This unit of competency covers optimising the sustainability performance of a complete work area in a plant or part of the manufacturing value chain. It includes ensuring that production systems comply with sustainability and other environmental requirements and that optimal process, plant and equipment utilisation is planned and carried out. It also covers problem solving to fully meet sustainability needs and to ensure that production of finished goods meets customer requirements.

This unit applies inside organisations and their value chains and has been developed with manufacturing operations as a focus especially work areas that process materials or components to manufacture products. However, because of the range of organisations in a typical manufacturing value chain it may also be applied to other types of organisations.

The unit scope includes products made, services offered, and use of sites by an organisation or manufacturing value chain member (e.g. supplier of goods or services or a customer).

This unit describes the work conducted by senior operators, technicians, team leaders or frontline managers and other support staff who optimise process systems as part of their work function. The unit includes all items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the process of a complete area and assumes that the required production, technical, science or other operational skills and knowledge necessary to work in the process or work area have already been gained.

Environmental sensitivities referred to in this unit are at the issue level. The technical measurement of operational performance or measurement of emissions or other environmental impact is not covered by this unit.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability, for one or more process or plant area, to:

analyse and evaluate current production performance, and develop and implement plans to optimise process systems

determine sustainability impacts of current processes and products in work area

develop proposals for improvement to processes that are measurable and positively impact on sustainability.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job role sufficient to fulfil their job role independently, including:

principles and theory of the process, equipment and systems used in the work area

support functions needed for effective functioning of the process or work area, such as logistics, order processing, warehousing and storage, maintenance and administration

organisational standard procedures and work instructions

relevant regulatory requirements, including those related to sustainability and work health and safety (WHS) risk control, as appropriate to process/plant area optimisation

starting quantity and quality of materials

efficiency maximisation processes relevant to work area

throughput maximisation processes relevant to work area

energy efficiency concepts relevant to work area

potential ecological impacts of work area processes or products

use of utilities

labour utilisation concepts relevant to work area

minimisation of waste and rework

potential of improved workplace layout and workflow.

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria

multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

A third party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.

Assessment should use a real project where optimising the sustainability performance of a complete work area in a plant or part of the value chain occurs in an operational workplace.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with an organisation providing relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Not applicable

Sustainable operations