Training for your existing staff – part qualifications, Skillsets, under Smart & Skilled

Posted by: Brendan Guiney on 05/04/2023

Training for your existing staff – part qualifications, Skillsets, under Smart & Skilled

It’s likely with Local Water Utilities staffing shortages that some existing water industry operators may have training needs that are easier and quicker to address with small groups of Units of Competency (UoC’s), known as Skillsets, rather than an entire 11 units for a full Certificate III. In this blog we have some suggested Skillsets based on logical groups of UoC’s.

Got questions or comments on this blog? Want to express your interest in securing fee-free training on a particular Skillset? Email us here.

Background

Water Directorate is collaborating with DPE Water in the first phase of their Town Water Risk Reduction Program with the delivery of their Water operations skills and training action plan, the latest version was issued in December 2022. As the Town Water Risk Reduction Program moves into its second phase, fee-free training is available in 2023 for full Certificates as well as Skillsets in Water Industry Operations via Training Services NSW's Smart and Skilled program for apprentices, trainees and existing water industry workers.

Recently we wrote a related blog on full certificates for water industry operators, Water operator training – Certificate II and III funded in 2023 which is a training pathway broadly suitable for new entrants to the water industry in regional NSW. This blog will discuss smaller groups of Units of Competency – Skillsets – which may be more suitable for experienced staff to address specific training needs or new job roles. Training in Skillsets can also reduce the time demands to release staff from work.

What do I need to do?

You can express your interest in particular Skillsets by contacting us at the Water Directorate or you can contact the skills broker at Training Services NSW directly to discuss fee-free training. If you don’t have a large enough cohort of staff to train in a particular Skillset, you may want to collaborate with neighbouring councils in your region to form a training cohort.

Suggested Skillsets

Option 1 – Water sampling and testing

NWPGEN017 – Apply the risk management principles of the water industry standards, guidelines and legislation, and

NWPGEN020 – Sample and test source or drinking water.

Option 1a – Wastewater sampling and testing

NWPGEN018 – Follow environmental and licensing procedures, and

NWPGEN021 – Sample and test wastewater.

Option 2 – Drinking water disinfection with sodium hypochlorite

NWPTRT022 – Monitor and operate hypochlorite disinfection processes, and

TLID0021 – Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances.

Option 3 – Water network maintenance

NWPNET061 – Maintain and repair network assets for drinking water,

NWPNET047 – Install, maintain and repair hydrants, and

NWPNET064 – Control electrical risk on network pipes.

Option 4 – Commissioning or re-commissioning water assets

NWPGEN017 – Apply the risk management principles of the water industry standards, guidelines and legislation,

NWPNET018 – Disinfect network assets, and

NWPGEN020 – Sample and test source or drinking water.

Option 5 – Drinking water disinfection with liquefied chlorine gas

NWPTRT007 – Monitor and operate liquefied chlorine gas disinfection processes,

MSMWHS216 – Operate breathing apparatus, and

TLID0021 – Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances.

Option 6 – Operating and maintaining membrane filters

NWPTRT020 – Operate and control membrane filters, and

TLID0021 – Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances.

Option 7 – Wastewater network investigations

NWPGEN026 – Provide & promote customer service,

NWPNET030 – Identify and respond to water quality problems, and

NWPNET035 – Perform odour and infiltration investigations.

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