The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) have released their October 2017 CoolChange newsletter.
The October 2017 CoolChange newsletter focuses on: understanding the RAC licence scheme, WorldSkills Australia, refrigerant trading authorisation (RTA), skill shortage data from the Australian government, the RAC Permit scheme snapshot 2016/17, permit checks, an update on training in the RAC sector, and an education pack on refrigerants in the automotive industry.
The article on understanding the RAC licence scheme emphasises that the RAC licence scheme is a partnership between the industry, the ARC and the Australian Government, and that each stakeholder’s role in meeting obligations is important. A detailed flow chart of the role of each stakeholder—licensed technicians and businesses, the ARC, and the Australian Government—accompanies the article.
The article on WorldSkills Australia specifically focuses on the selection of QLD technician, Nathan McHugh, to compete in the refrigeration and air conditioning category at the next WorldSkills International Competition in Abu Dhabi, which kicks off at the end of this week.
The article on refrigerant trading authorisation (RTA) specifically focuses on the consequences of not holding RTA. The article on skills shortage data from the Australian Government focuses on research carried out by the Department of Employment to identify skills shortages. The article contains data comparing shortages in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector (excluding automotive) as of September 2016 to the previous year.
The focus on the RAC Permit scheme snapshot 2016/17 is on the amount of total holders of a Refrigerant Handling Licence, Refrigerant Trading Authorisation, how many permit condition checks and education visits were undertaken, how many permits were refused due to ongoing non-compliance, and how many phone calls assisting technicians and businesses were received, over the last year.
The article on permit checks emphasises that all RTA holders may be subjected to a permit condition check, and that the check provides an opportunity for RTA holders to talk with an ARC Field Officer on how to meet licensing conditions.
The update on training in the RAC sector focuses on ASQA initiating regulatory action against a QLD training provider for delivering “sub-standard Certificate II courses in split installation”, and using ARC case studies on the Certificate II and III recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes as an “industry bible” for training hours.
The article on the education pack on refrigerants in the automotive industry focuses on the reference tools for technicians and businesses, created by the ARC and the Department of the Environment. These reference tools include but are not limited to: educational wall charts, packs for workshops, and an educational video.
ARC’s October 2017 CoolChange newsletter can be read in full here.
Image via Pixabay.