costs of undertaking short courses to assist them in upskilling
Northern TerritoryNT governmentNorthern Territory Recovery package to provide business support the independent tertiary education sector.
Australian Capital TerritorySkills CanberraEconomic survival package includes support for apprentices, trainees and other vocational education and training (VET) learners to access nationally recognised training in skills needs areas across a range of industries. These measures include extending enrolments and providing funding to RTOs.

[1] Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics figure cited on MySkills.gov.au that there are 358,449 businesses trading in the sector, accessed 20/04/2020 at COVID19 Factsheet Rapid Response Skills Initiative

[2] Eligibility criteria applies, must be a job seeker or worker impacted by COVID-19.

Qualifications to be implemented together

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The AISC communique for its February 25 meeting has been released. One Property IRC project (Building Design) and eight Construction IRC projects were reviewed.

We are pleased to announce that a large number of projects have been approved—albeit with conditions for some qualifications.

These projects involved consultation with a range of stakeholders–including employers, industry associations, workers, contractors, unions, training organisations, regulators, and more.

The IRCs would like to thank everyone who has participated. In particular, they’d like to express their appreciation to members of the technical advisory groups, who have given great amounts of time and energy to reviewing  and improving training package components.

In the next few days  Artibus will be providing advice on our strategies and time frames for addressing any further work required to finalise approvals.

Project Outcomes

In addition to any other conditions listed, the AISC has ruled that CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry is to be removed as a core unit from all construction qualifications before they are endorsed.

Building Design

Submission:

Updated Graduate Diploma in Building Design.

New qualification: Advanced Diploma in Building Design.

Deletion of Graduate Certificate in Building Design.

Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting updated and renamed to Certificate IV in Residential Drafting.

AISC decision:

Approved

Submission:

Updated Diploma of Building Design

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved pending approval of one unit, CPCCBC4015 Prepare specifications for all construction works.

Bricklaying, Block Laying and Stonemasonry

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Bricklaying and Block Laying

Updated Certificate III in Stonemasonry

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Also, safety requirements including wall size dimensions are to be changed in three core units.

Building and Construction

Approval of all qualifications in the building and construction project is conditional on changes to the unit CPCCBC4008 Supervise communication and administration processes for building and construction projects (removal of the requirement for onsite assessment).

Submission:

New Certificate IV in Building Project Support and Certificate IV in Building and Construction to replace the existing four building and construction Certificate IVs.

AISC decision:

Certicate IV in Building Project Support conditionally approved (pending changes to CPCCBC4008). Certificate IV in Building and Construction requires further work to support the two specialisations of builder and site manager.

Submission:

Updated Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)

Updated Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

Updated Advanced Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (pending changes to CPCCBC4008).

Building Completions:

Five qualifications approved.

Carpentry and Joinery

Further work is required on the two proposed qualifications.

Construction Pathways

Three qualifications approved.

Demolition

Two qualifications approved.

High risk work

Four qualifications approved (with some conditions on the Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations). Deletion of two qualifications approved.

Painting and Decorating

One qualification approved.

Conditions of approval for the following qualifications

Approval of all the following qualifications (High Risk, Building Completions, Construction Pathways, Brick/Block/Stonemasonry, Carpentry and Joinery, Demolition, and Painting and Decorating) is conditional on:

  • removal of CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry as a core unit
  • any core units updated in other qualifications being approved.

AISC directed that CPCCWHS1001 be noted in the qualification description as a requirement for general induction training in the construction industry.

High Risk Work

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations

Updated Certificate III in Rigging,

Updated Certificate III in Steelfixing

Updated Certificate III in Scaffolding

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Also, any content removed from the units Licence to operate a tower crane and Licence to operate a self-erecting tower crane should be reinstated, and these two units should be reviewed by Safe Work Australia.

Submission:

Deletion of Certificate III in Post Tensioning

Deletion of Certificate III in Dogging

AISC decision:

Approved.

Building Completions

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Roof Tiling

Updated Certificate III in Solid Plastering

Updated Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining

Updated Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling

Updated Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Demolition

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Demolition

Updated Certificate IV in Demolition

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Painting and Decorating

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Painting and Decorating

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Construction Pathways

Submission:

Updated Certificate I in Construction

Updated Certificate II in Construction

Updated Certificate II in Construction Pathways

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Carpentry and Joinery

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Carpentry (replacing current Certificate III in Carpentry, Certificate III in Carpentry and Joinery and Certificate III in Formwork/Falsework)

Updated Certificate III in Joinery (replacing current Certificate III in Joinery and Certificate III in Joinery (Stairs))

AISC decision:

Neither qualification was approved.

Further consultation is required on the packaging rules of the Certificate II in Carpentry to ensure it meets employer needs and supports the viability of apprenticeships.

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