The Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) provides courses in pest management that are suited to today’s challenges and demands.
With the advent of new equipment, pesticides and client expectations, the pest management industry is in a continuous state of change. Much of this change is driven by consumers wanting no pests and no pesticides – in many cases an unrealistic expectation.
The industry has had to react and is now geared at supplying an integrated approach. A technician is required to evaluate each job and come up with a targeted approach. Technicians are also expected to have a working knowledge of pest biology and ecology, the characteristics of various chemical and non-chemical treatments they have used, and are expected to be able to communicate all of this to their clients.
In response to this, last year saw the pest management training package updated to take into account the changes in technology and industry, legislation and education delivery. Some of these changes to the training include more specific requirements on the range of pests covered and types of premises used during assessments, with a greater focus on complex and high-risk operations (such as food manufactures, child care centres and hospitals).
From April 1 2016, OTEN will roll out all of its updated pest management courses reflecting the changes detailed in the new training package, administered by the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC). These include courses in:
- Basic licensing (Statement of Attainment: Manage non- timber pests skill set)
- Timber pest inspections (Statement of Attainment: Pest Inspection – Timber)
- Certificate III in Pest Management and Fumigation.
In addition to these changes in the training package, most people will also be aware of the changes to pest management licensing in NSW, which is now being undertaken by the EPA. Currently, requirements to obtain a pest management licence remain with same three units 5, 6 and 18. However, future requirements remain unclear and the possibilities exist that 8 and 10 or even Certificate III will become the new required qualification.
OTEN will be able to assist holders of existing licences to update their qualifications so that they comply with any of these new training and legislative requirements. It is a very simple process. OTEN provides any gap training necessary to ensure that knowledge or competency shortfalls are fulfilled without the need to go over already learned material. This enables OTEN to issue the new qualification at both a very reasonable cost and within a short time frame.
OTEN structures all training so that it is flexible, enabling students to complete their training when it suits them, with little or no disruption to the workplace, which is great for students and their employers.
