Training package to expose school leavers to construction careers

Certificate I training in resources and infrastructure operations is now available as a nationally-endorsed, competency-based training qualification.

It is suitable for all five Resources and Infrastructure Industry Skills Council (RIISC) industry sectors including civil construction and has been designed for its functionality and value to both the industry and trainees.

Certificate I is the first step towards rationalising RIISC training packages covering civil construction as well as other earthmoving industries.

Sydney based RIISC project manager Stig Falster, said it was an extremely flexible qualification. It is intended to fill “a yawning gap for an entry level qualification across all our 5 sectors and can be delivered as VET in schools, as pre-employment training, as training for remote indigenous communities or as a site induction program.”

Compete with McDonalds

Because it is competency based however, students will have to work on the job too, while learning Certificate 1 theory in the classroom at school. Already Falster said there was interest from employers, in employing Certificate 1 school students on a part time basis to achieve competency.

He said that Certificate 1 provided an ideal opportunity for young people to become involved in the earthmoving and construction industries while still at school. “Often what has happened until now, is that students have taken jobs with McDonalds and other retailers, while still at school. Then they have left and spent three or four years at university or TAFE and drifted into other areas of employment, before a small number maybe came into the industry when they were 23 or 24.

“So this new resource means many more could be favourably exposed to the industry than are currently and when they are much younger.”

Already he has had queries from a number of schools interested in teaching Certificate 1. “It is an ideal qualification for new entrants to the resources and infrastructure sectors, as the mandatory (core) competencies will articulate into certificates II and III in the resources and infrastructure sectors,” he said. These resources will ensure national training and assessment consistency across all the RIISC industry sectors.

Training pathway

“We believe this qualification will present our industries with an excellent training pathway for attracting potential new entrants,” he said.

While the other certificates list just the required competencies, RIISC has developed Certificate 1 support materials to assist school teachers, RTOs and other enterprises in its delivery. They comprise a complete set of training and assessment resources, together with a professional development workshop for teachers and trainers which will be available on request. He said they cost about $100,000 to develop and would be sold for $1500 a set.

Falster said when funds allowed, RIISC's aim was to provide teacher/trainer resources for all the competencies it has developed for its other certificates.

Core competencies

The mandatory core competencies of Certificate 1 are:

• Work safely and follow OH&S policies & procedures;

• Communicate in the workplace;

• Contribute to quality work outcomes, and

• Participate in environmental work practices.

Then there are electives in such things as light vehicle operations, handling non-toxic materials, personal computers, taking samples and reading maps.

The endorsed components consisting of units of competency, national qualifications and assessment guidelines, have been subject to a rigorous nationwide consultation process, with more than 600 people participating in the process.

More information: RIISC, 36 Carrington Street, Sydney, 02 9299 3014, sfalster@riisc.com.au