Training Package Development Handbook policy

Specific Training Package Development Handbook policy on licensing and regulatory requirements

Units of Competency - Policy

Contextualisation of Units of Competency

Training Package developers can contextualise endorsed units of competency they import into a Training Package, where industry requires this to accommodate identified needs. Contextualisation of endorsed units imported by Training Package developers is justified only if there are key differences to context and performance arising from licensing or industry application requirements.

Occupational Health and Safety

Training Package developers must ensure OHS requirements are embedded within units of competency.

Packaging Units of Competency into a Qualification

Where the Training Package developer considers that units should not be packaged in a particular qualification or listed as electives, the units may be included in the Training Package if the Industry Skills Council:

  • provides evidence that including the units in this way is necessary, including a clear explanation of the reasons why, and evidence of validation by industry
  • provides evidence that State and Territory Training Authorities have been consulted about the units
  • includes, in the Case for Endorsement, information about the circumstances in which the units would be in demand, and industry expectations of their inclusion, for example that they:
    • meet a regulatory or licensing requirement

Regulatory Requirements

The relationship of a unit of competency with any applicable licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements must be stated in the unit descriptor.

Where no such requirements exist, insert the following statement: 'No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.'

Assessment Guidelines - Policy

Assessment for Licensing Purposes

Training Package developers must ensure that, where assessment for licensing or regulatory purposes has additional considerations to those specified within the Training Package, this information is included in the Assessment Guidelines.

Qualifications Framework - Policy

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements should be specified for the qualification where prior knowledge skill and experience is considered necessary.

Entry requirements should be expressed in terms of competency, and may include licensing or industry recognised standards.

Entry requirements may be expressed as:

  • the core units of competency of a lower AQF level qualification
  • a significant number of units of competency from a lower level qualification
  • specialist units of competency from a related stream
  • vocational expertise, including typical job roles
  • a combination of units of competency and vocational expertise.

Skill Sets

Training Package developers must determine the need for skill sets in Training Packages.

Skill sets are defined as single units of competency, or combinations of units of competency from an endorsed Training Package, which link to a licensing or regulatory requirement, or a defined industry need.

Skill sets must include:

  • the disclaimer 'Readers should ensure that they have also read the part of the Training Package that outlines licensing and regulatory requirements'
  • advice about other requirements or regulations that may need to be met such as any requirements for Australian citizenship or evidence of a certain period of work experience or an age requirement (e.g. liquor service)
  • advice about logical clustering of units for the skill set in meeting industry needs
  • advice about a skill set's relationship with a qualification.

Skill sets must not purport to be qualifications or include elective units.

This information is taken from the Training Package Development Handbook (www.tpdh.deewr.gov.au). The information was correct at 29 May 2008.

This page was generated on 13 October, 2009