RPL for Certificate III in Food Processing

Certificate III in Food Processing takes 17 units. Through Recognition of Prior Learning, each unit is assessed on evidence of work you have already done rather than on training you sit through.

What the assessment looks at

Every unit sets out what you must be able to do and what you must know. An assessor works through them one at a time, asking the same question each time: does this person's evidence show they can do this reliably, in a real workplace, recently enough to count?

You can read the full requirements for FBP30121 on the national training register. They are public, and worth a look before you spend anything — if the units describe work you have never done, RPL is not your route.

Evidence worth gathering before you start

• Photos of completed jobs, ideally showing a few stages of the same job, with their original dates intact.
• Job sheets, dockets, work orders or site diaries covering a spread of jobs.
• Supervisors, employers or clients who will confirm specifically what you did.
• Any licences or tickets you already hold.

How the guided process works

You work through the 17 units one at a time, talking about jobs you have actually done. You can speak rather than type. Add photos as you find them, and stop whenever you like — progress saves itself, and most people spread this over weeks while they dig out records. At the end you have an evidence portfolio your RTO's assessor can work through.

What this does not do

It does not assess you, and it cannot promise you FBP30121. An assessor at a registered training organisation makes that decision and may require further evidence or training. What a complete portfolio buys you is a fair assessment rather than a rejection over paperwork.

See what FBP30121 involves →

The 17 units you complete, chosen from these 183

You do not do all 183. Certificate III in Food Processing is 5 core units, which everyone does, plus 12 chosen from the 178 electives below. Read both lists before you spend anything — it is the fastest way to tell whether RPL is your route. If most of this describes work you have done, you have a case to make. If whole sections describe work you have never touched, an assessor will say so, and doing the course is the honest answer.

Worth knowing: 1 of them have a prerequisite unit, so the order you gather evidence in matters.

Core units — everyone does these

• FBPFSY3003 — Monitor the implementation of food safety and quality programs
• FBPFSY3004 — Participate in traceability activities
• FBPOPR3019 — Operate and monitor interrelated processes in a production or packaging system
• FBPOPR3021 — Apply good manufacturing practice requirements in food processing
• FBPWHS3001 — Contribute to work health and safety processes

Electives — you choose from these

• AHCBIO303 — Apply biosecurity measures
• AHCBIO401 — Plan and implement a biosecurity program
• AHCWRK310 — Provide on-job training support
• BSBESB301 — Investigate business opportunities
• BSBESB403 — Plan finances for new business ventures
• BSBESB404 — Market new business ventures
• BSBOPS304 — Deliver and monitor a service to customers
• FBPBEV3001 — Operate and monitor a wort production process
• FBPBEV3002 — Prepare and monitor beer yeast propagation processes
• FBPBEV3003 — Operate and monitor a brewery fermentation process
• FBPBEV3004 — Operate and monitor a beer filtration process
• FBPBEV3005 — Operate and monitor juice processing
• FBPBEV3006 — Control and monitor fruit and/or vegetable washing and milling
• FBPBEV3007 — Operate and monitor a beer maturation process
• FBPBEV3008 — Manufacture roast and ground coffee
• FBPBPG2001 — Operate the bottle supply process
• FBPBPG2002 — Operate the carton erection process
• FBPBPG2003 — Operate the carton packing process
• FBPBPG2005 — Operate the electronic coding process
• FBPBPG2009 — Operate a beverage packaging process
• FBPBPG2010 — Operate a case packing process
• FBPBPG2011 — Operate a fill and seal process
• FBPBPG2012 — Operate a packaging process
• FBPBPG3001 — Operate the bottle filling process
• FBPBPG3002 — Operate the labelling process
• FBPBPG3003 — Operate the softpack filling process
• FBPBPG3004 — Operate the bottle sealing process
• FBPBPG3007 — Perform packaging equipment changeover
• FBPBPG3010 — Operate and monitor a carbonated beverage filling process
• FBPBPG3011 — Operate and monitor a high speed wrapping process
• FBPBPG3012 — Operate and monitor a form, fill and seal process
• FBPBPG4001 — Manage bottling and packaging processes
• FBPBPG4002 — Manage filling and packaging of fermented beverages
• FBPCEL3004 — Operate an earth filtration process
• FBPCEL3013 — Perform rectification (continuous still) operations
• FBPCEL3017 — Perform single column lees stripping (continuous still brandy) operations
• FBPCEL3018 — Perform dual column distillation (continuous still brandy) operations
• FBPCHE3003 — Conduct cheese making operations
• FBPCHE3004 — Carry out processing for a range of artisan cheeses
• FBPCHE3005 — Operate and monitor a cheese pressing and moulding process
• FBPCON2010 — Operate an enrobing process
• FBPCON2011 — Operate a chocolate tempering process
• FBPCON3001 — Operate a complex chocolate depositing process
• FBPCON3002 — Operate and monitor a boiled confectionery process
• FBPCON3003 — Operate and monitor a chocolate conching process
• FBPCON3004 — Operate and monitor a confectionery depositing process
• FBPCON3005 — Operate and monitor a granulation and compression process
• FBPCON3006 — Operate and monitor a panning process
• FBPCON3007 — Operate and monitor a chocolate refining process
• FBPCON3008 — Operate and monitor a starch moulding process
• FBPDPR3001 — Operate and monitor a curd production and cutting process
• FBPDPR3002 — Operate and monitor a fermentation process
• FBPDPR3003 — Control batch processing for powdered milk products
• FBPDPR3004 — Operate and monitor a butter churning process
• FBPDPR3005 — Operate and monitor a butter oil process
• FBPFAV3003 — Conduct chemical wash for fresh produce
• FBPFAV3004 — Program fresh produce grading equipment
• FBPFST4002 — Carry out sampling and testing of milk at receival
• FBPFST4003 — Apply digital technology in food processing
• FBPFSY3002 — Participate in a HACCP team
• FBPFSY3005 — Control contaminants and allergens in food processing
• FBPFSY4003 — Perform an allergen risk review
• FBPFSY4004 — Provide accurate food allergen information to consumers
• FBPFSY4005 — Conduct a traceability exercise
• FBPGPS3001 — Operate and monitor a creamed honey manufacture process
• FBPGRA3017 — Operate and monitor a liquid, mash or block stock feed process
• FBPGRA3018 — Operate and monitor a pelleting process
• FBPGRA3019 — Prepare malted grain
• FBPGRA3020 — Blend and dispatch malt
• FBPGRA3021 — Control batch processing for micronutrients or additives in stock feed
• FBPGRA3022 — Confirm feed product meets animal nutrition requirements
• FBPGRA3023 — Operate and monitor grain conditioning
• FBPGRA3024 — Operate and monitor grain cleaning
• FBPGRA3025 — Receive and handle grain in a storage area
• FBPGRA3026 — Operate and monitor sifting and grading
• FBPGRA3027 — Monitor a purification system
• FBPGRA3028 — Monitor scratch and sizing
• FBPGRA3029 — Monitor a break roll
• FBPGRA3030 — Operate and monitor a reduction system
• FBPHVB3001 — Operate and monitor a cooling and wrapping process
• FBPHVB3002 — Operate and monitor a laminated pastry production process
• FBPHVB3003 — Operate and monitor a pastry forming and filling process
• FBPHVB3004 — Manufacture wafer products
• FBPHVB3005 — Operate and monitor a doughnut making process
• FBPOIL3001 — Operate a degumming and neutralisation process
• FBPOIL3002 — Operate and monitor a bleaching process
• FBPOIL3003 — Operate and monitor a deodorising process
• FBPOIL3004 — Operate and monitor a flake preparation process
• FBPOIL3005 — Operate and monitor a complecting process
• FBPOIL3006 — Operate and monitor a soap splitting process
• FBPOIL3007 — Operate and monitor an interesterification process
• FBPOIL3008 — Operate and monitor a hydrogenation process
• FBPOIL3009 — Clean and mill olives
• FBPOIL3010 — Operate and monitor a malaxer
• FBPOIL3011 — Operate and monitor an olive oil separation process
• FBPOIL3012 — Operate and monitor storage of virgin olive oil
• FBPOPR2068 — Operate a process control interface
• FBPOPR2069 — Use numerical applications in the workplace
• FBPOPR2070 — Apply quality systems and procedures
• FBPOPR2071 — Provide and apply workplace information
• FBPOPR2074 — Carry out manual handling tasks
• FBPOPR2077 — Operate a bulk dry goods transfer process
• FBPOPR2078 — Work in a freezer storage area
• FBPOPR2079 — Work with temperature controlled stock
• FBPOPR2080 — Operate a blending, sieving and bagging process
• FBPOPR2081 — Measure non-bulk ingredients
• FBPOPR2082 — Operate a mixing or blending process
• FBPOPR2085 — Operate a grinding process
• FBPOPR2088 — Operate pumping equipment
• FBPOPR2089 — Operate a production process
• FBPOPR2091 — Operate a holding and storage process
• FBPOPR2093 — Operate an automated cutting process
• FBPOPR2094 — Clean equipment in place
• FBPOPR2095 — Clean and sanitise equipment
• FBPOPR2097 — Operate a depositing process
• FBPOPR3004 — Set up a production or packaging line for operation
• FBPOPR3007 — Operate a bulk liquid transfer process
• FBPOPR3008 — Load and unload tankers
• FBPOPR3009 — Participate in sensory analyses
• FBPOPR3010 — Operate and monitor a filtration process
• FBPOPR3011 — Operate and monitor a heat treatment process
• FBPOPR3012 — Operate and monitor a drying process
• FBPOPR3013 — Operate and monitor an homogenising process
• FBPOPR3014 — Operate and monitor a retort process
• FBPOPR3015 — Pre-process raw materials
• FBPOPR3016 — Operate and monitor a separation process
• FBPOPR3017 — Prepare food products using basic cooking methods
• FBPOPR3018 — Identify dietary, cultural and religious considerations for food production
• FBPOPR3020 — Plan, conduct and monitor equipment maintenance
• FBPOPR3022 — Receive and store raw materials for food processing
• FBPOPR3023 — Operate and monitor an evaporation process
• FBPOPR3024 — Operate and monitor an extrusion process
• FBPOPR4001 — Apply principles of statistical process control
• FBPPPL2001 — Participate in work teams and groups
• FBPPPL2002 — Work in a socially diverse environment
• FBPPPL3003 — Participate in improvement processes
• FBPPPL3004 — Lead work teams and groups
• FBPPPL3005 — Participate in an audit process
• FBPPPL3006 — Report on workplace performance
• FBPPPL3007 — Support and mentor individuals and groups
• FBPPPL3008 — Establish compliance requirements for work area
• FBPSUG2024 — Perform standard tests on cane samples
• FBPSUG3007 — Perform factory control tests
• FBPTEC3001 — Apply raw materials, ingredient and process knowledge to production problems
• FBPTEC3002 — Implement the pest prevention program
• FBPTEC3003 — Filter fermented beverages
• FBPTEC3004 — Prepare, fill and store barrels for aging spirits
• FBPTEC4008 — Participate in product recalls
• FSKDIG003 — Use digital technology for non-routine workplace tasks
• FSKLRG009 — Use strategies to respond to routine workplace problems
• FSKNUM015 — Estimate, measure and calculate with routine metric measurements for work
• FSKNUM019 — Interpret routine tables, graphs and charts and use information and data for work
• FSKOCM004 — Use oral communication skills to participate in workplace meetings
• FSKRDG008 — Read and respond to information in routine visual and graphic texts
• FSKRDG009 — Read and respond to routine standard operating procedures
• FSKWTG008 — Complete routine workplace formatted texts
• HLTWHS005 — Conduct manual tasks safely
• MSL933006 — Contribute to the achievement of quality objectives
• MSL934004 — Maintain and calibrate instruments and equipment
• MSL973013 — Perform basic tests
• MSL973016 — Perform aseptic techniques
• MSL974017 — Prepare, standardise and use solutions
• MSL974019 — Perform chemical tests and procedures
• MSMSUP310 — Contribute to the development of workplace documentation
• MSMSUP390 — Use structured problem-solving tools
• MSS402051 — Apply quality standards
• MSS402080 — Undertake root cause analysis
• MSS403010 — Facilitate change in an organisation implementing competitive systems and practices
• MSS403021 — Facilitate a Just in Time system
• MSS403040 — Facilitate and improve implementation of 5S
• MSS403085 — Ensure process improvements are sustained
• SIRRMER005 — Implement visual merchandising concepts
• SIRWSLS002 — Analyse and achieve sales targets
• SIRXCEG006 — Provide online customer service
• SIRXSLS003 — Achieve sales results
• TAEDEL301 — Provide work skill instruction
• TLIA0015 — Organise receival and despatch operations
• TLIX0013X — Maintain stock control and receivals

Each unit breaks down further into elements and performance criteria — the specific things you have to be able to show. The guide works through them one unit at a time and asks about jobs you have actually done, rather than making you read the register yourself.

Related qualifications

Same training package, and a common second choice for people who find this one is not quite their trade:

• Certificate III in Baking (FBP30521, 19 units)
• Certificate III in Bread Baking (FBP30421, 14 units)
• Certificate III in Cake and Pastry (FBP30321, 15 units)

More RPL in hospitality, tourism and food

Every qualification in this industry, which of them have a guide ready, and what assessors here accept as evidence: RPL in hospitality, tourism and food.

When you are ready, see what FBP30121 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.