RPL for Certificate III in International Freight Forwarding (Operator)

Certificate III in International Freight Forwarding (Operator) takes 13 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 TLI31321 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 13 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 TLI31321. 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 TLI31321 involves →

The 13 units you complete, chosen from these 20

You do not do all 20. Certificate III in International Freight Forwarding (Operator) is 8 core units, which everyone does, plus 5 chosen from the 12 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.

Core units — everyone does these

• TLIA0003 — Complete and check import/export documentation
• TLIA0030 — Organise international transport of freight
• TLIE1003 — Participate in basic workplace communication
• TLIF0009 — Ensure the safety of transport activities (Chain of Responsibility)
• TLIF0025 — Follow work health and safety procedures
• TLIG0003 — Work effectively with others in a team
• TLII0002 — Provide freight forwarding information and customer service
• TLIK0003 — Perform electronic data interchange to transmit documentation

Electives — you choose from these

• TLIA0001 — Complete import procedures
• TLIA0002 — Prepare cargo for export
• TLIA0006 — Coordinate goods to bond premises
• TLIA0027 — Consolidate freight
• TLIA0031 — Organise transport of freight or goods
• TLIB0005 — Operate pooled equipment
• TLIE0008 — Calculate mass, area and quantify dimensions
• TLIF4065 — Ensure compliance with Australian Dangerous Goods Code
• TLIJ0003 — Apply quality systems
• TLIJ2001 — Apply quality procedures
• TLIO0003 — Follow security procedures when working with goods and cargo
• TLIX0006 — Apply and monitor biosecurity policies and procedures

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 Driving Operations (TLI31222, 15 units)
• Certificate III in Light Rail Driving (TLI31421, 16 units)
• Certificate III in Mobile Crane Operations (TLI30122, 23 units)
• Certificate III in Passenger Train Guard (TLI30521, 20 units)
• Certificate III in Stevedoring (TLI30219, 13 units)
• Certificate III in Supply Chain Operations (TLI30325, 14 units)

More RPL in transport and logistics

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

When you are ready, see what TLI31321 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.