RPL for Certificate III in Timber and Wood Products Operations

Certificate III in Timber and Wood Products Operations 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 FWP30322 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 FWP30322. 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 FWP30322 involves →

The 13 units you complete, chosen from these 17

You do not do all 17. Certificate III in Timber and Wood Products Operations is 2 core units, which everyone does, plus 11 chosen from the 15 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

• FWPCOR3205 — Apply safety, health and environmental requirements in forest and wood products operations
• FWPCOT3322 — Apply quality and product care procedures in forest and wood products operations

Electives — you choose from these

• FWPCOR2211 — Develop knowledge of the forest and wood products industry
• FWPCOT3302 — Access and provide timber and wood product information
• FWPCOT3312 — Implement environmentally sustainable work practices in the work area/work site
• FWPCOT3325 — Operate four wheel drive vehicle on unsealed roads
• FWPCOT3326 — Recover four wheel drive vehicle
• FWPCOT3327 — Contribute to energy efficiency in the forest and wood products industry
• FWPCOT3328 — Operate four wheel drive vehicle in a towing situation
• FWPCOT3346 — Communicate effectively with general public or stakeholders concerned about forest practices
• FWPSAW3252 — Assemble, operate and dismantle a portable sawmill
• FWPTMM3217 — Develop knowledge of plywood or laminated veneer lumber production
• FWPTMM3218 — Develop knowledge of veneer preparation in plywood or laminated veneer lumber production
• FWPTMM3219 — Develop knowledge of reconstituted wood panel production
• FWPTMM3220 — Develop knowledge of glue laminated timber or cross laminated timber production
• HLTAID011 — Provide First Aid
• TLIF0009 — Ensure the safety of transport activities (Chain of Responsibility)

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 Forest Operations (FWP30122, 13 units)
• Certificate III in Timber Building Products Supply (FWP30622, 13 units)

When you are ready, see what FWP30322 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.