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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Assess the request for information and/or advice
  2. Prepare response
  3. Provide information and/or advice
  4. Record details of the request and response

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

following enterprise procedures for communicating and providing information to customers

prioritising requests for information

locating and synthesising the required information using appropriate sources

providing authorised information that is accurate relevant and in the required format

using technical terminology appropriate to the customer and avoiding jargon

communicating in an efficient and polite manner taking into account the needs of the customer

maintaining security and confidentiality of information

recording and filing records of the request and information provided

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

enterprise procedures relating to

customer service for internal and internal customers with cognisance of cultural and social contexts

communication protocols

occupational health and safety OHS and environmental regulations

enterprise business goals and key performance indicators as a basis for dealing with customers

customer information about enterprise products and services

technical details of methods data and sample collection and the key features of laboratory results

relevant health safety and environment requirements

Evidence Required

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Overview of assessment

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

Assessors should ensure that candidates can

correctly assess and prioritise requests for information

locate and synthesise the required information using appropriate sources

provide authorised information that is accurate relevant and in the required format

uses technical terminology appropriate to the customer and avoid jargon

communicate in an efficient and polite manner taking into account the needs of the customer

maintain security and confidentiality of information as required by enterprise procedures

record and file records of the request and information provided as required by enterprise procedures

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment

This unit of competency may be assessed with any relevant technical unit of competency

Resources may include

information directories and databases

workplace documents

equipment such as telephone fax and computer equipment email or online information systems

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

examination of written records of advice and information given to a range of customers

feedback from customers that the informationadvice provided was accurate timely and in a useful format

feedback from supervisors that enterprise procedures were followed

In all cases practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly

Where applicable reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity age gender demographics and disability

Access must be provided to appropriate learning andor assessment support when required

The language literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting

Manufacturing

A sales office representative submitted a sample from a customer who had complained that the product was contaminated A technical officer discussed the problem with the representative and traced the history of the product sample from production batch to the customers tank It was found that the product had been delivered to a distributor who had then sold it to the customer The technical officer was able to show that the sample should be taken from the distributors tank rather than the customers With a clear understanding of sampling protocols and procedures the technical officer was able to ensure effort was not wasted on analysing a sample that would not identify the cause of the problem Direct communication with the representative made sure there were guidelines to prevent the problem happening again

Biotechnology

A technical officer in a government analytical laboratory often provides information to others about how a sample should be collected received labelled and its receipt recorded This may occur when samples are collected

for forensic analysis from a crime scene

at sporting events for the purpose of testing urine for performance enhancing drugs

for bloodalcohol determination

The technical officer conveys instructions using a minimum of jargon about the method and times of collection the holding temperature chain of custody requirements and documentation of the sample source In some cases the officer may also specify additional requirements governing the safe storage and transport of infectious or hazardous materials

Food processing

A food processing company has a team of laboratory personnel that perform analysis of food products both for the company and on a feeforservice basis for other enterprises The laboratory often receives phone requests for the early release of results when they are needed urgently Sometimes when this occurs the individual who performed the analyses is unavailable and no one else is sufficiently informed to provide a verbal report on the data The laboratory personnel realise that they should organise the way they record their results so that everyone can access understand and report them quickly The team develops a centralised system of recording and filing the results They also organise a series of brief training sessions to share information about the analyses that they perform


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

Codes of practice

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

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:

information directories (organisational structure and telephone)

online database

CD-ROMs

workplace documents, such as:

equipment manuals

laboratory records

National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) requirements

Australian standards

certified laboratory reports

analysis report sheets (past and present)

organisational charts

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

enterprise procedures governing, for example:

receipt of requests

release of information and results and confidentiality needs of clients and customers

sample collection protocols and techniques for preserving sample integrity

handling and collection of native fauna and flora (based on animal welfare legislation and codes of practice)

filing systems, databases and laboratory records

Items of equipment or systems

Items of equipment or systems may include:

telephone

fax

email

computer software

databases

spreadsheets

Auslan

Information sources

Information sources may include personnel, such as:

scientists

technical experts

quality managers

laboratory and production personnel

customer service

Customers

Customers may include:

internal and external customers

members of the public

authorities, including regulatory authorities

other enterprises, municipalities

engineers

scientists

other specialist staff

Information provided

Information provided may refer to:

a local situation

a person with a disability

a person from a particular cultural group

material classification and characteristics

technical and/or manufacturing knowledge of procedures

analysis and/or test results and their interpretation where authority permits

risk assessment, monitoring and minimisation

cost, quantity and time estimation

contractual variations and claims

site assessment and problems

data analysis and statistical interpretation

Manufacturing and food processing sector variables

Manufacturing and food processing sector variables may include:

assessing requests for changes to formulations and alterations to production processes

determining variations and their significance for compliance with relevant standards

Biomedical and environmental sector variables

Biomedical and environmental sector variables may include:

providing responses to inquiries regarding sample collection and recollection protocols from:

patients, doctors, nurses and environmental health officers

collection staff and couriers

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements

OHS and environmental management requirements:

all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time

all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied

where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health