New Training Packages

The Plumbing Services Training Package will be implemented in 2005 and will set out the competencies required for people who are employed within the Plumbing and Services Industry.

As reflected in this training package, the industry requires both generalists and specialists to service the community demand. The general or regional plumber requires a range of competencies which satisfy both regulatory requirements and customer demand for single contracts/suppliers. Depending on the market profile the competencies will always cover water, will generally cover sanitary, drainage, gas, roofing, and mechanical services.

Specialists are required in the areas of gas, roofing, mechanical services and fire protection. There is obviously a concentration of specialist requirements in the major population centres and for major infrastructure projects.

The process of developing these training packages involved the identification and development of competency units both core and elective, identification of the required qualifications and their structures and rules.

In Victoria, the industry accepted models (attached) which on completion awards a Certificate III in Plumbing and a Plumbing Industry Commission registration in the streams completed. The benefit of these models is it provides options that allow the structured apprenticeship training to have a focus on the primary area of work undertaken by the plumbing business without reducing the flexibility of the individual to change their employment scope of work.

The MPMSAA support the attached model subject to the hours being available to deliver on the specialist packages.

What are Competency Standards?

The broad concept of competency is related to realistic work practices expressed as an outcome that can be understood by all people in the workplace as well as by trainers and assessors.
Competency comprises specified knowledge and skills relevant to an industry, and the application of that knowledge and skills to the standard of performance required in the workplace.

ANTA's definition of competency encompasses several features: "The concept of competency focuses on what is expected of an employee in the workplace rather than the learning process, and embodies the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations and environments".

Assessment in the Plumbing and Services Industry - The Plumbing and Services Industry places premium on skills and knowledge that can be demonstrated in a real workplace environment.

Whilst assessment of some of the Unit(s) of Competency in the Plumbing and Services Training Package can be carried out in a simulated work environment, the industry strongly recommends that assessment is conducted in the workplace, wherever possible.