CIB - 681 Electricity Supply Industry - Generation Sector - apprenticeship and traineeships

Date of effect
11 January 2019

Updated
24 February 2023

Qualification

UEP40622 Certificate IV in Wind Power Generation

Terms of apprenticeship

Full time:

• 48 months or until the relevant competencies are achieved
• 12 months or until the relevant competencies are achieved where the apprentice holds UEE30820 Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician or equivalent unrestricted electrical licence or an electrical fitting licenced trade qualification.

Part-time:

See part-time apprenticeships and traineeships

Probationary period

• 3 months

Date of effect
14 December 2012

Updated
31 October 2023

Qualifications

UEP20122 Certificate II in ESI Generation – Operations Support

UEP30322 Certificate III in ESI Generation

Terms of traineeships

Full time:

UEP20122 Certificate II in ESI Generation - Operations Support

• 12 months or until the relevant competencies are achieved

UEP30322 Certificate III in ESI Generation

• 24 months or until the relevant competencies are achieved
• 12 months or until the relevant competencies are achieved where the trainees hold UEP20122 Certificate II in ESI Generation - Operations Support.

Part-time:

See part-time apprenticeships and traineeships

Probationary periods

2 months

Wind Power Generation apprentices will maintain large scale wind turbines, diagnose and repair mechanical systems faults in wind turbines, conduct single energy source isolation procedures for permit to work, conduct manual tasks safely, operate and monitor supervisory control and data acquisition systems, maintain wind turbine mechanical systems, conduct multiple energy source isolation procedures for permit to work, work safely at heights, undertake vertical rescue, maintain wind turbine electrical systems and may be involved in HV switching. 

It includes the requirements for an unrestricted electrician’s or 'Electrical Fitter’ licence.

Certificate II  trainees will learn to perform operations support functions in the electrical supply industry. Functions include the operation of non-critical generation plant systems, lubricating generation plant and performing minor maintenance on electrical and mechanical equipment. It also includes cleaning power generation plant, operating mobile load shifting equipment and observing safe working practices in the workplace. 

Certificate III trainees will learn to undertake work functions such as operating power generation plant systems, isolating power generation plant systems, and undertaking routine maintenance on power generation plant and equipment in the electrical supply industry (ESI).  It also includes working with civil plant and infrastructure and observing safe working practices and environmental procedures.  The work may involve carrying out work functions in specialised areas, such as:

• Combined Specialist - Operations and Systems Operations 
• Specialist - Operations 
• Specialist - Systems Operations
   

UEPr3.0 Electricity Supply Industry - Generation Sector Training Package includes the following qualifications that support apprenticeship and traineeship pathways.

Apprenticeship

• UEP40622 Certificate IV in Wind Power Generation

Traineeships

• UEP20122 Certificate II in ESI Generation – Operations Support
• UEP30322 Certificate III in ESI Generation

On successful completion of the relevant qualification

• parties may apply to the Commissioner for Vocational Training for completion of the apprenticeship or traineeship prior to the nominal completion date of the training contract or;
• Training Services may issue letters from the Commissioner to both parties inviting them to consider competency based completion if it has received advice from the training organisation that the apprentice or trainee is eligible to receive their qualification.

Download a Request for Competency Based Completion form.

Applications under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 to establish a traineeship, whether full-time, part-time or school based, will not be approved unless the Commissioner for Vocational training is satisfied that appropriate industrial arrangements are in place.

Apprentices and trainees may be employed under the Electrical Power Industry Award 2020.

All private sector employers and employees in New South Wales are covered by the national industrial relations system administered by the Fair Work Commission (the Commission). The industrial instrument that applies is a national (modern) award or a current enterprise agreement registered with the Commission. Further information is available from the Fair Work Ombudsman by telephoning 13 13 94 or via their website.

There are no licensing and regulatory requirements that relate to the traineeship qualifications. However, trainees who undertake the UEP30322 Certificate III in ESI Generation and successfully achieve the units UEPOPL004 Licence to operate a steam turbine or UEPOPL003 Licence to operate a reciprocating steam engine may be eligible to apply to SafeWork NSW for a licence to operate a Steam Turbine or a licence to operate a Reciprocating Steam Engine in NSW. This also applies to Basic Boiler, Intermediate Boiler and Advanced Boiler licenses. Note that SafeWork NSW is yet to issue guidelines in relation to national uniform assessment of these units.

For those people undertaking the UEP40622 - Certificate IV in Wind Power Generation, they may be eligible for an electrical license subject to the demonstration of mandatory electrical wiring work experience.

Electrical wiring work experience means:

• Experience lawfully gained by the applicant (whether during or after completion of an Apprenticeship) as a bona fide employee who has been paid during the relevant period of employment in accordance with an award or enterprise agreement.
• Experience verified by a qualified electrical supervisor/electrical contractor.
• At least 12 months relevant electrical wiring work experience utilising knowledge and understanding of the AS/NZS 3000: in the residential, commercial and/or industrial areas required by NSW Fair Trading ‘Referee’s Statement Electrical Work’ form current at the date of the application.

For registered training providers that can deliver the apprenticeship qualifications go to training.gov.au.

A list of training organisations in contract with the NSW Department of Education to be paid for the delivery of the training is here.

When developing Training Plans, registered training providers should ensure that the training program satisfies the qualification packaging requirements and at the same time, reflects the nature of the business. Training Plans should be customised so that workplace activities support and align with the qualification units of competency.

From 1 January 2015 the NSW Government introduced new fee arrangements for government subsidised vocational education and training (VET). Under Smart and Skilled, all apprenticeship and most traineeship qualifications are subsidised. For a full list of all the qualifications refer to the current NSW Skills List. Information on the types and levels of subsidies can be found in the Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy. Training for existing-worker trainees is not subsidised.

From 14 December 2015 Training Services and Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) transition arrangements will be aligned.

A superseded qualification in the Vocational Training Orders on this page can be specified on apprenticeship and traineeship applications for up to 12 months after the training package is released on the National Register. Registered training organisations (RTOs) may commence training in either the new or superseded qualification but must meet the requirements of ASQA. For more information refer to ASQA's General Direction - Learner Transition.

A copy of each Vocational Training Order is available for inspection on this internet site below or at any Training Services centre of the NSW Department of Education.