FWP Training Package Updates: Your Ultimate Guide to Changes in Forest and Wood Products Training

FWP Training Package Updates: Your Ultimate Guide to Changes in Forest and Wood Products Training

28 September 2023 FWP Training Package Update

Extended Transition Period FWP Training Package Qualifications

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) granted an extended transition period for two qualifications within the forest and wood products (FWP) training package.

Here are the qualifications affected by the extended transition period:

  • FWP20121 – Certificate II in Forest Operations
  • FWP30121 – Certificate III in Forest Operations

ASQA exercised its authority to grant extended transition period for the two FWP training package qualifications after determining that not approving an extension is disadvantageous to a cohort of learners.

The extended transition period applies to all new enrolments and existing students. Students enrolled to these superseded qualifications must either complete their certification or transfer to current qualifications by 31 January 2025.

Your RTO can retain the affected FWP training package qualification on your scope of registration until the end of the extended transition period or update them to more current ones.

03 March 2023 FWP Training Package Update

Update on Fell Trees Manually (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced)

The forestry industry can be a hazardous profession, and one of the most dangerous activities is manually felling trees. That’s why the Forest Management and Harvesting Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has recently updated the units of competency for Fell Trees Manually (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced) to improve safety and reduce risk.

  • FWPCOT2274 Fell trees manually (basic)
  • FWPCOT3347 Fell trees manually (intermediate)
  • FWPCOT3348 Fell trees manually (advanced)

Skills Impact has published advice on the delivery of these updated units in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide (CVIG) on page 50. It is important that Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) wishing to deliver these updated units read the advice provided within the CVIG by the Forest Management and Harvesting IRC before considering applying to put these units onto the scope.

The Forest Management and Harvesting IRC has advised that RTOs should continue to utilise the superseded units listed below until full review on new units of competency can be undertakes in 2023.

  • FWPCOT2253- Fell trees manually (basic)
  • FWPFGM3216- Fell trees manually (intermediate)
  • FWPFGM3217- Fell trees manually (advanced)

RTOs should also note that an additional 12-month extension to the teach-out period for these units has been sought from ASQA to support RTOs during this process. This extension will allow RTOs enough time to transition to the updated units of competency and ensure that students have undertaken sufficient training before assessment.

The updated Fell Trees Manually units of competency have been improved in a range of performance criteria, including a reduction in the number of trees that need to be felled to demonstrate competence within the performance evidence. This is due to reports that access to several trees per student for skill assessment is no longer practical, particularly in non-forestry settings.

However, it is important to note that tree felling is still a potentially hazardous activity, and students need to be fully trained and skilled before being assessed as competent by felling live trees. The updated units of competency still require learners to demonstrate competence in performing standard cutting techniques and felling trees with basic, intermediate, or advanced characteristics.

The performance evidence for the Fell Trees Manually (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced) units of competency has been changed from solely requiring a specific number of trees to be felled to a demonstration of both cutting and felling techniques. This will support better training outcomes without the need for access to several trees per student for skill assessment.

22 February 2023 FWP Training Package Update

FWP40222 – Certificate IV in Timber and Wood Products Operations was updated from release 1 to release 2

The FWP – Forest and Wood Products training package version 8.1 was released on 22 February 2023, reflecting minor changes. The FWP40222 – Certificate IV in Timber and Wood Products Operations was updated from release 1 to 2. This update reflects the revised titles of elective units.

For the complete scope of the changes made on FWP version 8.1, visit training.gov.au.

30 January 2023 FWP Training Package Update

Extended Transition Period for Forest and Wood Products Qualifications

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has the authority to grant transition periods that exceed the standard outlined in Clauses 1.26 (a), (b), and (c) of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015. This is only considered if a significant disadvantage would occur for a group of learners without the extension.

Recently, ASQA has approved an extended transition period for the following Forest and Wood Products (FWP) qualifications:

FWP20116 Certificate II in Forest Growing and Management
FWP20216 Certificate II in Harvesting and Haulage
FWP30116 Certificate III in Forest Growing and Management
FWP30216 Certificate III in Harvesting and Haulage
FWP40116 Certificate IV in Forest Operations
FWP50116 Diploma of Forest and Forest Products

This extension is only available for continuing students enrolled in ASQA registered RTOs with scope for delivery. The extended training, assessment, and certification deadline for these qualifications is January 31st, 2024.

The Food, Fibre and Timber Training Council, Forest Training Council, Forest Products Commission, and Skills Impact all supported this decision. These FWP qualifications will remain on the scope of registration for ASQA regulated RTOs until the end of the extended transition period, unless the RTO decides to remove it.

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