CPC50520 Diploma of fire systems design
annual certifier stream
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Pathway
About the course
This course is for experienced fire safety assessors and annual certifiers who inspect existing fire systems; assess compliance with the relevant legislation, codes and standards; and report on whether they continue to perform to appropriate fire safety standards.
The Diploma level course recognises and validates your existing skills and knowledge in fire safety assessment / annual certification, whilst offering an opportunity to learn new skills.
Are there any special requirements needed to take this course?
- Participants must be experienced annual certifiers / fire safety assessors and be able to submit evidence of having inspected and reported on a range of different types of buildings spanning several years.
- Participants require access to a personal computer or tablet to enable use of the on-line learning system.
COURSE INFORMATION
The course validates your skills and knowledge in the role of a fire safety assessor / annual certifier of fire protection systems. The assessments cover:
- Determining the requirements for fire systems in accordance with relevant legislation, codes and standards
- Evaluating fire system technologies and components
- Reviewing fire systems plans, specifications and documents to determine the required level of performance
- Undertaking building inspections to identify the level of compliance and performance of fire systems
- Reporting on the findings of fire safety inspections
- Undertake and manage fire systems inspection work including resolution of disputes arising from inspection findings
- The RPL pathway typically takes 6-12 months to complete.
- Participants are required to complete the course within 24 months of enrolling.
- The RPL Pathway requires submission of current and valid evidence of completing fire safety assessment work across a range of building types and environments
- The RPL Pathway is delivered via a distanced-based delivery model using an online learning and assessment system.
- The RPL pathway for this course also requires you to complete knowledge assessments and assignments and undertake course work to complete parts of the course.
- Participants are supported throughout the RPL and learning process by our industry experts.
This course meets the FPAS application requirements for Fire Safety Assessment for 23 of the 36 fire safety measures.
- Either this course, or the FPAS FSA Advanced Practitioner short course (for anyone who has completed an eligible Diploma or higher-level qualification), is a mandatory requirement for anyone who needs to be accredited in:
- Automatic fire detection and alarm systems (level 2)
- Automatic fire suppression systems (level 2)
- Fire dampers
- Fire hydrant systems (level 2)
- Mechanical air handling systems
- Smoke and heat vents
- Smoke dampers
Already hold a Diploma or Higher Qualification?
- If you already hold a Diploma or higher level qualification in engineering, construction, plumbing, electrical, fire safety or property services, you only need to complete the FPAS FSA Advanced Practitioner course to comply with the FPAS Scheme requirements.
- Further information can be found on the course page for the FPAS FSA Advanced Practitioner course.
Need help with licensing and accreditation requirements
- Each state and territory government determines the licence or accreditation requirements for fire protection work in their jurisdiction. Further information on these requirements can be found here.
- Need help? Let us demystify licensing and accreditation requirements and identify the training you require. Apply Now for a Training Plan.
- Participants can combine this course with an additional short course to include water based systems design or fire detection and warning systems design.
- These short courses can either be combined into a single enrolment or you can undertake them after completing the Diploma.
- The relevant short courses available include:
- Alternatively, you might be interested in a combined stream Diploma course. The following courses are available to choose from:
- Please contact our support team to discuss combining courses to ensure you benefit from the best combination of courses to meet your specific needs.
- RPL is an assessment process that assesses an individual’s formal, non-formal and informal learning, combined with their experience to determine the extent to which the individual can demonstrate achievement of the required level of competency.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is ideal for experienced fire safety assessors who have acquired skills and knowledge working in the fire industry and through the completion of formal training and informal learning activities.
- RPL for the course requires the submission of current and valid evidence of completing fire safety assessment work across a range of building types and environments.
- Candidates are required to submit a portfolio of evidence as well as completing knowledge assessments, assignments, and undertake course work for parts of the course.
- The first step of the RPL process after you enrol is to assess your suitability for RPL. This is an important step as it ensures that you are enrolled in the most appropriate pathway to complete the qualification.
- Assessing your eligibility to complete the course using an RPL pathway involves:
- a review of your work history and experience
- consideration of any formal training courses and qualifications previously completed; and
- a review of your ability to submit a portfolio of evidence of work projects aligned with the course requirements.
- If your assessor determines that you are not able to meet the RPL requirements, you will be offered the opportunity to transfer your enrolment to a training course pathway.
To complete the RPL pathway for this course, you will need to provide evidence demonstrating your assessment of a range of buildings. The projects you submit will demonstrate a variety of buildings that were designed and built using different construction methods and modification histories.
You are not required to present every project you have worked on over the course of your career, only a selection which are determined by the following criteria:
- Demonstrate various ages of buildings.
- Use different versions of the NCC and Australian Standards (including pre-NCC regulations and standards and retroactive application).
- A variety of construction and modification histories.
- A project that covers each of these building types:
- commercial building
- factory
- residential nursing home
- high-rise building
If you cannot provide evidence covering all of the above criteria, alternative arrangements can be implemented.
For each project that you submit, you will be required to provide the following:
- Evidence of having obtained and evaluated baseline data to identify inspection requirements
- Evidence of having communicated with the client to obtain instructions and coordinate an inspection of the building
- Evidence of having inspected a building to assess the performance of fire safety measures
- Evidence of having presented an initial comprehensive report on the performance of fire safety measures that:
- compares baseline data with inspection outcomes
- identifies non-conformance issues
- details actions required to rectify issues
- Evidence of having determined that rectification works have been undertaken
- Evidence of having issued a final compliance report.
- Your Portfolio of Evidence does not have to be based on work that you have completed prior to enrolling in the course.
- If you meet some of the above requirements, but are short in some areas, it is possible to enhance your portfolio with work examples that you undertake after you enrol.
- It is not unusual for an RPL candidate to have experience, but not be able to provide the evidence required by the qualification. If you don’t have the necessary evidence, you can use a current work task to create the evidence in a format that meets the requirements of the course.
- This approach makes RPL easier to achieve for some people. It relies on you using your existing skills and knowledge to prepare evidence that aligns with the expectations of the units of competency.
In addition to the portfolio of evidence, you will be required to complete a range of assessment tasks that include:
- short answer questions to verify your knowledge
- conducting detailed research into fire systems technologies and components
- completion of training and assessment course work on:
- Applying Work Health and Safety requirements, policies and procedures
- Manage project information and communication and undertake project work
- Resolve business disputes
Course Fees
RPL Pathway $10,000
Pay by Instalments on a Payment Plan∗
- $1,000 – Paid at enrolment
- Balance payable in instalments of $1000 per month
∗ Conditions Apply – Refer Payment Plan Policy
Special Offer
Save 10%
Pay Only
$9,000
OFFER ENDS 31 DECEMBER 2022
Course outcomes
On successful completion of this course, participants will be awarded the qualification CPC50520 Diploma of Fire Systems Design – Annual Certifier Stream