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 requirements

The person will not only be a competent user of SCADA but will also support their team using it.

What critical aspects of evidence are required to demonstrate competency in this unit?

Evidence of competent use of SCADA and also of assisting the team to use it effectively and efficiently.

In what context should assessment occur?

Assessment will need to occur on an organisation using SCADA or by use of SCADA simulation.

Are there any other units which could or should be assessed with this unit or which relate directly to this unit?

This unit may be assessed concurrently with other relevant units.

This unit covers the intermediate skill level of SCADA. MSACMT261A Use SCADA systems in manufacturing, and MSACMT660A Develop the application of enterprise systems in manufacturing cover the lower and higher skill levels in CM respectively.

MSACMT261A Use SCADA systems in manufacturing is specified as a prerequisite, and should be applied to the person's own job.

What method of assessment should apply?

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the elements, performance criteria, skills and knowledge. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors should gather sufficient, fair, valid, reliable, authentic and current evidence from a range of sources. Sources of evidence may include direct observation, reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues, project work, samples, organisation records and questioning. Assessment should not require language, literacy or numeracy skills beyond those required for the unit.

The assessee will have access to all techniques, procedures, information, resources and aids which would normally be available in the workplace.

The method of assessment should be discussed and agreed with the assessee prior to the commencement of the assessment.

What evidence is required for demonstration of consistent performance?

Evidence of routine use over an extended period should be available. SCADA systems will typically log all interactions with it. Interrogation of the SCADA system will therefore provide evidence of the operator's use of it. Actions taken may also be accessible from the SCADA system itself, or may need other evidence available from the process.

What are the specific resource requirements for this unit?

Access to an organisation using SCADA.

Required skills:

keyboarding/mousing

communication

teamwork

problem solving.

planning and organising

Required knowledge:

hierarchy of SCADA system and operation

information available from and controls exercised by/through the SCADA system

facilities and information offered by SCADA

support/training/skill development mechanisms available for access by team member.

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.

SCADA

System Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) is a general term applied to a number of systems which automatically collect critical process data, perform required mathematical manipulations on it and then make control decisions and/or give required information personnel for action.

In the continuous manufacturing sector, the SCADA system is sometimes integrated into other sophisticated computer control systems such as Distributed Control System (DCS) and indeed these systems do merge in advanced systems. These organisations may simply refer to their SCADA as the DCS or other similar term (such as the proprietary name of the computer system).

Value chain

Competitive manufacturing organisations encompass the entire production system, beginning with the customer, and includes the product sales outlet, the final assembler, product design, raw material mining and processing and all tiers of the value chain (sometimes called the supply chain). Any truly 'competitive' system is highly dependent on the demands of its customers and the reliability of its suppliers. No implementation of competitive manufacturing can reach its full potential without including the entire 'enterprise' in its planning.