RPL for Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining

Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining takes 29 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 CPC31220 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 29 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 CPC31220. 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 CPC31220 involves →

The 29 units you complete, chosen from these 46

You do not do all 46. Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining is 22 core units, which everyone does, plus 7 chosen from the 24 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: 34 of them have a prerequisite unit, so the order you gather evidence in matters.

Core units — everyone does these

• CPCCCA3014 — Construct and install bulkheads
• CPCCCA3026 — Assemble partitions
• CPCCCM2012 — Work safely at heights
• CPCCOM1012 — Work effectively and sustainably in the construction industry
• CPCCOM1013 — Plan and organise work
• CPCCOM1014 — Conduct workplace communication
• CPCCOM1015 — Carry out measurements and calculations
• CPCCOM2001 — Read and interpret plans and specifications
• CPCCPB3001 — Fix standard plasterboard wall sheets
• CPCCPB3002 — Fix standard plasterboard ceiling sheets
• CPCCPB3003 — Fix battens
• CPCCPB3004 — Fix wet area sheets
• CPCCPB3005 — Fix ceiling sheets to external protected areas
• CPCCPB3006 — Fix fibre cement board
• CPCCPB3007 — Apply levels of finish standards to planning and inspection of own work
• CPCCPB3008 — Mix plastering compounds
• CPCCPB3009 — Finish plasterboard joints manually
• CPCCPB3010 — Manually sand plaster work
• CPCCPB3012 — Cut and fix paper-faced cornices
• CPCCWC3003 — Install dry wall passive fire-rated systems
• CPCCWC3004 — Install suspended ceilings
• CPCCWHS2001 — Apply WHS requirements, policies and procedures in the construction industry

Electives — you choose from these

• BSBESB301 — Investigate business opportunities
• BSBESB407 — Manage finances for new business ventures
• CPCCCA3001 — Carry out general demolition of minor building structures
• CPCCCA3010 — Install windows and doors
• CPCCCM2006 — Apply basic levelling procedures
• CPCCCM2007 — Use explosive power tools
• CPCCCM2008 — Erect and dismantle restricted height scaffolding
• CPCCCM3001 — Operate elevated work platforms up to 11 metres
• CPCCPB3014 — Install bulk insulation and pliable membrane products
• CPCCPB3015 — Install acoustic and thermal environmental protection systems
• CPCCPB3016 — Install and finish columns
• CPCCPB3017 — Rectify faults in drywall applications
• CPCCPB3018 — Use vacuum and electric sanding equipment to finish plaster work
• CPCCPB3019 — Inspect equipment for serviceability
• CPCCPB3020 — Match, mitre and install cast ornamental cornices
• CPCCPB3021 — Install and fix residential acoustic plaster products
• CPCCPB3022 — Use mechanical jointing equipment to finish joints
• CPCCPB3027 — Install ceiling insulation products
• CPCCSP3003 — Apply trowelled texture coat finishes
• CPCCSP3005 — Install pre-cast decorative mouldings
• CPCCWC2001 — Complete penetrations and flashings
• CPCCWC3001 — Install and finish plasterboard and fibre cement sheeting to curved wall and ceiling substrates
• CPCCWC3002 — Install and finish plasterboard and fibre cement sheeting to arch substrate
• CPCSHP3007 — Install prefabricated internal shopfitting units

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 Carpentry (CPC30220, 34 units)
• Certificate III in Concreting (CPC30320, 22 units)
• Certificate III in Demolition (CPC30426, 20 units)
• Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620, 29 units)
• Certificate III in Shopfitting (CPC30120, 18 units)
• Certificate III in Signs and Graphics (CPC30216, 16 units)

More RPL in construction, plumbing and services

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

When you are ready, see what CPC31220 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.