This unit covers the functions required for a wool classer to establish shearers' work routines and manage shed staff and clip types.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Define work roles for shed staff

1.1. Roles and responsibilities of shed staff are clearly defined.

1.2. Skills of shed staff are accurately identified and matched with available tasks and duties.

1.3. Requirements of job duties and Code of Practice are clearly identified and communicated to shed staff.

1.4. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policy and procedures are effectively communicated and implemented.

2. Induct shed staff

2.1. OHS hazards are identified, risks assessed and suitable controls are implemented.

2.2. The details of shearing, including flock and mob details, are communicated to staff

2.3. New staff are briefed on relevant awards, enterprise agreements, pay rates and related administration.

2.4. New staff are advised of terms and conditions and signed on.

2.5. New staff are familiarised with the workplace and colleagues.

2.6. Enterprise environmental policy and procedures are effectively communicated and implemented.

3. Perform shed hand duties

3.1. Board persons' duties are performed including picking up and throwing fleece, sweeping board and preparing non fleece wools.

3.2. Wool handlers' duties are performed including skirting and rolling a fleece, preparing non fleece wools and keeping wool area clean.

3.3. Pen up duties are performed including keeping mobs separate and monitoring and filling catching pens.

3.4. Wool pressers' activities are performed including keeping wool press area clean, pressing, branding, weighing and recording bale details in the wool book.

4. Support on-the-job training

4.1. Individuals are encouraged to self-evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement.

4.2. Training needs are determined through appraisal of staff and the monitoring of work performance.

4.3. Practical skills are analysed and then explained and/or demonstrated as required.

4.4. Workplace learning opportunities are provided, with coaching and mentoring to support learning.

4.5. Staff responsibilities are adjusted to allow for practice and skills development where required.

5. Performance manage shed staff

5.1. Performance standards for clip preparation are established and communicated to individuals and the team.

5.2. Skirting requirements are explained, accurate and efficient technique demonstrated and skirtings ratio is monitored.

5.3. Requirements for separating specific parts of the fleece are clearly described to wool handlers and justified by Code of Practice or processor requirements.

5.4. Motivation strategies are used for shed staff to maintain a consistent focus on clip preparation standards and timing of operations.

6. Maintain effective working relations with the team

6.1. Problems are recognised and addressed through discussion with work group.

6.2. Assistance is sought from work group members when difficulties arise in achieving allocated tasks.

6.3. Discussion and information sharing is routinely used to communicate requirements of work activities through a participative approach.

6.4. Disagreements and conflicts are managed constructively using appropriate conflict management strategies.

7. Provide feedback to shed staff

7.1. Feedback is clear, constructive and provided promptly to individuals to maintain high quality clip preparation.

7.2. Confirmatory feedback is provided to emphasise good performance and technique and its importance for clip quality.

7.3. Corrective feedback is provided in a constructive way, including an explanation of the effects of poor performance or incorrect technique and strategies for improvement.

7.4. Under performance is addressed both on an individual and team basis.

7.5. Clip data is used to share feedback on clips prepared with team members.

Required skills

supervise and instruct staff to achieve work activities

delegate and allocate tasks

identify and provide training requirements

plan and monitor ongoing training needs

demonstrate effective time management

demonstrate safe workplace and environmentally responsible practices

solve problems (staffing, resources)

motivate and performance manage staff

pen up sheep

monitor penned sheep

identify contaminants

pick up fleeces

handle non fleece wools

skirt fleeces

operate the wool press

weigh, brand and stack bales safely

record bale details

use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views

use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data

use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge

shearing industry Awards and personnel processes

principles of team work, negotiation and time management

instruction and coaching techniques

conflict management

communication for feedback and motivation

enterprise training requirements and processes.

relevant State/Territory legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice with regard to workplace OHS, environmental protection, and the use and control of hazardous substances and machinery and equipment

hazard identification, assessment and control

maintaining records

sheep behaviour

animal welfare

board duties

contamination

parts of the fleece

non fleece wools

wool press operating procedures

bale requirements.

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

allocate and communicate staff roles and responsibilities

provide information on industrial arrangements to staff

perform shed staff duties including pen up, board person, wool handler

explain clip preparation requirements to shed staff

provide training to overcome capability shortfalls in individuals and the team

implement strategies to foster teamwork and trust and deal with conflict

monitor team and individual work performance and provide confirmatory or corrective feedback

implement environmental policies in the shearing workplace.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Clip types may include:

merino

crossbred

other breeds.

Unit sector

Wool

This unit contains employability skills.