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Property Services - Variation of the relevant Vocational Training Order (VTO) for the recognised traineeship vocation of Asset Maintenance At the request of the Property Services Industry Training Advisory Body (PSITAB), the Commissioner for Vocational Training has approved the variation of the existing VTO for the recognised traineeship vocation of Asset Maintenance under section 6 of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001. The amended VTO highlights new qualifications from the revised Asset Maintenance Training Package PRM04, endorsed by the National Training Quality Council on 26 February, 2004. Vocational Training Order Standard Format The VTO in each instance may make reference to:
A copy of the relevant revised VTO supporting the recognised traineeship vocation of Asset Maintenance is at Attachment A. Asset Maintenance Training Package PRM04 The PSITAB, which covers the Property Services industry sectors, has developed three Training Packages that reflect quality-endorsed competency standards packaged and aligned to recognised qualifications, including Asset Maintenance. At the time of endorsement in 1998, the Asset Maintenance Training Package (PRM98) covered two occupational streams - Cleaning Operations and Pest Management. The Waste Management and Portable Fire Equipment Servicing (now referred to as Fire Protection Equipment) occupational streams were progressively added to the training package and reflected in amended VTOs.
Overview of changes The introduction of the revised training package (PRM04) has seen a number of changes made in each of the established sectors, including:
Two new occupational streams have been added:
Some qualifications were not reviewed and included in the revised PRM04 Asset Maintenance Training Package as it became apparent that the industry would be best served by focussing on technical standards and relying on generic business qualifications where required. This philosophy culminated in a decision to discontinue three Pest Operations qualifications. Qualifications framework Qualifications in the revised Training Package range from Certificate I to Certificate IV across six sectors:
The qualification flowcharts for each specialisation in the Asset Maintenance Training Package are at Attachment B. For the purpose of the revised VTO, trainees in New South Wales in asset maintenance will have the option of gaining thirteen of the fourteen available qualifications:
Units of competency The competency model adopted by the industry avoids the use of co-requisite and prerequisite groupings of units, although it should be noted that qualifications are nested. This means, for example, that the core units of competency required for a Certificate II in Asset Maintenance (Carpet Cleaning) also appear as core units of competency for a Certificate III in Asset Maintenance (Carpet Cleaning). Units defined as ‘core’ units provide common ground across the industry for training, assessment and recognition activities. Elective units take into account individual or enterprise variations and requirements, and provide for flexibility in course design, delivery and assessment. Various combinations of core and elective units may be required, depending on the particular occupational or service niche occupied by the candidate. For example, typical carpet cleaning occupations include carpet cleaning technician, carpet cleaning business owner/manager and carpet cleaning administrator. The packaging and combination of the minimum number of units drawn from required for each traineeship qualification are outlined at Attachment C .
Industrial arrangements Industrial arrangements for trainees are in place through the following industrial instruments. Carpet cleaning and cleaning operations Most employees employed as cleaners by a cleaning company are covered by the Cleaning and Building Services Contractors (State) Award (116). Traineeships in these sectors may be undertaken on a full-time and part-time basis. Fire Safety Systems Inspection and Fire Protection Equipment There is no industry specific award coverage for the Fire Protection Equipment sector. The Fire Protection Association of Australia (FPAA) is respondent to the National Training Wage Award 2000 (AW790899). Employers who wish to employ trainees in the Fire Protection Equipment Sector are encouraged to become members of FPAA. The FPAA State committee (NSW) has advised the PSITAB that some employers use the Miscellaneous Workers Award, although definitions in this award do not specifically advise coverage for this occupation and/or provisions for traineeships. Industrial arrangements for traineeships in both the Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems sectors may also be arranged where either the employer is a respondent to the Training Wage (State) Award 2002 (1614) or they are a member of an employer organisation that is a respondent to the Training Wage (State) Award 2002 (1614) or where the employee is a member of an organisation of employees who are respondents to the Training Wage (State) Award 2002 (1614). Pest management Industrial arrangements are in place through the Pest Control Industry (State) Award (341). As indicated in that Award, training wages are covered by the AWU State Wage Award (1610). This award provides for part-time traineeships. Waste management Trainees in this sector are employed under Local Government (State) Award 2004. This is the main Award covering Municipal Employee Union (MEU) members employed in Local Government. The Award does not make specific reference to part-time traineeships, but provisions within the Award would seem to allow the implementation of part-time traineeships by written agreement between the relevant parties. There are many additional Awards and Agreements in place for members of the MEU in Local Government. Members should contact the MEU for more information on their specific Award or Agreement. Employers in Local Government should contact the Local Government and Shires Association for further advice in relation to the employment of trainees. Industry advice outside of local government indicates that most workers employed in the Waste Management industry are employed subject to various Enterprise Agreements, Certified Agreements or Australian Workplace Agreements. The waste management industry has proposed that the Commissioner and parties to existing Awards be advised as follows:
Mapping of existing curricula Curricula in New South Wales exist for the Cleaning Operations, Pest Management and Waste Management sectors, although this documentation would require some modifications/updating to meet the requirements of the new Training Package. In New South Wales, responsibility for mapping of curricula against the new Asset Maintenance Training Package has generally been undertaken by a number of TAFE NSW Curriculum Centres, including: Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction and Transport; and Primary Industries and Natural Resources. There are no existing curricula for the Carpet Cleaning, Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems Inspections traineeship pathways. It is unclear, at this time, whether TAFE NSW will develop curricula for the new areas contained within the Asset Maintenance Training Package (PRM04). Private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) delivering in New South Wales have generally developed their own curricula and would continue to develop their own ‘Learning Resources’ to support the implementation of training packages and generally not large supporters of developed curricula. The mapping of changes in Asset Maintenance qualifications and units of competency from PRM 98 to PRM04 can be found in PRM04. See http://www.ntis.gov.au. Vocational Education and Training in Schools Industry does not, at this time, support the delivery of the traineeship pathways in schools. There is due to the potentially dangerous nature of the work including, for example, the use of chemicals. Another consideration is the licensing requirements of the Pest Management sector. Licensing arrangements There are no licensing requirements for the Carpet Cleaning, Cleaning Operations, Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems Sectors. Licensing exists within the Pest Management sector. Technicians/operators are required to be licensed by WorkCover as Pest Management Technicians. As a result of consultation and review of the implementation issues for the revised Training Package, licensing conditions have been linked to the completion of the following competencies from PRM04: PRMPM05A MODIFY ENVIRONMENT TO MANAGE PESTS As such, graduates from Certificate III in Asset Management (Pest Management –Technical) and Certificate IV in Asset Management (Pest Management) who demonstrate completion of these units, are eligible to apply for licensing to operate in the industry. Waste Management Currently there are no licensing requirements for the Waste Management Sector qualifications included in this application. However, licensing and/or other regulations are applicable to some activities undertaken in the industry. The activities to which licensing and/or regulation apply include:
Learning resources and assessment materials
Carpet Cleaning, Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems Inspection Currently, no support materials or resources have been developed for these occupation streams. The PSITAB is currently developing resources under a Workplace Language and Literacy Project (WELL) for the Cleaning Industry. A list of available ‘Draft’ resources for downloading are listed below:
All of these resources may be downloaded from www.pstrain.com.au Cleaning Operations and Pest Management A range of non-endorsed components have been developed and are available through Australian Training Products (ATP - http://www.atpl.net.au/) or through the PSITAB on CD Rom, as listed below. Candidate’s Kit A Candidate’s Kit has been developed for both these occupations to support candidates throughout their training. It includes guides for:
The Kit covers all units of competency for both streams. Assessment and Training Kit An Assessment and Training kit has been developed for both streams to support candidates throughout their training. It includes:
Introduction to Training Packages Kit This Kit has been developed to inform employers, employees and schools. The Kit includes:
Waste Management A range of non-endorsed components have been developed and are available through ATP or through the PSITAB on CD Rom. A comprehensive CDROM resource containing both the endorsed and non-endorsed components of the Asset Maintenance Training Package (Waste Management) is available from either ATP or from PSITAB. The endorsed components contain:
The support materials contain:
Other resources include:
It is anticipated that a range of non-endorsed components for the Carpet Cleaning, Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems Inspections streams will be developed and be made available through ATP or through the Construction and Property Skills Council on CD Rom later in 2005 and early 2006, subject to the availability of funding. They would include: Candidates Kit The Candidates Kit developed would support candidates throughout their training. It would cover all units of competency for all streams and would include guides for:
Assessment and Training Kit An assessment kit would also be developed to support candidates throughout their training. The assessment and training kit would include:
Introduction to Training Packages Kit This Kit would be developed for employers, candidates and schools’ information. It would include:
The current products available for these streams, with some modifications, would still be highly useful. It is also anticipated that the Construction and Property Skills Council will update these products in due course, subject of course to the availability of funding.
A number of strategies exist to assist RTOs to access relevant materials information for the Asset Maintenance training package. These include:
Availability of RTOs A list of RTOs that can deliver training from the Asset Maintenance Training Package PRM04 may be found on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) web site http://www.ntis.gov.au/ Flexible training arrangements
Much of the learning for these two sectors is achieved through on-the-job practice. The proposed traineeships will provide employers, employees and training providers with a framework and resources to support flexible training. These industry sectors require the need for flexible training arrangements, to include consideration for:
The Training Package non-endorsed components provide a range of resources to assist with effective on job training, assessment and recording of achievement in relation to the Cleaning Operations, although some adjustment needs to be made in relation to changes made in the training package and detailed in the attachments of this document.
As with the cleaning sectors, much of the learning for these sectors is achieved through on-the-job practice. The proposed traineeships will provide employers, employers and training providers with a framework and resources for flexible training.
The PSITAB has advised that each of these sectors may utilise a flexible approach to training, based RTO discussions with employers and trainees.
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Last updated: 3 August, 2005 |
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For any enquiries regarding this CIB, please contact the Vocational Training Tribunal Unit on (02) 9266 8579.