Units of Competency Basics for Teachers

1. To get started, click F5 on your keyboard. Then use your mouse to click on the links on each page. Training Packages Delivery and Assessment Qualifications Units of Competency Basics for Teachers Units of Competency Clustering & Sequencing Units for Teaching Units of Competency Unpacking Units for Teaching

2. Training Packages A Training Package TP is a set of nationally endorsed standards and nationally recognised qualifications used to develop and assess skills and knowledge people need to perform effectively in the workplace. • Training Packages are made up of: • Competency standards • Assessment guidelines • National qualifications The national system of qualifications enables students and qualified workers to move interstate without having to “re-qualify”. The details of all Training Packages are available on the National Training Information Website: www.ntis.gov.au. Training Packages are developed by Industry via Industry Skills Councils (ISCs). Click to see more information

3. Training Packages A Training Package TP is a set of nationally endorsed standards and nationally recognised qualifications used to develop and assess skills and knowledge people need to perform effectively in the workplace. • Training Packages are made up of: • Competency standards • Assessment guidelines • National qualifications • There are 11 Industry Skills Councils established by government to: • Provide accurate industry information to the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector • Develop Training Packages that reflect industry needs for industry and the VET sector. The Industry Skills Councils have a rolling program of updating and improving Training Packages on a continuing basis. You can find a list of the status of Training Packages at the Training Packages @ Work website. The national system of qualifications enables students and qualified workers to move interstate without having to “re-qualify”. The details of all Training Packages are available on the National Training Information Website: www.ntis.gov.au. Training Packages are developed by Industry via Industry Skills Councils (ISCs).

4. Training Packages A Training Package TP is a set of nationally endorsed standards and nationally recognised qualifications used to develop and assess skills and knowledge people need to perform effectively in the workplace. • Training Packages are made up of: • Competency standards • Assessment guidelines • National qualifications The National Training Information Service is a government website that contains all of the details of current and obsolete Training Packages (TPs). Click the link below to go to the NTIS website. • From the NTIS website you can search for and view or download: • The qualifications within the TP • The rules prescribing the combination of units for each qualification (called the packaging rules). • Details of every Unit of Competency in the TP • Assessment guidelines for VET assessors. The national system of qualifications enables students and qualified workers to move interstate without having to “re-qualify”. The details of all Training Packages are available on the National Training Information Website: www.ntis.gov.au. Training Packages are developed by Industry via Industry Skills Councils (ISCs).

5. Qualifications The logo used by RTOs to indicate that a qualification is part of the AQF. The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides a comprehensive, nationally consistent framework for all post-compulsory education and training. The requirements for issuing a Training Package (TP) qualification are specified in the TP “Packaging Rules”. Click for more info: • For the VET sector the qualifications are: • Certificate I - AQF1 • Certificate II - AQF2 • Certificate III - AQF3 • Certificate IV - AQF4 • Diploma - AQF5 • Advanced Diploma - AQF6 • For people with a degree or equivalent: • Vocational Graduate Certificate • Vocational Graduate Diploma • A Statement of Attainment can be issued for completed units that don’t add up to a full qualification. National VET qualifications can only be issued by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). RTOs must have each qualification on their “scope of registration” . TAFE Institutes tend to have a wide range of qualifications on their scope.

6. Qualifications Click to see how the TP & unit codes work. Each AQF level of qualification has distinguishing features. These are set out in table in the AQF Handbook. Trade courses (such as plumber and hairdresser) are set at Certificate III. Para-professional courses are at Diploma and Adv Diploma. This table might help you to interpret the skills and knowledge students might need at different AQF levels.

7. Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each A Unit of Competency (UoC) describes the skills and knowledge required to competently perform a work task. It is the smallest entity that can be awarded and recognised in a qualification. Units of competency follow a standard format to enable you to find the information you are after. This format is described in this table.

8. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Click here to learn about the TP & unit coding system. Units of Competency FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to comply with organisational inventory procedures, reconcile inventory records to general ledgers, record inventory flows, prepare schedules and produce ad hoc reports. Back

9. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records This Unit can be applied across all sectors within the financial services sector. Unit sector: Accounting Back

10. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records Process inventory purchase Record inventory flows Reconcile inventory records to general ledgers Prepare inventory schedules and ad hoc reports Back

11. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each FNSACC405A Element Maintain inventory records • Process inventory purchase • Purchase of inventory is recorded from appropriate documentation ...... • Periodic and perpetual records of inventory are applied as appropriate. • Record inventory flows • Inventory flow assumptions are applied as appropriate. • Inventory is valued using appropriate validation rules • And so on for elements 3 & 4. Performance criteria Performance criteria Back

12. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records Required knowledge Banking processes Process for entering data into general ledgers Inventory valuation rules Reconciliation processes Spreadsheet functions • Required skills • Communications skills to : • Determine and confirm work requirements, using questioning .... • Liaise with others, share info, listen and understand • Use language and concepts ...... • Research skills such as accessing & managing info; interpreting documentation. • Numeracy and IT skills such as: • Calculating financial ratios & related information • Accessing and using software such as spreadsheets and databases. • And so on Back

13. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records • Documentation may include: • Delivery reports • Invoices from suppliers • Purchase orders • Inventory flow assumptions may include: • Calculations based on gross margins • Cost • Net realisable value • Inventory valuation rules may include: • First in , firs out • Specific identification Back

14. An extract from the Financial Services Training Package – code FNS10 Units of Competency Click on the to see an example of each FNSACC405A Maintain inventory records • Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit: • Evidence of the ability to: • Interpret and apply organisational policies and procedures and inventory validation rules • Make inventory flow assumptions and record inventory flows • Prepare schedules and ad hoc reports • Also contains detailed info about: • Context of and specific resources for assessment • Method of assessment Back

15. Units of Competency Training Package Code 3 letters and 2 numbers • Examples: • FNS10 – Financial Services, endorsed in 2010 • TAA04 – Training & Assessment, endorsed 2004 • CHC08 – Community Services, endorsed 2008 Industry Year of endorsement Qualification Code 3 letters and 5 numbers • Examples: • TAA40104 – Cert IV in Training & Assessment, TP of 2004 • BSB51207 – Diploma of Marketing, TP of 2007 • MEM30205 – Cert III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade, TP of 2005 Industry AQF level of qual (1) + number of the qual (2) + year of endorsement of TP (2) Unit of Competency Code • Examples: • FNSACC405A – Financial Services – Accounting – in AQF4 courses – unit 05 – Version A • ICAD3218B – Info Technology – Documentation – in Cert III courses – unit 218 – Version B • Note: Some UoCs do not follow this pattern, although they all start with the industry code and end with Version letter. 3 letters, letters, numbers, 1 letter Industry Sector Unit number – may indicate AQF level Version – A, B, C ... Back to Qualifications

16. Unpacking Units for Teaching Look at the Evidence Guide and work out what the critical aspects of the unit content are . This will help you to interpret the other information in the unit. Thoroughly read through the units that make up the qualification you are teaching. Relate to your experience of this type of work. Visualise what it means to be competent to perform this work. Analyse the descriptor, the elements, the range statement, the required skills and knowledge and the evidence guide to build up a holistic picture of the unit. Review the level of the AQF qualification. See the section on Qualifications in this presentation. Make sure that your interpretation of the unit is appropriate to the level. Unpack each unit of competency to identify any opportunities for integrated delivery or clustering. Include analysis of “Dimensions of Competency”. What is this?

17. Unpacking Units for Teaching “Dimensions of Competency” describe broader aspects of competent work performance that need to be considered as part of unpacking units. Look at the Evidence Guide and work out what the critical aspects of the unit content are . This will help you to interpret the other information in the unit. Thoroughly read through the units that make up the qualification you are teaching. Relate to your experience of this type of work. Visualise what it means to be competent to perform this work. Job/Role Environment Skills – the ability to deal with the expectations of the workplace, including working effectively with others. Task Skills – these are the practical tasks that need to be completed as part of a work role. Analyse the descriptor, the elements, the range statement, the required skills and knowledge and the evidence guide to build up a holistic picture of the unit. Contingency Management Skills – the ability to respond appropriately when things go wrong. This includes problem-solving skills at an appropriate level. Review the level of the AQF qualification. See the section on Qualifications in this presentation. Make sure that your interpretation of the unit is appropriate to the level. Task Management Skills – the ability to organise work activities so that a range of different tasks are done in a timely way during the work day. Unpack each unit of competency to identify any opportunities for integrated delivery or clustering. Include analysis of “Dimensions of Competency”. What is this? Back

18. Clustering & Sequencing Units for Teaching Clustering of units is where you choose to deliver and assess multiple related units together. Sequencing of units is the order in which different skills and knowledge from a unit or units are presented and assessed. Clustering of units can mean that learning and assessment activities better reflect real work activities the student might undertake. The sequencing of units may change for different student cohorts and for different learning contexts. This is reflected in the delivery schedule. How a teacher integrates the learning and assessment of multiple units needs to be documented in the delivery schedule. Assessment must be reported against individual units.

19. Delivery and Assessment Training Packages often have implementation guides prepared to assist teachers in delivery and assessment. Delivery and assessment strategies will need to be tailored for different learning contexts and to respond to the needs of different student groups, eg workplace students, part-time students, students from a particular community. TAFE NSW has prepared Unit Guides for some units to assist teachers. These include suggested training and assessment strategies. They are a guide only – they are not mandatory. You will find them via CIDO or LIRO (links are on the wikispace page) Detailed information and resources about delivery and assessment are available on other pages within the wikispace.

20. Qualification “Packaging Rules” • Packaging Rules for Cert III in Microbusiness Operations (BSB30307) Training Packages usually describe multiple qualifications at a range of AQF levels. The Business Services TP – BSB07 – has 73 different qualifications, including 1 at Cert I, 2 at Cert II, 13 at Cert III and 22 at Cert IV. Total number of units = 10 5 core units plus 5 elective units The 5 elective units may be selected from the elective units listed below and/or a Certificate III qualification from any currently endorsed Training Package or accredited course at the same qualification level. If not listed below 1 elective unit may be selected from a Certificate II or Certificate IV qualification. Core Units: • BSBSMB301A Investigate micro business opportunities • BSBSMB302A Develop a micro business proposal • BSBSMB303A Organise finances for the micro business • BSBSMB304A Determine resource requirements for the micro business • BSBSMB305A Comply with regulatory, taxation and insurance requirements for the micro business • Elective units are then listed....... • The qualification Packaging Rules describe the requirements that must be met for a qualification to be issued: • The number of “core” units • The number of “elective” units • The number of “imported” units from other sectors or TPs