Training package development handbook guidelines

Developers are strongly advised to read the NRS Workplace Sample Activities—these provide a
valuable resource with industry validated sample activities aligned against the five levels of the NRS.
Go to www.dest.gov.au/ty/litnet/docs/NRS_Sample_Activities.pdf
11.7 Access and equity
It is important that developers consider implications for all potential clients when developing the
packaging rules for qualifications. Issues in relation to access and equity include:
• providing flexibility in qualifications packaging to eliminate (as far as possible) disadvantage to
clients by enabling choice from a wide range of electives and giving consideration to horizontal
as well as vertical skills pathways. This is particularly important in relation to learners with
disability and the reasonable adjustments that they are entitled to under the DDA and Standards
(to the extent those adjustments do not cause an education provider unjustifiable hardship or
compromise the academic integrity of a course or program) – the key is capacity to achieve the
essential competency, not necessarily the means by which that is achieved
• considering the needs of some learners in remote communities who may have very specific
needs for training because of limited employment opportunities available in their locality. The
capacity to import units of competency from other Training Packages may be especially helpful
for these clients by adding to the diversity of their skills
• limiting core‐only qualifications as they can pose difficulties. For example, rural or remote clients
who have limited workplace or training opportunities in their locality may not be able to achieve
the full qualification locally or people with disability might not be able to achieve all units (and
where these skills are not essential in the workplace)
• eliminating any unnecessary pre‐requisite units of competency as they can create additional
barriers for learners, especially learners with disability
• considering the inclusion of Certificates I and II as they can provide an important pathway to
entry level employment.
11.8 OHS
Where generic OHS competencies are incorporated into units of competency they should be
contained within groups of units, as is normal practice, for the purpose of packaging and subsequent
alignment.
Specific OHS competencies covering specialist occupations, duties or particular hazards should be
packaged into groups of units—as core where they reflect workplace functions for all workers or as
specialist or elective units where they reflect the needs of specialists, fewer workers or particular
enterprises.
11.9 Environmental issues
Environmental matters may directly impact on qualifications. Where separate units of competency
are included in Training Packages, their qualifications packaging will need to be considered. For
example, the water industry has core environmental units at three AQF qualification levels. Other
industries where environmental matters are incorporated into units have considered the
environmental expectation of the various functions in their packaging at various AQF qualifications.
12. Pre‐requisite units of competencies
A pre‐requisite unit is a unit of competency in which the candidate must be deemed competent
prior to the determination of competency in the unit.
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