The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, required skills and knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria and skills and knowledge.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit. These may include the ability to:

take a sample correctly

undertake tests with adequate reproducibility

select and use the appropriate procedures.

Assessment method and context

Assessment will occur in a factory testing environment and will be undertaken in a work-like environment.

Competence in this unit may be assessed:

by using appropriate, industrial testing regimes

in a situation allowing the generation of evidence of the ability to respond to problems

by using a suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios

through a combination of these techniques.

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge and theoretical assessment will be combined with appropriate practical/simulation or similar assessment. Assessors need to be aware of any cultural issues that may affect responses to questions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.

Specific resources for assessment

This section should be read in conjunction with the Range Statement for this unit of competency. Resources required include suitable access to an operating plant or equipment that allows for appropriate and realistic simulation. A bank of case studies/scenarios and questions will also be required to the extent they form part of the assessment method. Questioning may take place either in the workplace, or in an adjacent, quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom. No other special resources are required.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Application of knowledge of the sampling and testing techniques used sufficient to recognise a suspicious test result cause by a fault in these areas.

Knowledge of organisation procedures and relevant regulatory requirements along with the ability to implement them within appropriate time constraints and work standards.

Knowledge and skills in sampling and testing sufficient for consistent and meaningful test results including:

basic principles of taking the particular sample

basic principles of the particular test

sample techniques and requirements

test methods used and critical factors leading to good/poor test results.

Language, literacy and numeracy requirements

This unit requires the ability to read and interpret typical sampling and testing methods/procedures and to read and interpret numbers or other test result data.

Writing is required to the level of completing workplace forms and labelling samples.

Basic numeracy is required to read and interpret test results and undertake minor data manipulation such as might be required for the test, test interpretation or reporting.

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.

Context

This competency unit includes the range of sampling and testing which may be carried out in a plant/factory, or in a manufacturing laboratory. It typically applies to operators who carry out a narrow range of tests as part of their job.

It does NOT include testing which would normally be conducted in a laboratory, nor operators carrying out a wide range of testing which is a significant part of their job role. These competencies are more properly covered by PMLTEST300A Perform basic tests or other units from the Laboratory Operations Training Package.

The tasks covered by this competency include:

receiving, handling and storing samples

preparing for sample collection

performing sample collection

performing sample preparation

performing tests

recording results.

Problems

'Respond to routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems'. Typical problems include:

correct sampling technique

test equipment condition/calibration

consistent test technique according to standard procedure

correct recording of result

interpretation of result and the initiation of appropriate action

correct retention/disposal of sample/test materials.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist