AQF Handbook 15-35

8/6/2019 AQF Handbook 15-35

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15Guidelines

1. Purpose

o assist employers; employees; pro essional associations; unions; raining Package, course andcurriculum developers; accrediting bodies; and the wider public, including students, parents, andeducation and training bodies, to understand actors determining the level o the quali cation.

Also, to assist developers o raining Packages and courses o training to assign appropriate AQF

quali cations within a raining Package, or to a course to be submitted or accreditation.

2. Context

Tese Guidelines replace the RA E Descriptions, which have previously been used to provideguidance on quali cation levels. Te Guideline or the Certi cate I quali cation, which isauthorised by the vocational education and training sector, takes into account developments underthe National Skills Framework the introduction o raining Packages and the implementationo the Australian Quality raining Framework 2007 (AQ F 2007). raining Packages usecompetency standards to describe the skills and knowledge needed to per orm e ectively inthe workplace. Tese competency standards are packaged into units o competency. Units o

competency are components o AQF quali cations. It is a requirement o the AQ F 2007that competency standards rom relevant raining Packages be used where they exist.

Quali cations developed outside raining Packages must not duplicate quali cations contained inraining Packages. Registered raining Organisations and/or State/ erritory Course Accrediting

Bodies will need to be satis ed that any quali cation proposed outside a raining Package cannotbe achieved by the customisation and fexibility o ered within a raining Package or by the issuanceo a raining Package quali cation together with one or more Statements o Attainment.

Te National Quality Council, the body responsible or the endorsement o raining Packages, alsohas responsibility or the endorsement o national competency standards that are not part o rainingPackages. Tese Guidelines apply equally to quali cations based on these competency standards.

In the vocational education and training sector there are a number o use ul re erence documents, which are listed in the Appendix.

Certifcate IGuideline


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16 AQF Implementation Handbook 2007

3. Learning Outcomes

3.1 Authority

In the vocational education and training sector, quali cations are based on nationally endorsed

competency standards where they exist or on competency standards developed by relevantindustry, enterprise, community or pro essional groups. Te quali cations certi y achievement o learning outcomes generally identi ed as sets o competencies or levels o workplace per ormancerefected in the characteristics and distinguishing eatures o each quali cation. Te ocus in thevocational education and training sector is on the capacity to assess directly the per ormancecriteria in the competencies speci ed within the raining Package or accredited course.

Authorisation o alignment o competency standards to AQF quali cations occurs as ollows:

National Industry Skills Councils and other recognised bodies including relevant enterprises,through the process o developing raining Packages, determine the relevant quali cation or eachset o national competency standards in their respective raining Packages. Tis determination is

subject to endorsement by the National Quality Council. State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, or Registered raining Organisations with delegated

authority to sel -manage accreditation, through the course accreditation process determine therelevant quali cations or any combined sets o national competency standards or which there isa training need, derived either rom more than one raining Package and/or other endorsed sets o competency standards. Te title o the new quali cation must be clearly distinct rom those in therelated raining Packages.

Where there is no relevant raining Package, State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, throughthe course accreditation process, determine the relevant quali cation or other sets o competency standards developed by relevant industry, enterprise, community or pro essional bodies to meet anidenti ed training need.

3.2 Characteristics

Characteristics o competencies include:

breadth, depth and complexity o knowledge and skills would prepare a person to per orm ade ned range o activities most o which may be routine and predictable; and

applications may include a variety o employment-related skills including preparatory access andparticipation skills, broad-based induction skills and/or speci c work place skills. Tey may alsoinclude participation in a team or work group.

3.3 Distinguishing Features

Where additional in ormation is required to assist in determining the quali cation level, the ollowingchart could be used to help determine the most compatible match.

It is emphasised that the chart is not intended to be used as a checklist which all Certi cate Iquali cations must include, or to replace the authority statement above.


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17Guidelines

Table 5: Distinguishing Features: CertifcatesI and II

Certifcate I Certifcate II

Do the Competencies enable an individual with this qualifcation to :

Do the Competencies enable an individual with this qualifcation to :

demonstrate knowledge by recall in a narrow range o areas

demonstrate basicoperational knowledge in amoderate range o areas

demonstrate basic practical skills such as the useo relevant tools

apply a defned range o skills

apply known solutions to a limited range o predictable problems

per orm a sequence o routine tasks given cleardirection

per orm a range o tasks where choice between a limited range o options is required

receive and pass on messages/in ormation assess and record in ormation rom variedsources

take limited responsibility or own outputs in work and learning

Note: In able 5 italicised words emphasise distinguishing eatures o the competencies between quali cations. In orderto assist determining the relevant quali cation, the most compatible set o eatures should be selected. Not all eatures willnecessarily apply.

4. Responsibility or Assessment

Quali cations issued in the vocational education and training sector certi y the achievement o competency.

Assessment is the responsibility o Registered raining Organisations. Tese bodies must comply withthe AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration.

5. Pathways to the Qualifcation

5.1 Accessto the quali cation could be through:

a training program meeting the requirements o an endorsed rainingPackage or a training program meeting the requirements o an accreditedcourse(s) delivered by a Registered raining Organisation;

or a combination o a training program meeting the requirements o an endorsed raining Package

or a training program meeting the requirements o an accredited course delivered by a Registeredraining Organisation, plus recognition o prior learning including credit trans er and/or

experience;or the recognition o prior learning that provides evidence o the achievement o the competencies

or the quali cation.


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5.2 Time taken to gain the quali cation will vary according to the pathway taken and actors relatedto the particular industry or work area. Structured training at this level may be broad-basedinduction skills or work in a large and diverse industry area and there ore involve more hoursthan others that ocus on more speci c workplace skills. Nominal duration statements may appear

in training programs which may be part o the non-endorsed Learning Strategies componento a raining Package. Nominal duration statements are also to be included in accreditationsubmissions but will not be used to determine the level o a quali cation.

5.3 Examples o possible pathways include:

Work-Based raining and Assessment Institution-Based Education and raining and Assessment (including schools) Part Institution-Based Education and raining and Assessment (including schools)/Part Work-

Based raining and Assessment Recognition o Prior Learning Recognition o Prior Learning combined with Further raining as required Accumulation o a Variety o Short Courses/ raining Programs

6. Authority to Issue the Qualifcation

In the vocational education and training sector, each State/ erritory has legislative responsibility orauthorising the issuance o the quali cation. Tis responsibility is carried out by Registered rainingOrganisations or in some instances by a body authorised under statute. R Os agree to AQ F 2007Conditions o Registration within the Essential Standards or Registration regarding the certi cation

and issuing o quali cations and Statements o Attainment.

7. Certifcation Issued A quali cation is:

ormal certifcation, issued by a relevant approved body, in recognition that a person has achieved competencies relevant to identifed individual, pro essional, industry or community needs.

Individuals issued with the quali cation, ie Certi cate I, will also receive documentation that identi esthe units o competency that have been achieved when training is based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards (such as those in raining Packages).

Individuals who complete only some o the requirements or the quali cation will receive a Statemento Attainment. Te Statement o Attainment will include, either on the Statement itsel or as anattachment, the whole units o competency that have been achieved when training is based on nationally endorsed competency standards (such as those in raining Packages).

Te issuing body will be responsible or providing and maintaining records in relation to the above. See AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.

NOTE: These examples suggest only some o a wide range o possible pathways.They are not intended to be prescriptive, nor are they limited to thisparticular qualifcation.


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19Guidelines

1. Purposeo assist employers; employees; pro essional associations; unions; raining Package, course and

curriculum developers; accrediting bodies; and the wider public, including students, parents, andeducation and training bodies, to understand actors determining the level o the quali cation.



2. ContextTese Guidelines replace the RA E Descriptions, which have previously been used to provideguidance on quali cation levels. Te Guideline or the Certi cate II quali cation, which isauthorised by the vocational education and training sector, takes into account developments underthe National Skills Framework the introduction o raining Packages and the implementationo the Australian Quality raining Framework 2007 (AQ F 2007). raining Packages usecompetency standards to describe the skills and knowledge needed to per orm e ectively inthe workplace. Tese competency standards are packaged into units o competency. Units o competency are components o AQF quali cations. It is a requirement o the AQ F 2007

that competency standards rom relevant raining Packages be used where they exist.

Quali cations developed outside raining Packages must not duplicate quali cations contained inraining Packages. Registered raining Organisations and/or State/ erritory Course Accrediting

Bodies will need to be satis ed that any quali cation proposed outside a raining Package cannotbe achieved by the customisation and fexibility o ered within a raining Package or by the issuanceo a raining Package quali cation together with one or more Statements o Attainment.


In the vocational education and training sector there are a number o use ul re erence documents, which are listed in the Appendix.

Certifcate IIGuideline


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3.1 Authority

In the vocational education and training sector, quali cations are based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards where they exist or on competency standards developed by relevant industry,enterprise, community or pro essional groups. Te quali cations certi y achievement o learningoutcomes generally identi ed as sets o competencies or levels o workplace per ormance refected in thecharacteristics and distinguishing eatures o each quali cation. Te ocus in the vocational educationand training sector is on the capacity to assess directly the per ormance criteria in the competenciesspeci ed within the raining Package or accredited course.

Authorisation o alignment o competency standards to AQF quali cations occursas ollows:

National Industry Skills Councils and other recognised bodies including relevant enterprises,through the process o developing raining Packages, determine the relevant quali cation or each

set o national competency standards in their respective raining Packages. Tis determination issubject to endorsement by the National Quality Council. State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, or Registered raining Organisations with delegated


Where there is no relevant raining Package, State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, throughthe course accreditation process, determine the relevant quali cation or other sets o competency standards developed by relevant industry, enterprise, community or pro essional bodies to meet an

identi ed training need.3.2 Characteristics


per ormance o a prescribed range o unctions involving known routines andprocedures and some accountability or the quality o outcomes;

breadth, depth and complexity o knowledge and skills would prepare a person toper orm in a range o varied activities or knowledge applications where there is aclearly de ned range o contexts in which the choice o actions required is usually clear and there is limited complexity in the range o options to be applied; and

applications may include some complex or non-routine activities involvingindividual responsibility or autonomy and/or collaboration with others as parto a group or team.



It is emphasised that the chart is not intended to be used as a checklist which all Certi cate IIquali cations must include, or to replace the authority statement above.


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21Guidelines

Table 6: Distinguishing Features: CertifcatesI, II and III

Certifcate I Certifcate II Certifcate III

Do the Competencies enablean individual with thisqualifcation to :



demonstrate knowledge by recall in a narrow range o areas

demonstrate basic operational knowledge in a moderate range o areas

demonstrate some relevant theoretical knowledge

demonstrate basic practical skillssuch as the use o relevant tools

apply a defned range o skills apply a range o well developed skills

apply known solutions to a limited range o predictable problems

apply known solutions to a variety o predictable problems

per orm a sequence o routinetasks given clear direction

per orm a range o tasks wherechoice between alimited range o options is required

per orm processes that requirea range o well developed skills where some discretion and judgement is required

receive and pass on messages/in ormation

assess and record in ormationrom varied sources

interpret available in ormation,using discretion and judgement

take limited responsibility or own outputs in work andlearning

take responsibility or ownoutputs in work and learning

take limited responsibility or the output o others


4. Responsibility or AssessmentQuali cations issued in the vocational education and training sector certi y the achievement o competency.

Assessment is the responsibility o Registered raining Organisations. Tese bodies must comply with AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration.


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5.1 Accessto the quali cation could be through:

a training program meeting the requirements o an endorsed raining Package or a trainingprogram meeting the requirements o an accredited course(s) delivered by a Registered rainingOrganisation;





5.2 Time taken to gain the quali cation will vary according to the pathway taken and actors related

to the particular industry or work area. Nominal duration statements may appear in trainingprograms which may be part o the non-endorsed Learning Strategies component o a rainingPackage. Nominal duration statements are also to be included in accreditation submissions but

will not be used to determine the level o a quali cation.





6. Authority to Issue the QualifcationIn the vocational education and training sector, each State/ erritory has legislative responsibility orauthorising the issuance o the quali cation. Tis responsibility is carried out by Registered rainingOrganisations or in some instances by a body authorised under statute. R Os agree to AQ F 2007

Conditions o Registration within the Essential Standards or Registration regarding the certi cationand issuing o quali cations and Statements o Attainment.


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23Guidelines



Individuals issued with the quali cation, ie Certi cate II, will also receive documentation that identi esthe units o competency that have been achieved when training is based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards (such as those in raining Packages).


Te issuing body will be responsible or providing and maintaining records in relation to the above. See

AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.


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25Guidelines

Certifcate IIIGuideline

1. Purpose

o assist employers; employees; pro essional associations; unions; raining Package, course andcurriculum developers; accrediting bodies; and the wider public, including students, parents, andeducation and training bodies, to understand actors determining the level o the quali cation.



2. Context

Tese Guidelines replace the RA E Descriptions, which have previously been used to provideguidance on quali cation levels. Te Guideline or the Certi cate III quali cation, which isauthorised by the vocational education and training sector, takes into account developments underthe National Skills Framework the introduction o raining Packages and the implementationo the Australian Quality raining Framework 2007 (AQ F 2007). raining Packages usecompetency standards to describe the skills and knowledge needed to per orm e ectively inthe workplace. Tese competency standards are packaged into units o competency. Units o

competency are components o AQF quali cations. It is a requirement o the AQ F 2007that competency standards rom relevant raining Packages be used where they exist.

Quali cations developed outside raining Packages must not duplicate quali cations contained inraining Packages. Registered raining Organisations and/or State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies

will need to be satis ed that any quali cation proposed outside a raining Package cannot be achievedby the customisation and fexibility o ered within a raining Package or by the issuance o a rainingPackage quali cation together with one or more Statements o Attainment.


In the vocational education and training sector there are a number o use ul re erence documents, whichare listed in the Appendix.


3.1 Authority

In the vocational education and training sector, quali cations are based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards where they exist or on competency standards developed by relevant industry,enterprise, community or pro essional groups.

Te quali cations certi y achievement o learning outcomes generally identi ed as setso competencies or levels o workplace per ormance refected in the characteristicsand distinguishing eatures o each quali cation. Te ocus in the vocational education


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and training sector is on the capacity to assess directly the per ormance criteria inthe competencies speci ed within the raining Package or accredited course.

Authorisation o alignment o competency standards to AQF quali cations occurs as ollows:

National Industry Skills Councils and other recognised bodies including relevant enterprises,through the process o developing raining Packages, determine the relevant quali cation or eachset o national competency standards in their respective raining Packages. Tis determination issubject to endorsement by the National Quality Council.

State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, or Registered raining Organisations with delegatedauthority to sel -manage accreditation, through the course accreditation process determine therelevant quali cations or any combined sets o national competency standards or which there isa training need, derived either rom more than one raining Package and/or other endorsed sets o competency standards. Te title o the new quali cation must be clearly distinct rom those in therelated raining Packages.

Where there is no relevant raining Package, State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, through

the course accreditation process, determine the relevant quali cation or other sets o competency standards developed by relevant industry, enterprise, community or pro essional bodies to meet anidenti ed training need.

3.2 Characteristics


per ormance o a de ned range o skilled operations, usually within a range o broader relatedactivities involving known routines, methods and procedures, where some discretion and

judgement is required in the selection o equipment, services or contingency measures and withinknown time constraints;

breadth, depth and complexity o knowledge and competencies would cover selecting, adapting

and trans erring skills and knowledge to new environments and providing technical advice andsome leadership in resolution o speci c problems. Tis would be applied across a range o roles ina variety o contexts with some complexity in the extent and choice o options available; and

applications may involve some responsibility or others. Participation in teams including group orteam coordination may be involved.



It is emphasised that the chart is not intended to be used as a checklist which all Certi cate IIIquali cations must include, or to replace the authority statement above.


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27Guidelines

Table 7: Distinguishing Features: CertifcatesII, III and IV

Certifcate II Certifcate III Certifcate IV




demonstrate basicoperational knowledge in a moderate range o areas


demonstrate understandingo a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts

apply a defned range o skills apply a range o well developed skills

apply known solutions to alimited range o predictableproblems

apply known solutions to a variety o predictable problems

apply solutions to a de nedrange o unpredictable problems

per orm a range o tasks wherechoice between a limited range o options is required


identi y and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety o contexts with depth in some areas

assess and record in ormationrom varied sources


identi y, analyse and evaluate in ormation rom a variety o sources

take limited responsibility or own outputs in work and

learning


take responsibility or ownoutputs in relation to specifed quality standards

take limited responsibility orthe output o others

take limited responsibility orthe quantity and quality o theoutput o others




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Assessment is the responsibility o Registered raining Organisations. Tese bodies must comply with AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.


5.1 Accessto the quali cation could be through: a training program meeting the requirements o an endorsed raining Package or a training

program meeting the requirements o an accredited course(s) delivered by a Registered rainingOrganisation;





5.2 Time taken to gain the quali cation will vary according to the pathway taken and actors relatedto the particular industry or work area. Nominal duration statements may appear in trainingprograms which may be part o the non-endorsed Learning Strategies component o a rainingPackage. Nominal duration statements are also to be included in accreditation submissions but

will not be used to determine the level o a quali cation.

5.3 Examples o possible pathways include: Work-Based raining and Assessment Institution-Based Education and raining and Assessment (including schools) Part Institution-Based Education and raining and Assessment (including schools)/Part Work-



6. Authority to Issue the QualifcationIn the vocational education and training sector, each State/ erritory has legislative responsibility orauthorising the issuance o the quali cation. Tis responsibility is carried out by Registered rainingOrganisations or in some instances by a body authorised under statute. R Os agree to AQ F 2007Conditions o Registration within the Essential Standards or Registration regarding the certi cationand issuing o quali cations and Statements o Attainment.


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29Guidelines


ormal certifcation, issued by a relevant approved body, in recognition that a person has

achieved competencies relevant to identifed individual, pro essional, industry or community needs.

Individuals issued with the quali cation, ie Certi cate III, will also receive documentation that identi esthe units o competency that have been achieved when training is based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards (such as those in raining Packages).


Te issuing body will be responsible or providing and maintaining records in relation to the above. See AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.


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31Guidelines

Certifcate IVGuideline

1. Purposeo assist employers; employees; pro essional associations; unions; raining Package, course and

curriculum developers; accrediting bodies; and the wider public, including students, parents, andeducation and training bodies, to understand actors determining the level o the quali cation.



2. ContextTese Guidelines replace the RA E Descriptions, which have previously been used to provide guidanceon quali cation levels. Te Guideline or the Certi cate IV quali cation, which is authorised by thevocational education and training sector, takes into account developments under the National SkillsFramework the introduction o raining Packages and the implementation o the Australian Quality raining Framework 2007 (AQ F 2007). raining Packages use competency standards to describe the

skills and knowledge needed to per orm e ectively in the workplace. Tese competency standards arepackaged into units o competency. Units o competency are components o AQF quali cations. It isa requirement o the AQ F 2007 that competency standards rom relevant raining Packages be used

where they exist.

Quali cations developed outside raining Packages must not duplicate quali cations contained inraining Packages. Registered raining Organisations and/or State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies

will need to be satis ed that any quali cation proposed outside a raining Package cannot be achievedby the customisation and fexibility o ered within a raining Package or by the issuance o a rainingPackage quali cation together with one or more Statements o Attainment.


In the vocational education and training sector there are a number o use ul re erence documents, whichare listed in the Appendix.


3.1 Authority

In the vocational education and training sector, quali cations are based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards where they exist or on competency standards developed by relevantindustry, enterprise, community or pro essional groups. Te quali cations certi y achievement o learning outcomes generally identi ed as sets o competencies or levels o workplace per ormancerefected in the characteristics and distinguishing eatures o each quali cation. Te ocus in thevocational education and training sector is on the capacity to assess directly the per ormancecriteria in the competencies speci ed within the raining Package or accredited course.


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Authorisation o alignment o competency standards to AQF quali cations occurs as ollows: National Industry Skills Councils and other recognised bodies including relevant enterprises,

through the process o developing raining Packages, determine the relevant quali cation or eachset o national competency standards in their respective raining Packages. Tis determination is

subject to endorsement by the National Quality Council. State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, or Registered raining Organisations with delegated


Where there is no relevant raining Package, State/ erritory Course Accrediting Bodies, throughthe course accreditation process, determine the relevant quali cation or other sets o competency standards developed by relevant industry, enterprise, community or pro essional bodies to meet anidenti ed training need.

3.2 Characteristics

Characteristics o learning outcomes/competencies include:

per ormance o a broad range o skilled applications including requirements to evaluate andanalyse current practices, develop new criteria and procedures or per orming current practices,and provision o some leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning o theskills;

breadth, depth and complexity o knowledge and competencies would cover a broad range o varied activities or applications in a wider variety o contexts most o which are complex and non-routine. Leadership and guidance are involved when organising activities o sel and others as wellas contributing to technical solutions o a non-routine or contingency nature; and

applications involve responsibility or, and limited organisation o , others.



It is emphasised that the chart is not intended to be used as a checklist which all Certi cate IV quali cations must include, or to replace the authority statement above.


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33Guidelines

Table 8: Distinguishing Features: CertifcatesIII, IV and Diploma

Certifcate III Certifcate IV Diploma





demonstrate understandingo a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts

demonstrate understandingo a broad knowledge baseincorporating theoreticalconcepts, with substantial depth in some areas

apply a range o well developedskills

apply known solutions to avariety o predictable problems

apply solutions to adefned range o unpredictable problems

analyse and plan approaches to technical problems or management requirements


identi y and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety o contexts with depth in some areas

trans er and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical or creative skills to a range o situations


identi y, analyse and evaluate in ormation rom a variety o

sources

evaluate in ormation using itto orecast or planning or

research purposes


take responsibility or ownoutputs in relation to specifed quality standards

take responsibility or ownoutputs in relation to speci edquality standards

take limited responsibility orthe output o others

take limited responsibility or the quantity and quality o theoutput o others

take some responsibility or theachievement o group outcomes



Assessment is the responsibility o Registered raining Organisations. Tese bodies must comply with AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.


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5.1 Access to the quali cation could be through:

a training program meeting the requirements o an endorsed raining Package or a trainingprogram meeting the requirements o an accredited course(s) delivered by a Registered rainingOrganisation;





5.2 Time taken to gain the quali cation will vary according to the pathway taken and actors related

to the particular industry or work area. Nominal duration statements may appear in trainingprograms which may be part o the non-endorsed Learning Strategies component o a rainingPackage. Nominal duration statements are also to be included in accreditation submissions but

will not be used to determine the level o a quali cation. A Certi cate IV could be part o aprogram which includes both a Certi cate IV and a Diploma. An individual may complete therequirements or a Certi cate IV only or may go on to gain a Diploma. (IH 2002, p 34)





6. Authority to Issue the QualifcationIn the vocational education and training sector, each State/ erritory has legislative responsibility or

authorising the issuance o the quali cation. Tis responsibility is carried out by Registered rainingOrganisations or in some instances by a body authorised under statute. R Os agree to AQ F 2007Conditions o Registration within the Essential Standards or Registration regarding the certi cationand issuing o quali cations and Statements o Attainment.


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Individuals issued with the quali cation, ie Certi cate IV, will also receive documentation that identi esthe units o competency that have been achieved when training is based on nationally endorsedcompetency standards (such as those in raining Packages).


Te issuing body will be responsible or providing and maintaining records in relation to the above. See

AQ F 2007 Essential Standards or Registration including the Conditions o Registration.

Documents

AQF Handbook 15-35