New Cross Sector Infection Control Unit and Skill Set

To support Australian business to stay open and keep workers COVID-19 safe, a new Cross Sector Infection Control unit and skill set has been released by the Australian Government. The new unit and skill set has been designed for all industries, and complement the existing skill sets for Retail, Food Handling and Transport and Logistics.

The new cross sector infection control unit and skill set were developed in close consultation with industry and will help minimise the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus as Australia moves towards rebuilding businesses and getting people back to work.

For more information, visit https://www.aisc.net.au/content/communiques-and-training-package-updates

Surveying and Spatial Information Services

Validation Survey

Updated drafts of the surveying and spatial information services training products are now available for stakeholder confirmation that the structure and content of the proposed units and qualifications meets industry needs.

The drafts can be downloaded from the project page on the Artibus Innovation website, which also provides more information on the proposed changes. 

The validation questionnaire is available here and will be open until 6th July 2020.

Please let your networks know that this project is reaching finalisation and that feedback is welcomed.

Property Services: Skilling and Reskilling during COVID-19 Pandemic

The curve of Covid-19 infections is flattening in Australia and we are now entering into what commentators are calling the ‘new normal’. What impact has this had on the Property Services industry, and what changes are likely to endure?

The impact of the pandemic and its associated public health requirements will not be the same for all nations, industries and sectors. Job losses across all industries have been minimised through the Australian Government’s wage subsidies JobKeeper and Supporting Apprentices and Trainees scheme. Despite these initiatives, there was a negative 44% decline in online job advertisements in Australia during March, a fall comparable with Singapore and the United States. New Zealand and the United Kingdom experienced greater declines with -61% and -63% falls respectively.

The pandemic is predicted to be an accelerator of megatrends, particularly those in the areas of digital technology and social equality. The Property Services industry in Australia has been disrupted by the pandemic, although the Property Services Industry Reference Committee (PIRC) observed that these impacts have not been uniform or evenly distributed. Initial job losses appear to be more pronounced in public-facing, customer service roles and entry-level jobs, such as real estate. More senior roles in this sector have been insulated by digital adjustments to physical distancing requirements, such as online auctions. These are not new, but rather a continuation of the ‘prop tech’ trend which has already rapidly transformed this sector. This further highlights digital and data training gaps within the industry. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella recently observed: “The industry has embraced ‘prop tech’ with the necessary speed required over the last few weeks, that there’s no stopping it now and supporting this shift in technology will be [sic] an influx of new markets looking to Queensland as their new home.”

With large numbers of people currently staying home for work and study, the liveability of our built environment has become paramount. Facilities management and maintenance sectors, particularly cleaning, have seen increased demand since the pandemic began in March. For example, in early May, Whizz an on-demand cleaning start-up, was seeking to recruit 1,000 cleaners to meet rising customer demand for ‘specialised disinfectant and decontamination deep cleaning.’ Airtasker also reported an 8% increasing in jobs for deep cleaning in March to early April. Members of the PIRC also observed that negative impacts and job losses have been moderated by the redeployment of some workers, such as security staff that managed crowded spaces now working in essential services settings like hospitals and supermarkets. Despite the pandemic, new areas of industry demand are expected to emerge in waste management from the development of local recycling by state governments, as a recent report that 5000 new jobs could be created in this sector in Victoria indicates.

Skilling and Reskilling Australia

The federal government has said that a ‘new economy’ is expected to emerge from the pandemic. In anticipation of this, the government’s responses has included support for online approaches to training. Minister for Education Dan Tehan has said the response is “unashamedly focused” on domestic students. On 12th April 2020, Ministers Tehan and Cash announced a range of training and education responses. The Higher Education sector’s development of new six-month micro-credentials, to be completed by students between May and December 2020, has received the headline attention. Support for the VET sector includes the following support for RTOs and students:

  • Regulatory fee relief for RTOs – ASQA fees refunded or waived
  • VET Student Loan fees six-month exemption to support full-fee paying students to continue studying

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) has prioritised infection control training across industry sectors, with four new skill sets endorsed by the AISC Emergency Response Sub-Committee and Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Skills Council. These skills sets have not been designed for the Property Services industry, but rather to support workers in retail, food handling and transport and logistics sectors. They are designed to complement, not replace, existing non-accredited infection control training.

Minister Cash has also said the government has been working with registered training organisations and that there are 2000 vocational education and training courses available online, and that these can be identified on the MySkills website. There are currently 18 property services-coded industry courses and 26 skill sets listed on MySkills.gov.au with online delivery options.[1] The specific nature and extent of online delivery is not yet detailed on the MySkills website. Some, such as the Canine skill set, are listed as having online delivery options, but do not detail if they will be wholly delivered online.

State and Territory Support for Property Services Training

States and territories have also developed their own specific support for VET-based training during the pandemic, ranging from a shift to online or blended delivery through to free micro-credentials and skill sets to options to upskill retrenched workers, through to continuing to offer free qualifications in the property industry. These tangible support and training offerings vary considerably between jurisdictions, and are detailed in the Appendix.

There are new and existing training incentives likely to attract people to the Property Services industry, with some states offering free micro-credentials and skill sets which will allow retrenched and stood down workers to upskill in areas that would value-add to their current work. These vary by state and territory, with areas including digital literacy, digital data essentials, business skills, mental health peer skills, and mentoring and supervision. An overview of these is provided in the table below. Please note, these offerings are susceptible to change as states and territories begin to develop industry stimulus packages. For example, the $2.7 billion dollar construction industry stimulus package announced on 18 May by the Victorian government, including school upgrades, may have positive flow-on to the Property Services industry.

The New Normal & the Second Wave: Implications for the Property Services Industry

Australia has successfully reduced Covid-19 transmissions through public health closures and advice, however the duration of the pandemic and its long-term impacts for industry are difficult to predict. Current reduced industry demand for workers is expected to be temporary, but until a vaccine is developed, the ‘new normal’ will change public-facing customer service delivery. Even without a second wave of infections, there may be delayed negative impacts on industry due to declining customer confidence, high unemployment, significant falls in GDP and higher than usual government debt. We might expect, for example, some non-essential residential maintenance works to be delayed or reduced. More positively, this is also seen as a moment of possibility, Property Services sectors are likely to be recognised as crucial to rebuilding resilience in the Australian built environment, such as through digitally connected housing and workplaces, and climate adapted, resilient housing.

Key points

  • The Property Services Industry is expected to be impacted by the pandemic, although not in uniform ways across all of its sectors.
  • Face to face customer service has shifted to digital options and this trend is likely to continue until a vaccine is created.
  • There is demand for deep cleaning and facilities management services throughout the pandemic.
  • The AISC has prioritised infection control skills and developed skill sets.
  • There are opportunities for the Property Services workforce to develop new skills in digital literacy and data, mental health peer skills, and business and customer service through fee relief and fee-free VET courses offered by the commonwealth and jurisdictions
  • Property Services are crucial to the liveability of the Built Environment and plans for industry stimulus proposals should explicitly describe their benefits, consequences and training implications for Property Services. 

Summary of Australian government VET training and education support during COVID-19 pandemic, at 18 May 2020.

GovernmentOrganisation/sDetails
CommonwealthDESEASQA fees refunded or waivedVET student loans six-month exemptionMicro-credentials online – priority area study to be completed May to Dec 2020
CommonwealthAISC and COAGFour new Infection Control skill sets have been endorsed by the AISC Emergency Response Sub-Committee, and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Skills Council.  

Infection Control Skill Sets available at 12 May 2020:
- Infection Control Skills for Retail
- Infection Control Skills for Transport and Logistics
- Infection Control for Food Handling
QueenslandTAFE Queensland’s IsoLearnFree micro-credentials and skill sets, delivered online, to Queensland residents.  

Micro-credentials offered:
- Digital Literacy Essentials (MCC00013)
- Cyber Security Essentials (MCC00014)
- Communication Technologies for Business Success (MCC00015)
- Digital Data Essentials (MCC00016)
- Data Security Essentials (MCC00017)
- Data Analysis Essentials (MCC00018)  

Nine free skill sets, including[2]: - Mental Health Peer Work Skill Set (CHCSS00103)
- Basic Customer Engagement Skill Set (BSBSS00034)
- Mentoring and Supervision (SITSS00039)  
VictoriaFree TAFE to continue, with additional fundingThere are currently no CPP courses on Victoria’ Free TAFE course list. However, the state’s two accredited courses in Building Information Modelling - a short course and an advanced diploma - are currently offered without fees.  
NSWFee-free TAFE in pandemicFee-free, accredited  short courses offered by TAFE NSW (maximum 2 per person). Five short courses are currently available. These are:
- Develop Administration SkillsEnhance Your Digital Impact
- Grow Health and Medical Knowledge
- Improve Leadership Performance
- Practical Business Skills

There are also free micro-learning resources in:
- Collaborate and lead a dispersed team
- Working from home
South AustraliaTAFE SACourses resumed on 27 April 2020 with precautions taken to provide a safe environment.
TasmaniaSkills Tasmania’s Rapid Response Skills Initiative (RRSI)    $3000 to pay for training, including licences, for people who have lost their jobs (through redundancy, workplace closure, being let go by employer).
Western AustraliaTAFEAs WA opens, COVID-19 hygiene training sets are needed for the hospitality sector. It is unclear if this training will extend more generally to facilities cleaning and maintenance.  
Northern TerritoryNT government Free training coursesThe NT Government announced free training courses on 8 May 2020. These include:
- Digital skills
- Emergency and disaster skills
- Environmental skills
- Practical business skills
Australian Capital TerritorySkills Canberra ACT government’s $137 million economic survival package includes support for VET learners, including apprentices and traineesSubsidies for priority skills and qualifications to tackle workforce demand and supply issues as a result of the pandemic, including:
- CPP30316 Certificate III in Cleaning Operations
- CPPSS00050 Clean hospitals and aged care facilities  

Further Reading

AHURI Brief (12 May 2020), What has COVID-19 revealed about the liveability of our homes and neighbourhoods?, accessed 18 May 2020 at https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri-briefs/what-has-covid-19-revealed-about-the-liveability-of-our-homes-and-neighbourhoods

AISC (2020), COVID-19 Emergency Response Sub-Committee: Statement on the delivery of new cross-sectoral infection control skills sets, accessed 18 May 2020 at https://www.aisc.net.au/sites/default/files/AISC%20Statement_Infection%20Control%20skill%20sets_0.pdf

Condon, B., Moyse, D. & Keech, R. (2020), ‘7 Ways to build Australian resilience’, The Fifth Estate, accessed 13/5/2020 at https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/7-ways-to-rebuild-australian-resilience/?ct=t%2812+may+2020%29&mc_cid=4f7cc66805&mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D

Godderis, L. (2020), ‘Good jobs to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on health inequality’, accessed 27/4/2020 at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/publication/wcms_742059.pdf

The Economy (2020), ‘Real Estate Institutes respond to COVID-19 VS Australian Property’, The Real Estate Conversation, accessed 13/5/2020 at https://www.therealestateconversation.com.au/news/2020/05/06/real-estate-institutes-respond-covid-19-vs-australian-property/1588725370

Waters, C. (2020), ‘Coronavirus deep clean surge sparks recruitment drive at Whizz’, The Age, accessed 8/5/2020 at https://www.theage.com.au/business/small-business/coronavirus-deep-clean-surge-sparks-recruitment-drive-at-whizz-20200507-p54qsa.html


[1] Eligibility criteria applies, must be a job seeker or worker impacted by COVID-19.

[2] My Skills search conducted 22/04/2020 at https://www.myskills.gov.au/courses/Search?keywords=CPP&locationID=0&Distance=25&rtoCode=&campusId=0&cf=1%2C3

Surveying and Spatial Information Services

The Surveying and Spatial information Services Project is well underway, and there's a number of ways you can get involved.

The Surveying and Spatial Information Services Questionnaire is open until 8 May 2020. To see the proposed drafts of the qualifications and units of competency, you need to download them from the project page. Then you are able to review proposed changes and comment on them through the questionnaire.

An online consultation on the latest drafts will be held on Thursday 30th April between 2.00 – 3.30 pm. Please register to join. 

For a detailed view of the project, visit the Surveying and Spatial Project Page.

The Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) has determined new competency requirements for Class 2A (Security Consultant) licences for NSW.

This requirement will come into effect on 20 April 2020. SLED will still accept the current qualification CPP40707  Certificate IV in Security and Risk Management and SoA for CPPSEC5004A Prepare security risk management plan and CPPSEC5005A Implement security risk management plan until 28 September 2021 – this will allow 6 months transition from the teach-out date (noting ASQA has extended this due to the COVID19 situation).

Follow this link for further details.

Surveying & Spatial Information Services: Have your say

A national project is underway to review the vocational education and training (VET) qualifications and associated units of competency in Surveying and Spatial Information Services.

We are requesting input from industry stakeholders and welcome your feedback on the qualifications and units of competency - do they meet industry requirements and accurately reflect job functions and work activities? Are there any gaps?

Complete our Surveying and Spatial Information Services Questionnaire to let us know your thoughts.

Visit the Surveying and Spatial Information Services Project Page for current information on the progress of the project.

Qualifications to be implemented together

The AISC communique for its February 25 meeting has been released. One Property IRC project (Building Design) and eight Construction IRC projects were reviewed.

We are pleased to announce that a large number of projects have been approved—albeit with conditions for some qualifications.

These projects involved consultation with a range of stakeholders–including employers, industry associations, workers, contractors, unions, training organisations, regulators, and more.

The IRCs would like to thank everyone who has participated. In particular, they’d like to express their appreciation to members of the technical advisory groups, who have given great amounts of time and energy to reviewing  and improving training package components.

In the next few days  Artibus will be providing advice on our strategies and time frames for addressing any further work required to finalise approvals.

Project Outcomes

In addition to any other conditions listed, the AISC has ruled that CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry is to be removed as a core unit from all construction qualifications before they are endorsed.

Building Design

Submission:

Updated Graduate Diploma in Building Design.

New qualification: Advanced Diploma in Building Design.

Deletion of Graduate Certificate in Building Design.

Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting updated and renamed to Certificate IV in Residential Drafting.

AISC decision:

Approved

Submission:

Updated Diploma of Building Design

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved pending approval of one unit, CPCCBC4015 Prepare specifications for all construction works.

Bricklaying, Block Laying and Stonemasonry

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Bricklaying and Block Laying

Updated Certificate III in Stonemasonry

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Also, safety requirements including wall size dimensions are to be changed in three core units.

Building and Construction

Approval of all qualifications in the building and construction project is conditional on changes to the unit CPCCBC4008 Supervise communication and administration processes for building and construction projects (removal of the requirement for onsite assessment).

Submission:

New Certificate IV in Building Project Support and Certificate IV in Building and Construction to replace the existing four building and construction Certificate IVs.

AISC decision:

Certicate IV in Building Project Support conditionally approved (pending changes to CPCCBC4008). Certificate IV in Building and Construction requires further work to support the two specialisations of builder and site manager.

Submission:

Updated Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)

Updated Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

Updated Advanced Diploma of Building and Construction (Management)

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (pending changes to CPCCBC4008).

Building Completions:

Five qualifications approved.

Carpentry and Joinery

Further work is required on the two proposed qualifications.

Construction Pathways

Three qualifications approved.

Demolition

Two qualifications approved.

High risk work

Four qualifications approved (with some conditions on the Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations). Deletion of two qualifications approved.

Painting and Decorating

One qualification approved.

Conditions of approval for the following qualifications

Approval of all the following qualifications (High Risk, Building Completions, Construction Pathways, Brick/Block/Stonemasonry, Carpentry and Joinery, Demolition, and Painting and Decorating) is conditional on:

  • removal of CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry as a core unit
  • any core units updated in other qualifications being approved.

AISC directed that CPCCWHS1001 be noted in the qualification description as a requirement for general induction training in the construction industry.

High Risk Work

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations

Updated Certificate III in Rigging,

Updated Certificate III in Steelfixing

Updated Certificate III in Scaffolding

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Also, any content removed from the units Licence to operate a tower crane and Licence to operate a self-erecting tower crane should be reinstated, and these two units should be reviewed by Safe Work Australia.

Submission:

Deletion of Certificate III in Post Tensioning

Deletion of Certificate III in Dogging

AISC decision:

Approved.

Building Completions

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Roof Tiling

Updated Certificate III in Solid Plastering

Updated Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining

Updated Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling

Updated Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Demolition

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Demolition

Updated Certificate IV in Demolition

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Painting and Decorating

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Painting and Decorating

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Construction Pathways

Submission:

Updated Certificate I in Construction

Updated Certificate II in Construction

Updated Certificate II in Construction Pathways

AISC decision:

Conditionally approved (see conditions of approval above).

Carpentry and Joinery

Submission:

Updated Certificate III in Carpentry (replacing current Certificate III in Carpentry, Certificate III in Carpentry and Joinery and Certificate III in Formwork/Falsework)

Updated Certificate III in Joinery (replacing current Certificate III in Joinery and Certificate III in Joinery (Stairs))

AISC decision:

Neither qualification was approved.

Further consultation is required on the packaging rules of the Certificate II in Carpentry to ensure it meets employer needs and supports the viability of apprenticeships.

Built Environment Auditor

There are a raft of regulations requiring the inspection and assessment of the built environment during and after construction, covering areas such as the National Construction Code, energy efficiency, disability access, and public safety. The Property Services IRC has proposed a new Certificate IV qualification be developed to house the skills and knowledge required for these auditing and reporting functions.  The initial focus proposed by the IRC is to transition the Access Consulting units of competency into this qualification. A project page with more details will be added to the website in the near future.

Surveying and Spatial Information Services

The technical advisory group reviewing and updating surveying and spatial information qualifications has recommended some changes to the range of units and qualifications on offer and would like to hear what stakeholders think. Their proposal would remove redundant units and qualifications, creating a more robust framework to cover the full range of highly skilled work performed by surveyors and spatial information technicians.

You can obtain the draft qualifications and units on the project page. A webinar is scheduled for Friday 3 April 2020, 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm to provide an overview of the proposed changes. Register HERE.

We encourage you to provide feedback on the draft qualifications and units of competency using this questionnaire.

Integrated digital delivery

Integrated digital delivery (IDD) is helping to create a cleaner, greener, more efficient built environment. Technology such as building information modelling (BIM) is used throughout a building’s life cycle:
  • design
  • off-site fabrication of components
  • construction
  • ongoing facilities management and maintenance
By combining spatial information with a wide range of other data, BIM provides a shared platform for parties involved at all these stages. It replaces disconnected documents and technologies with a single, up-to-date, collaborative workspace, improving clarity, communication and decision-making. The Property Services IRC is currently examining the skills and training needed in this area. For more information, please see the project page.
Please note, the Construction IRC has a somewhat similar—but separate—project on BIM awareness in the construction industry. Although these projects are being developed separately, both IRCs are keen to ensure that units and skill sets from each training package complement (rather than duplicate) each other.
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