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Who is Your Licence Pty Ltd?
What training do you offer?
How can I access the free training content?
What qualification will I receive at the end of my free introductory or refresher course?
What is Verification of Competency (V.O.C.)?
Why do I need a Verification of Competency (V.O.C.)?
Who can conduct V.O.C. assessments?
You use the term RPL. How is this relevant to me?
I already have my license – do I still need a V.O.C. assessment?
How can you deliver V.O.C. assessments online?
What about licences for earthmoving equipment, small cranes, and other types of plant?
Is the new Licensing standard the same as the latest Industry standard?
What other methods can be used to demonstrate competency?
How do you ensure that the right person is completing the assessment?
How is V.O.C. conducted? What do I have to do?
Is an on-site V.O.C. assessment more accurate than one conducted another way?
What action is taken if an operator supplies unauthorised tickets, or arranges false references?
Can I work on site prior to completing my V.O.C.?
How long do I have to complete my V.O.C. assessment?
What are the varying levels of supervision?  How are they worked out?
Why are your V.O.C.s and competency assessments recognised by all jurisdictions and RTOs, when many others aren’t?

Who is Your Licence Pty Ltd?

Your Licence Pty Ltd is owned and operated by industry experts Jim Borle and Allan Fowler.  Both Jim and Allan work in conjunction with the largest group of professional assessors in Australia, together bringing a collection of extensive and well established industry credentials to support the business’ purpose and promise. Read more here.

What training do you offer?

Your Licence offers a diverse range of training options, delivered online, on-site or at our training facility in Tullamarine, Melbourne.  We are the first and only business to offer nationally recognised blended learning V.O.C. certification, as well as a range of free introductory and refresher training courses for job roles in the mining, construction and transport industries.  For more information on the training courses available, please visit our Training Courses page.

How can I access the free training content?

Our selection of introductory and refresher courses are 100% online and 100% free.  They can be accessed through our Course Library.

What qualification will I receive at the end of my free introductory or refresher course?

Once you have completed the introductory or refresher training courses with Your Licence, you will be given a number of options to progress your training.

V.O.C.

For those who have already obtained their High Risk Licence or ‘ticket’ and need a Verification of Competency (V.O.C.) to demonstrate their abilities, Your Licence offer an online V.O.C. assessment for a limited introduction price of $297, which includes a detailed Learners Guide to ensure your knowledge is completely up to date with the latest industry standards.  Once you have completed the assessments, submitted the necessary paperwork and deemed competent by an RTO, you will be issued with an Interim Certificate of Completion which can be downloaded immediately. Within 30 days of completion, you will be sent a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, so you can get on site sooner.  Your Statement of Attainment is issued by one of our Registered Training Organisation partners. If desired, you can also purchase a wallet card which displays your completed qualifications for a small additional fee by clicking here. 

This unique online process will significantly reduce inconvenience and time taken to do your Verification of Competency, (V.O.C.), either on site or elsewhere.

High Risk Licence

Our selection of introductory courses have been designed as a detailed overview of the principals of each job role, as well as information around the latest industry regulations.  This knowledge will allow you to progress your training and undertake your High Risk Licence assessment with greater confidence.  To obtain your High Risk Licence, please click here to read more.

What is Verification of Competency (V.O.C.)?

Current industry regulations require employers and persons conducting a business undertaking (PCBU) to ensure their workers can clearly demonstrate their ability to perform the tasks related to their job role when plant is used.

A Verification of Competency (V.O.C.) is a method of assessment that can be used to demonstrate the worker’s ability to operate equipment and/or undertake the responsibilities of these roles.  It is commonly used by employers during their pre-employment checks, site requirements and contract negotiations.  In fact, a V.O.C. is often required by employers before individuals are even allowed on site.

Read more about V.O.C. here. 

Why do I need a Verification of Competency (V.O.C.)?

Employers take their responsibilities very seriously, and often require workers to demonstrate competency in the tasks they are to perform before they are allowed to commence work on site.  This also applies to contractors and their employees operating plant and conducting high risk work.

Obtaining a V.O.C. will allow you as an employee or contractor to demonstrate your abilities to perform the tasks and duties allocated to you in a certain job role, as well as your knowledge of current industry regulations and policies.   By providing this certification to a prospective employer, you will be clearly demonstrating your skill level and giving yourself the best chance of scoring the job or contract.

Who can conduct V.O.C. assessments?

V.O.C. assessments should only be undertaken by trained, professional assessors, with an understanding of the requirements of the industry competency standards in the national training packages.

Your Licence Pty Ltd works in conjunction with Registered Training Organisation partner, AITAC Pty Ltd and our partnership brings together two teams of professional, qualified assessors who can undertake V.O.C. assessments.  To find out more about obtaining your V.O.C. qualification, please see our V.O.C. page.

You use the term RPL. How is this relevant to me?

Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL is a mandatory part of the duties of every Registered Training Organisation (RTO) involved in Vocational Education and Training.

It is a process which recognises skills and knowledge you have gained through earlier studies or workplace training and experience. It doesn’t matter how the skills are acquired, and it is relevant to everyone.

An RTO has no choice but to take the current skills and experience of an operator into account when conducting training or arranging competency assessment.

Ignoring the current skills of an operator (taking everyone back to a common base point) is wasteful, costly, and insulting.

Requiring a highly skilled individual to unnecessarily display the most basic elements related to their duties does not extend that person in any way, and they may rightly be aggrieved by the process.

There is absolutely no “Gain” from the process, and is a lost opportunity, which is unfortunate and not very clever.

Correspondingly, only an RTO can formally apply RPL findings against the national industry competency standards.

I already have my license – do I still need a V.O.C. assessment?

It should be noted that holding a licence or a Qualification Card does not necessarily infer competency, but is a pre-requisite to be eligible to undertake the assessment for a V.O.C..

Persons who have recently received a licence, or received their “ticket” many years ago, may not be able to immediately verify their competency against the industry standard without some form of basic refresher training and assessment.   An example of this shortfall may be demonstrating a sound knowledge of the current regulations governing the work they are required to do.

Your Licence has a range of free refresher courses available online that can be undertaken prior to completing your V.O.C. assessment to ensure your knowledge is current.

How can you deliver V.O.C.’s online?

After years of face-to-face training, we have developed a more streamlined and efficient process of delivering V.O.C. training assessments. Using the latest technology, our Learning Management System allows participants to access training materials 24/7 wherever they can access the internet, making our blended learning training delivery the most convenient and accessible way to do your training.   As the only online business in Australia currently able to do this, we are proud to be pioneering the way in the industry.

The Your Licence V.O.C. Packs are made up of a number of components, including a theory assessment that can be done online in your own time, or completed by hand and mailed back to us.  While the components for each V.O.C. differ, they all contain the requirement for a practical assessment and proof of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). If there is RPL available, a third person (eg. supervisor) MUST confirm the information before sending back to our office, where one of our registered Assessors will perform the necessary due diligence checks and confirm competence if appropriate. It’s important to note that a registered Assessor will always manage EVERY Verification of Competency that is issued through Your Licence. 

Our courses have been designed to include a comprehensive Learners Guide, which will allow you to refresh your knowledge of the details of your job role and ensure you’re up to speed on the current industry regulations - a type of ‘gap training’ that is not freely available from any other source.

Once you have successfully completed the components of your V.O.C. pack and have been deemed competent by a registered Assessor, you will be issued with a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment that can be used across Australia.

Our registered training assessors provide an individual training matrix for each candidate, to recognise skills gaps and provide appropriate training.  All of our training materials are mapped to the relevant units of competence and are backed and audited by our RTO training partner, AITAC, and we also provide an individual company portal so businesses can gain unique access to their own data.

What about licences for earthmoving equipment, small cranes, and other types of plant?

Some states and territories previously issued a licence for some or all of this equipment, however Regulators stopped issuing these licences in 2012.  The only plant licences now issued by Regulators are High Risk Work licences.

As part of their Duty of Care requirements, employers and PCBU’s are required to ensure competency of the operator when plant is used, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Holding a previously accredited Licence for this plant is one method of displaying that you have had training and assessment to the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) standard, which was applicable to the Licence at the time of issue.  This standard is now superseded by the Industry Standards.

Your old “ticket” may not be sufficient to demonstrate competency to the current industry standard, which is what is now required.  The skill gap usually includes a lack of knowledge about the current Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) regulations and how these are relevant to the work you do.  This can be remedied as part of the Your Licence V.O.C. process.

Is the new Licensing standard the same as the latest Industry standard?

No. The Industry standards detail what an operator is expected to be able to competently perform on the job. The Licensing standards are the entry point to industry, and the minimum requirement to be met for the Regulators to issue a Licence.

What other methods can be used to demonstrate competency?

Demonstration of competency evidence may include a Statement of Attainment, Qualification Card, Certificate of Competency, or old regulator issued plant licence. These are often referred to in the Industry as a “Licence” or “Plant Ticket”.

The Regulators encourage formal competency based training and assessment for the operation of mobile plant and high risk work – this can only be provided by accredited and approved RTO’s through the vocational education and training system.  The standard they encourage is to the Units of Competency contained within the national Training Packages which are driven and endorsed by industry.  These are often referred to as RII, TLI or CPCC standards.

How do you ensure that the right person is actually completing the assessment?

We take the issue of fraud very seriously and have implemented stringent measures to ensure the accuracy of our assessments.  We are happy to discuss and demonstrate these measures in detail to alleviate any concerns.  Please feel free to contact us for more information.

How is a V.O.C. conducted? What do I have to do?

There are two answers to this:

Part One

On site V.O.C. has normally been conducted on a “face to face” basis. An assessor conducts theory and practical assessments and makes a decision regarding competency based solely on that meeting.

The assessments are normally conducted against the old superseded NOHSC standard.

The applicant has little opportunity to study or undertake gap training until after the assessment is completed, and this often includes considerable delays and stress if not successful at the 1^st attempt.

This process is also dependant totally on the availability of an assessor – involving high cost and often lengthy delays if the worksite is in a remote location.

To be involved in this process, you have to turn up at a predetermined place and time as well prepared for the assessment as you can, sit a theory and a practical assessment. When you are successful, you can go to work. If not successful you have to get the gap training required and be reassessed.

Part Two

YourLicence V.O.C. process involves a “blended” approach to the problem. This includes providing the operator free access to the largest library of online training material of this type in the country, so that he or she can update knowledge about the subject.

The gap training (to the latest industry standard) is provided via online presentations or by traditional paper-based training manuals. Learning is entirely self-paced and can be completed and then assessed very quickly (without the need for an assessor to be on site). Practical skills assessment may then be conducted via a range of options – onsite, prior to entry, at our training site (or another), etc.

In some cases an assessor may not be required to visit the site at all.

Our courses include a detailed Learners Guide so you can refresh your knowledge of the subject. When you are confident, informed and are ready, you can undertake the theory assessment. At the same time you can be preparing your practical self-assessment (Recognition of your Prior Learning) information, gaining testimonials and references. This reduces the time considerably. All of this is “self-paced” – as slow or as fast as you wish.

If your evidence is sufficient, factual, and can be substantiated, you may not have to undertake any further assessment (this may vary with some employers). The bottom line is this:- You are assessed when you are ready for it. It is not site or time specific or dependent upon the availability of an assessor, and you can do it immediately if you wish. This could get you to work easier, and faster!

Is an on-site V.O.C. assessment more accurate than one conducted another way?

No. Both methods have different merits.

1. On site assessments are basically a “snap shot” of your performance on that day at that time. Your performance may be considerably different on another day in a different scenario. You could perform better or worse than normal under “exam” conditions.
2. The YourLicence V.O.C. process allows you to approach the assessments entirely differently. The RPL practical references and testimonials you gather will be related to your performance in the field over a considerable period of time. This is often a more accurate check of your long term performance ability.

What action is taken if an operator supplies unauthorised tickets, or arranges false references?

We take the issue of fraud very seriously and have implemented stringent measures to ensure the accuracy of our assessments. Attempts to obtain a fraudulent qualification or ticket incur stiff legal penalties.

There are several checks carried out to ensure the validity of “tickets” and testimonials. These cannot be outlined here for obvious reasons, however we would be happy to discuss any concerns with you over the phone.  Please call 1800 695 423.

Any applicant engaging in unlawful behaviour of this type will immediately be deregistered from our process, forfeit their fees, and their employer and/or Regulator will be informed of this action. (All applicants give us permission to undertake the necessary checks at enrolment).

This means that operator will not get onto the worksite, which is usually the prime objective.

Can I work on site prior to completing my V.O.C.?

Yes. It is entirely reasonable and legally compliant to allow an operator to carry out their normal duties whilst undertaking V.O.C. if the risk is assessed and an appropriate level of supervision is exercised. This is a standard industry practice during training and instruction, and is practiced across the country every day.

Enrolment with an accredited Registered Training Organisation to complete your V.O.C. is formal evidence of the provision of information, instruction and training as required by regulations.

Regulators allow inexperienced persons to conduct high risk work under training on a work site under varying levels of supervision. Persons who are experienced, ticketed, and undertaking V.O.C. would obviously be at much lower risk than a trainee rigger or excavator operator, as examples.

Whether you will be able to work in this manner will be dependent upon the policies and procedures on the site.

How long do I have to complete my V.O.C. assessment?

Your Licence allows 28 days from enrolment to complete the process. This is in accordance with the timeframes allowed by some Regulators for completion of Construction Induction training and lodgment of an application to obtain a “White Card” or Licence. Extenuating circumstances will always be taken into account.

What are the varying levels of supervision?  How are they worked out?

There are 3 levels of supervision which are normally applied to high risk work activity, whether on construction, mining, or other sites. These are determined by the responsible persons on-site and must be based on properly assessed risk. These levels of supervision are:

• Direct supervision
  • Operations in sight and earshot of a competent, qualified supervisor
  • Usually applied to an operator who has a minimum of former experience or exposure to the plant or specific tasks.
  • Particularly important for those who demonstrate a lower level of aptitude, and need intensive instruction.
• Periodic supervision
  • Operations which require the supervisor to make regular checks on safety and progress, and to ensure the risks continue to be within pre-determined parameters. Normally applied where the operator is experienced with the plant or specific tasks, demonstrates at least a good level of aptitude, good communication systems are in place, and there is good accessibility to other licensed or qualified operators from whom advice can be sought.
• Minimal supervision
  • Operations which require a supervisor to attend irregularly, to ensure that additional, greater, or different risks have not surfaced due to environmental factors or unforeseen events. Supervision is obviously at a lower level, and would require the workplace to have good communication systems, good accessibility to licensed and qualified persons, a high level of instruction and training, and/or stable risk control measures in place to protect the operator. Strong administrative controls would also be relevant in this case, such as exclusion zones for workers from mobile plant operations.At all times the level of supervision and instruction must be suitable and adequate for the nature and type of work and the risks present. This is to protect the worker’s health and safety from risks arising from the work, and how it is conducted. This may also be specified in Safe Work Method Statements, or the like.

Why are your V.O.C.s and competency assessments recognised by all jurisdictions and RTOs, when many others aren’t?

All our V.O.C. assessments are aligned to the industry competency standards contained within the national training packages.

These competency standards are developed by the Skills Councils in conjunction with industry, go through a rigorous Commonwealth acceptance process, and are used by the training and education institutions in every state and territory. They are also accepted by every RTO, and are uniform across the country.

We take every opportunity to raise the skills of the operator to the current industry standard by including relevant gap training as part of the process, including RPL. Everybody wins!

Many other V.O.C. assessments are targeted at differing standards, and are often not acceptable outside the workplace where they were conducted. Unfortunately this sometimes leads to operators undergoing several V.O.C. assessments for the same set of skills, on several different sites, sometimes while working for the same employer or contractor.

In conjunction with our aligned RTO/s we will always conduct skills assessments to the current industry standards so that the results are acceptable across the country. It is part of our Training Guarantee.