Improving access to the Battery Electric Vehicle Skill Sets
Skills sets play an important role in vocational education and training (VET) and are “a single unit of competency or a combination of units of competency from a training package which link to a licensing or regulatory requirement, or a defined industry need.” (ASQA)
Many highly-qualified and experienced technicians are required to upgrade their skills and knowledge as industry transitions to the use of battery electric technology in battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
The BEV skill sets provide a targeted, industry-approved mechanism for providing qualified and experienced mechanics a way to maintain currency of skills and to meet a growing industry need for technicians with the knowledge to service a range of vehicles in the mining and automotive industries.
The Rationale for Change
Like their peers in automotive electrical technology, light and heavy vehicle technology, diesel fitter/mobile plant technicians; elevated work platform technicians and forklift technicians who have completed the AUR31220 Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology, are required to upgrade their skills and knowledge to ensure they have current competency in battery electrical plant.
The pathway Information statement at the start of the battery electric vehicle skill sets omits those who have completed the AUR31220 Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology. This potentially creates a barrier to graduates who technically, should be able to access the skill set.
In addition, the Skill Sets specify the target group as follows:
- This skill set is for individuals with existing automotive technology skills and knowledge, who work in automotive mechanical or electrical technical contexts, and who are looking to upskill in the area of BEVs.
- The target group specification would appear to include mobile plant mechanics, yet the associated qualification for this cohort, is omitted from the Pathways Information section of the Skill Set.
Impact of the change
AUSMASA has considered a range of factors to pre-empt possible impacts of the proposed change and deems the change low risk.
This is based on the findings that:
- None of the units in either skill set require pre-requisite units outside of those in the Skill Set.
- There are at least 7 units of competency that are core units across each of the Certificate III qualifications.
- Graduates of AUR31220 are not precluded from undertaking all units in the skill sets as individual units of competency and obtaining Statements of Attainment upon successful completion of each unit of competency. This would then make them eligible for RPL into the Skill Sets.
- New entrants into AUR31220 are not precluded from undertaking many of the units in the Skill Sets as imported electives.
Resources
Pathways review for battery electric vehicles training
- AURSS00063 - Battery Electric Vehicle Diagnose and Repair Skill Set, and
- AURSS00064 - Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set
Entry to the above Skill Sets is currently limited to graduates of the following qualifications:
- AUR30320 Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology or equivalent
- AUR30620 Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
- AUR31120 Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
In response to industry feedback AUSMASA proposed to add the following qualification to the pathway qualifications listed in the two skill sets:
Key stages of the work
Proposed change 1
Proposed change to AURSS00063 - Battery Electric Vehicle Diagnose and Repair Skill Set
It was proposed that the Pathways Information section of this Skill Set be amended to read as follows (new text in bold):
This skill set is limited to those who have successfully completed one of the following qualifications:
- AUR30320 Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology or equivalent
- AUR30620 Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
- AUR31120 Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
- AUR31220 Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology
(Graduates of the EWP stream must have successfully completed AURETR129 Diagnose and repair charging systems and AURETR130 Diagnose and repair starting systems)
Proposed change 2
Proposed change to AURSS00064 - Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set
It was proposed that the Pathways Information section of this Skill Set be amended to read as follows (new text in bold):
This skill set is limited to those who have successfully completed one of the following qualifications:
- AUR30320 Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology or equivalent
- AUR30620 Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
- AUR31120 Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology or equivalent
- AUR31220 Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology
(Graduates of the EWP stream must have successfully completed AURETR129 Diagnose and repair charging systems and AURETR130 Diagnose and repair starting systems)
The units provide credit towards AUR40620 Certificate IV in Automotive Electrical Technology, AUR32721 Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology and other qualifications that allow for selection of these units.
Consultation strategy
During the consultation period we:
- Provided a feedback form and page on our website
- Informed all our subscribers of the opportunity to provide feedback
- Leveraged our presence at roundtables, conferences, trade events and forums to gather feedback
- Utilised our social media and industry connections to share news widely of the opportunity to provide feedback
We consulted with:
- Employers and their representatives/peak bodies
- Employees and their representatives/unions
- The Commonwealth, state and territory governments (including licensing and regulatory bodies)
- Training providers
- Educational experts
Completed consultation milestones
Consultation results are complete
The survey opened 5 September 2023 and closed 6 October 2023. A total of 122 submissions were received overall.
The reviewed feedback and summaries of our responses are in our Consultation Summary (PDF - 285kb).
Submissions received by jurisdiction
Submissions received by organisation type
Support to change AURSS00063
Support to change AURSSS00064
Next steps
The majority of respondents were in support of both changes to the AURSS00063 Battery Electric Vehicle Diagnose and Repair Skill Set and AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set.
We have moved to add AUR31220 Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology as a pathway to AURSS00063 Battery Electric Vehicle Diagnose and Repair Skill Set and AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set.
In making the minor change we have:
- kept a record of the minor change, setting out the date the change was made, a detailed description of the change, the reason for the change, and any relevant evidence of support for the change
- advised relevant stakeholders, including State Training Authorities (STAs), of the minor change.
