NSPI gets Certificate IV

The National Swimming Pool Institute (NSPI Australia) has become the first Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to gain the new CPC40808 Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Building for its scope.

This Certificate IV course was developed by the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) as part of the new CPC08 Construction Training Package. Grant Rangi, Operations Manager of NSPI Australia says that the new Certificate IV is the next step to providing a full suite of training to all levels and areas of the pool and spa industry.

“NSPI is excited by the prospect of providing this training and assessment to the industry,” he says. “We’re looking forward to enrolling new students into the course as well as working with the state bodies to move forward with the continuing professionalisation of the pool and spa industry.”

NSPI Australia is still the only RTO licensed to deliver the two Certificate IIIs that were tailor-made by SPASA Qld to deliver training to the pool and spa industry: 30663QLD Certificate III in Swimming Pool and Spa Water Maintenance Technology and 30556QLD Certificate III in Swimming Pool and Spa Construction, Installation and Maintenance. Graduates of the three pathways through 30556QLD Certificate III already been licensed by the Queensland Building Services Authority.

The issue of using licensed contractors has arisen again recently, with many regulators running public awareness campaigns asking the public to ensure they use only licensed trade contractors. They are also running concurrent information programs for builders, trade contractors and subcontractors regarding licensing and business issues. According to the NSPI, all contractors should take close note of these awareness campaigns when they come to their region, because once the programs are completed the regulators will begin a round of compliance inspections, and anyone caught working unlicensed will be penalised.

“The industry must come to terms with licensing,” says Rangi, who has seen the building and construction industry go through the same experience some 15 years ago. “Once a regulator brings licences for an industry into being, they’re not going to take them back; licensing for the pool and spa industry is here to stay.”

According to Rangi, many very experienced and highly skilled people are still working unlicensed, thinking that licensing doesn’t apply to them. But he warns that they are getting caught, saying that – for example – many water maintenance technicians don’t realise that in many states you now require a licence from the state regulator if you are maintaining or installing any of the equipment (pumps, filters, automatic feeders, heaters etc) on a pool.

NSPI strongly recommends that all industry practitioners contact their licensing bodies to check if they are required to have a license to operate legally in their state.