2020 Draft Business Certificate III Qualifications
Key Proposed Changes to Business Qualifications
It is important that the curriculum that covers the qualifications we deliver is updated regularly to reflect changing times, technology and needs.
PWC Skills for Australia is the Skills Service Organisation (Skills Council) responsible for co-ordinating the changes to the Business Services Training package and its related qualifications.
They have just released the drafts for over 20 qualifications that ACCM offer.
ACCM has reviewed the changes and while they do address a large number of problems – there are some that still need fixing.
It is important for stakeholders like employers and impacted learners to have their say and work with us to ensure that your future qualifications are as flexible and suitable for your needs as they can be.
We have identified some issues and are sharing our thoughts. You are encouraged to take 5 minutes to ensure that if you agree that further changes are needed – you give this feedback directly to PWC Skills Australia. We provide the links to make it a quick process for you.
Our views on these Certificate III qualifications are provided:
- Certificate III in Business/Business Administration and Customer Engagement
- Certificate III in Medical Administration
- Certificate III in Legal Services
Certificate III in Business / Business Administration and Customer Contact
Huge changes to the Certificate III in Business.
Four current qualifications: Certificate III in Business Administration: Certificate III in Customer Engagement; Certificate III in Education and Certificate III in Business are being merged into the one.
The qualification structure is as rigid as the previous one – but with some minor tweaks this could be addressed and achieve positive changes.
Key Take Aways
- The qualification has gone from 12 units to 15 – making it one of the largest business qualifications (without any obvious reason)
- All specific customer contact / call centre specific units have been deleted.
- Sales specific units have been deleted
- The unit applicable to education has been deleted
Our fear is that the qualification will become big and a bit vanilla. Unnecessarily BIG and a nice vanilla – but still BIG and still vanilla.
Our suggestions are to make some changes to what is proposed. These would allow some sprinkles and toppings that allow you to choose the "flavour" that best suits your needs. Also to bring it back to a normal serve size.
We have also raised the key questions with the respective government agencies:
- How will funding be controlled when the 4 qualifications are now one?
- Will the School VET system and its specific curriculum be matched to the qualification (and in time for school starters)
Inappropriate Compulsory Units
Our primary concern is the 6 core (compulsory) units that make the qualification BIG and too restrictive.
They also include a Certificate IV level sustainability unit – that includes activities that staff in many businesses are unlikely to need to do.
Equally a higher than necessary Safety unit has been listed as core.
Given that this qualification now covers a wide range of business contexts and job roles it is essential that the core units are only those that need to apply to all sectors.
Restrictive Electives
The other noticeable issue is that the Group A Technology units assume that all workplaces use applications like word; spreadsheets; presentations and allow staff internet and email access. Our clients tell us that this is not the case.
ACCM Recommended Changes to the Draft
- Keep the qualification to 12 units (a 25% increase is not justified).
- Change the problematic core units to be elective; which brings the core down to 4 ie move BSBSUS411 and BSBWHS311 from core and make them electives.
- Reduce the needed electives to 8 and add more options so that the qualification will suit the merged industries: education; call centres; business and administration; and also allow sales skills training. Merge the groups B C and D to be one group
- Add electives to Group A like: BSBTEC201 Use business software; BSBDAT201 Collect and record data
- Keep some of the units planned to be deleted as they serve to address specific industries and sales skills eg BSBCUE301; BSBCUE304; BSBIND301; BSBCUE307
Make This a Great Qualification – We Need Your Input
If you prefer the greater flexibility in the qualification that we suggest go to the Business qualification in this survey and tell them that you do NOT: want the extra 3 units; BSBSUS411 and BSBWHS311 should not be core; expand the Group A electives to allow options for all sectors; add more group B electives / merge Group B C and D to allow best customisation.
Those affected by this qualification are urged to provide their feedback to PWC Skills Australia on this link to get these changes considered.
Draft Qualification and ACCM Alternative
For those of you who like more detail we have attached the issued 2020 Draft and also provided our preferred alternative.
Certificate III in Medical Administration (replacing BSB31115)
Sadly the opportunity to fix the current fundamental problem with this qualification has not been taken in the 2020 draft.
Current problem (still in the 2020 Draft)
The Medical qualification requires medical receptionists and similar staff to complete units of study in: Word Processing; Spreadsheets; Powerpoint Presentations; business letter writing; processing payroll and manual accounting.
I don’t know about you – but I’ve never seen or heard of a doctors receptionist needing these skills!
Our client feedback is: they don’t need to have these skills; they don’t perform these tasks at work; they don’t even use these software applications – with medical practices using specific medical practice software. And like in lots of businesses the accounts are done using accounting software and usually be specific accounts staff.
The requirement to do any of these units should be removed (and they can be taken as electives for the tiny number of people who need these skills).
To get this fixed – go to the Medical qualification in this survey and tell them that you do NOT: use word; spreadsheets; powerpoint; process payroll; do manual accounts; write business letters.
Those affected by this qualification are urged to provide their feedback to PWC Skills Australia on this link to get the Medical Administration qualification fixed.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfytowTyBxvJHE2NTSOypCf1EtF9yInK6PVi7q49Kb8IVgLUw/viewform
Draft Qualification and ACCM Alternative
For those of you who like more detail we have attached the issued 2020 Draft and also provided our preferred alternative. We would love your feedback (but remember it is PWC Skills Australia that need to hear directly from you.
Certificate III in Legal Services (replacing BSB31015)
The changes proposed in the draft are positive but have swung the other way with making the qualification too restrictive. The changes are also asking legal administration staff to do activities that a legal practice would not normally allow them to do (due to liability issues).
Some units have been merged and rewritten under this update to provide a more modern approach to legal services.
Restrictive Compulsory Units
Our primary concern is the 6 core (compulsory) units are too restrictive.
They also include a Certificate IV level unit – that includes activities that staff at this entry level are unlikely to be allowed to do.
Recommended Changes
The solution is to move the planned new core BSBLEG421 and make it an elective. At this job level our client feedback is that staff do not have the responsibility or skills to access, read and interpret legislation (a requirement under BSBLEG421). This is a para legal task not an administrative one. This unit therefore should not be compulsory.
In addition, BSBLEG312 Carry out search of the public record is a task that not all legal support staff undertake. It should therefore be moved from Core and made an elective.
By adding these 2 units to Group A there is greater flexibility and choice and better ability to customise to the legal practice and learner needs.
Additional Elective Units
Even better customisation is achieved by adding BSBOPS303 Schedule Appointments to Group A
In addition a range of customer service units should be added to Group B eg – BSBOPS203, BSBOPS202, BSBOPS304 and BSBOPS305; and other transferability skills.
Have Your Say
If you prefer the greater flexibility in the qualification that we suggest go to the Legal Services qualification in this survey and tell them that you do NOT: want BSBLEG421 and BSBLEG312 as core – make them electives; and also expand the Group B electives to include essential customer service skills.
Those affected by this qualification are urged to provide their feedback to PWC Skills Australia on this link to get these changes considered.
Draft Qualification and ACCM Alternative
For those of you who like more detail we have attached the issued 2020 Draft and also provided our preferred alternative.
Need Help to Give Your Feedback
A number of people we have been talking to have expressed difficulty in getting online and giving feedback quickly for just the one qualification or issue they have input on.
If this is the case - send us an email or give us a call and with your permission we will lodge the feedback on your behalf. Your contact details will be used so that PWC are clear that it is your view that we are submitting.
Give Your Feedback Face to Face
PWC Skills for Australia are offering a range of face to face sessions in January 2020 (subject to getting enough interest).
Let us know if you would like to go and we will forward you the process to register.
