Dris proposal for national licensing of the electrical occupations

3.5Qualification-based eligibility requirements

The aim of eligibility requirements based on qualifications is to protect consumers from engaging practitioners who may deliver substandard service due to failure to reach a minimum standard of competence.

A contractor will not be required to hold a skills qualification to contract but would need either to hold the relevant licence (if a natural person) or have a nominee with the relevant licence to undertake the work.

The proposed qualification-based eligibility requirements for the electrical occupations are listed in Tables 3.17 and 3.19. The qualifications and units were identified by the IAC, however the nomenclature may have changed since this time.

It should be noted that the national licensing qualification requirements will only be required by new applicants and will have no impact on current licensees who are transitioned into the national licensing system. The full list of the qualifications is available at Attachment G.

3.5.1Proposed entry level qualifications for the electrical licences

Table 3.17: Proposed entry level qualifications for electrical licences

Licence category	Qualification
Electrician	DRIS Proposal for national licensing of the electrical occupations UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician
Electrical fitter	DRIS Proposal for national licensing of the electrical occupations UEE30611 Certificate III in Electrical Machine Repair, including UEENEEA113A Mount and wire control panel equipment or UEE30711 Certificate III in Switchgear and Control Gear or UEE33011 Certificate III in Electrical Fitting or MEM05 Metal and Engineering Training Package MEM30405 Certificate III in Engineering – Electrical/Electronic Trade (including specified units of competency)
Electrical line worker	UET12 Transmission, Distribution and Rail Sector Training Package UET30612 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Distribution Overhead or UET30512 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Transmission Overhead or UET30712 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Rail Traction
Electrical cable jointer	UET12 Transmission, Distribution and Rail Sector Training Package UET30812 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Distribution Cable Jointing
Electrical contractor	A contractor will not be required to hold a skills qualification to contract but would need either to hold the relevant licence or have a nominee with the relevant licence to undertake the work.

3.5.2Proposed qualifications and non-skill requirements for restricted electrical licences

There are two proposed skill sets for the five subcategories of restricted electrical licence, one with fault finding and the other without, and these are described in Table 3.18 below. The qualifications and units were identified by the IAC, however the nomenclature and packaging may have changed since this time. NOLA may need to review the qualifications to ensure the regulations contain the current and appropriate training.

In addition, applicants would be required to demonstrate a need for the licence applied for and present evidence of a relevant trade or calling.

Table 3.18: Proposed skill set requirements for restricted electrical licences

Category	Skill set
Restricted electrical licences with fault finding: refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment electronic and communications equipment instrumentation	UEENEEP010A Disconnect/reconnect appliances connected to low-voltage installation wiring and UEENEEP016A Locate and rectify faults in low-voltage appliances using set procedures from the UEE11 Electrotechnology Training Package or MEM18049C Disconnect/reconnect fixed wired equipment up to 1000 volts a.c./1500 volts d.c. and MEM18046B Fault find/repair electrical equipment/components up to 1000 volts a.c./1500 volts d.c. from the MEM05 Metal and Engineering Training Package
Restricted electrical licences without fault finding non-portable appliances industrial /commercial equipment	UEENEEP010A Disconnect/reconnect appliances connected to low-voltage installation wiring from the UEE11 Electrotechnology Training Package or MEM18049C Disconnect/reconnect fixed wired equipment up to 1000 volts a.c./1500 volts d.c. from the MEM05 Metal and Engineering Training Package

4Need

Confirmation of the need to perform the disconnection and reconnection of fixed wired equipment would be a written statement from the applicant’s current or prospective employer, or if the applicant is self-employed, a statutory declaration outlining the disconnect and reconnect work to be performed and the reasons why the disconnect and reconnect work is pertinent to their principal work. Currency of a need will be required at renewal time.

To ensure that there is consistency in applying the criteria, guidelines – with clear parameters around the needs test – would need to be developed by NOLA to assist administrative staff.

Evidence of the need for a restricted electrical licence is not currently required in South Australia, therefore, new applicants in that State would be required to produce that evidence when applying for a restricted electrical licence.

5Verification of trade or calling

It is preferred that an applicant for a restricted electrical licence has a relevant trade or calling and verification of a trade or calling will include:

• 
  a Certificate III-level qualification in a trade or a higher education qualification that directly relates to the work to be performed, or
  
• 
  verified or certified copies of an Australian Recognised Trades Certificate issued by Trades Recognition Australia identifying the trade or calling relevant to the endorsement category(s) for which the applicant is applying, or
  
• 
  verified or certified copies of a trade certificate issued by a state or territory registration or accreditation authority identifying the trade or calling relevant to the endorsement category for which the applicant is applying, for example:
  

• 
  Certificate of Proficiency (New South Wales)
  
• 
  Certificate of Completion (Queensland)
  

• 
  a current plumbing or gasfitting licence, or
  
• 
  satisfactory evidence that the applicant has completed a program of specialist product training which directly relates to the application for the authority to disconnect and reconnet electrical wiring work.
  

5.1.1Proposed qualifications for provisional licences

The proposed qualifications for the provisional licences are listed in Table 3.19 below. The qualifications and units were identified by the IAC, however the nomenclature may have changed since this time. NOLA may need to review the qualifications to ensure the regulations contain the current and appropriate training.

Table 3.19: Proposed qualifications for provisional licences

Category	Qualification
Provisional electrician	An Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR), issued by a registered training organisation that is a relevant assessing authority approved under the Migration Regulations 1994 (Commonwealth), for UEE30811 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician or An electrical fitter’s licence
Provisional electrical fitter	An Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR), issued by a registered training organisation that is a relevant assessing authority approved under the Migration Regulations 1994 (Commonwealth) is yet to be developed.
Provisional electrical line worker	An OTSR, issued by a registered training organisation that is a relevant assessing authority approved under the Migration Regulations 1994, for UET30612 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Distribution Overhead or UET30512 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Transmission Overhead or UET30712 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Rail Traction
Provisional electrical cable jointer	An OTSR , issued by a registered training organisation that is a relevant assessing authority approved under the Migration Regulations 1994, for UET30812 Certificate III in ESI – Power Systems – Distribution Cable Jointing