RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING WITH ELECTRICAL TRADES COLLEGE

Electrical Trades College (ETC) is a Registered Training Organization. We offer nationally recognized qualifications which meet nationally endorsed industry standards for electricians. Our pathways include full training and assessment for new entrants, and this course model. This information is for experienced workers. We offer you a blended approach – Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) plus gap training and assessment for experienced workers.

We have training facilities and a workshop that meets electrical industry specifications.

This Course Guide provides information on the Electrical Trades College Blended RPL pathway for UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician certification.

Overview

The UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician, Blended RPL pathway program offered by Electrical Trades College is designed to formally recognize knowledge and skills already gained through formal training and work experience in the industry. It can be used towards a trade license as an Electrician.

Skills you have gained through formal and informal study, work experience, employment and other life experiences all form part of this recognition. Our RPL model will allow each eligible candidate to present your formal training and work evidence, so you can smoothly move through our challenge testing and gap training if needed. This is a thorough recognition and assessment process, but it can be completed in 16 – 30 weeks. Some people may take longer depending on your strength of evidence and available time.

ELIGIBILITY

→ This is essential – Work history in electrotechnology

•  a minimum of 48 months (full time) or equivalent Australian work experience
  

→ This is good to have – Industry recognised certificates such as

• White Card – Construction Induction certificate AND
• A Crafts certificate in Electrical Mechanic (NSW only), OR
• A TRC as Electrician from Trades Recognition Australia.
  

→ This is not essential but also good to have – Formal training –

•  Completed or partial TAFE /RTO or apprenticeship studies in Australia.

Participants require sufficient language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills and computer skills to engage in the learning and assessment online and put your portfolio together. Your LLN levels will be discussed and if required assessed, at the first meeting prior to acceptance in the program.

CAREER PATHWAY

Graduates can use the qualification to apply in NSW for the Electrician license.

CAREER PATHWAY

UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician is a nationally recognized qualification. This qualification provides competencies to select, install, set up, test, fault find, repair and maintain electrical systems and equipment in building and premises. It includes ERAC requirements for an ‘Electrician’s licence’. Electrical Trades College offers this as a blended training and assessment course with RPL. You supply a mix of work evidence, your work history and follow an individual training plan.

Because this is RPL and we are working with experienced workers, everyone will be different, depending on your background. That’s why we take time at the beginning to get your work history checked, then conduct interviews, then set up an individual training plan.

We follow the dates in the plan together and expect you as an adult learner to be ready for the challenge tests. If there are gaps in your knowledge and skills, you will be expected to do some training at our facility. If there are gaps in your work performance you will need to complete job cards. You have a personal connection with your Coach and Assessor at ETC.

WHAT IS RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is designed to recognise your work experience, work performance and knowledge of electrotechnology. This includes electrical knowledge and skills gained through formal and informal study, work experience, industry employment and other relevant life experiences. Electrical Trades College is committed to helping you get your trade experience recognised.

THE STEPS IN THE RPL PROGRAM

STEP 1: Student self-check – do you meet the entry requirements?

1. Have you worked for a minimum of 48 months in the electrotechnology industry?
   (essential – evidence required)
2. Do you have a current Construction Induction (White Card) (NSW) or equivalent? (essential)
3. What, if any formal relevant training have you completed? (not essential)
4. Have you completed, or part completed an apprenticeship in electrotechnology? (not essential)
5. Are you currently employed in the electrotechnology industry?
   (essential – evidence required)
6. Are your language, literacy and math skills to the level required for this course? (essential)
7. Do you have internet access, and can you use a computer to do the online learning and
   course quizzes for this course? (essential)
   

When you have completed the self-check, complete the RPL application form. ETC will be in
contact with you to discuss your RPL eligibility.

ENROLMENT

STEP 2: Attend the information session and enrol

1. We will invite you to a meeting where you will:
2. Meet the ETC Trainer / eLearning Coach and Assessors
3. Find out what is involved in the Blended RPL program
4. Find out more about what’s in a portfolio of evidence and the PWR (Previous Work)
   document set out in the RPL Candidate Kit
5. Discuss your RPL options personally with the ETC Trainer / Learning Coach /Assessor.
6. Find out about the challenge tests and knowledge tests
7. Find out about how we offer gap training if needed to candidates
8. Discuss the individual training plans and how they are put together
9. If it is agreed you are going to go ahead as an RPL candidate, you complete the enrolment form and pay the fees and collect the PWR Candidate Recording Form.
10. We confirm enrolment and the fees schedule.
11. You will receive the confirmation of enrolment and the full RPL Candidate Kit

STEP 3: Get organised – Collect the RPL Portfolio evidence and PWR document.

The RPL Candidate Kit explains all this in more details. Here are some examples of what you will put together

ETC uses a Portfolio of Evidence Point System. ETC requires a minimum of 60 points to accept your employment evidence.

Index of documents

STEP 4: Submit the RPL evidence Portfolio

The ETC Assessor will need to verify your PWR completed form (signed by your employer or the qualified third party) and the RPL portfolio evidence. The Assessor will set up an interview with you to authenticate your skills and experience in each work area.

STEP 5: RPL skills interview

You sit with the ETC Assessor and discuss your PWR completed form and the RPL portfolio evidence. This step is the important checking and verification of your evidence. The Assessor will check with your employer and other referees. A series of scenarios are used to question you about your experience and knowledge. This helps the Assessor to authenticate your experience. The Assessor then records the RPL in the industry endorsed profiling system that captures previous work experience (PWR). This interview will also give the assessor an indication as to whether any extra support in language, literacy or numeracy is needed. Using these results, the Assessor prepares your individual training plan.

As a guide, the RPL decisions and individual training plan will be based on results by unit:

STEP 6: Blended RPL individual training plan

After the skills interview, the Assessor records the RPL. You will get feedback on your skills and strengths in each work area and unit and what RPL will be granted. An individual training plan will be prepared. This is reviewed by you and discussed again if needed. Dates in the plan are agreed to suit your circumstances. The dates for the face to face Capstone training are put into the plan.

Most training plans will be set up for between 16 and 30 weeks. The training plan will contain 3 types of learning and assessment:

→ Dates for units that you can do as Challenge testing – Skills & Knowledge

→ Dates for units that needs gap training and more work performance evidence

→ Dates for UEENEEC020B and the final Capstone face to face training

The plan is signed by you and the ETC Assessor.

STEP 7: Face to face training and assessment for UEENEEC020B

The first unit of competency you will need to achieve is UEENEEC020B Participate in electrical work and competency development activitie

• This cannot be done by RPL
• This is a 8-hour course
• You attend training at the ETC facilities and
• You complete knowledge and practical skills assessments

Following the plan, you will come into the ETC facilities at agreed dates and complete challenge tests with the ETC Assessor. You complete skill and knowledge tests under supervision. You will get feedback and an assessment decision. This can occur over a number of days or weeks. Everyone will be different. Strong candidates can move through the testing smoothly.

This gap training is for people with areas of weakness in their RPL portfolio and or PWR form who want to get the full qualification and so are prepared to do this extra work with an ETC Coach. Following the plan, you do gap training through online learning in Energy Space and come to coaching & tutorial sessions in class. Then, at agreed dates you come into ETC and complete the challenge tests – knowledge and skills. You may also need to gather more work performance evidence and show this to the ETC Assessor. We coach you through this process to make it quick and smooth. This can occur over a number of days or weeks. Everyone will be different.

CAPSTONE TRAINING

STEP 10: Complete the face to face training and assessment for UEENEEG105A Verify compliance and functionality of low voltage general electrical installations

• This cannot be done by RPL
• This is a 40-hour course
• You attend training at the ETC facilities and
• You complete knowledge and practical skills assessments

STEP 11: Issue the results and final certificates

When you have completed the RPL program, ETC issues the results and the final certificate. This would be either:  a full qualification UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician or a Statement of Attainment for the units completed from UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician comprises 22 units of competency. There are 20 core units of competency plus 2 elective units of competency.

Electrical Trades College offers Blended RPL candidates units to ensure that:

• Units selected meets training package requirements
• Units can be trained and assessed within the ETC simulated workshop
• Units most relevant to a workplace are selected for elective units
• ETC has chosen one elective that focuses on gaining your ACMA Open Cabling registration in telecommunication cabling.

See the list of units and electives at the end of this course guide.

See the details on the website www.training.gov.au. Search for the course code UEE30811

RPL – We use holistic work evidence against groups of units in the PWR checklists

We assess your work experience and skills using the industry endorsed profiling system that captures previous work experience. (PWR).

Here is a summary of the areas we will ask you to prove that you have worked in and that you need to show you have sufficient evidence in your RPL portfolio:

• We provide the PWR candidate recording form for you to complete and get signed off from the qualified third party including employers.
• We conduct work experience verification conversations with you at the interviews to confirm and validate your skills, work experience, proof and claims of work history. This interview will also give the assessor an indication as to whether any extra support in language, literacy or numeracy is needed.
• This is a streamlined process that reflects REAL WORK in the electrical trades but also aligns to the requirements of the selected units of competency in the qualification.

There are two units that are not offered through RPL. These units are:

RPL Course Fees

UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician – Units of competency