The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has intervened to close down a number of sub-standard training courses.
ARC CEO, Glenn Evans, said sub-standard courses have no place in the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) industry or as part of the ARCTick licence scheme.
Two courses being delivered in Victoria by an interstate training body were shut down due to non-licensed handling and storage of refrigerant - clear breaches of the Ozone regulations - as well as training quality issues.
In addition, a Certificate III RAC course being delivered in Western Australia is under investigation by the training regulator ASQA after ARC submitted a complaint over the legitimacy of the advertised duration to complete the qualification. ASQA has since confirmed to ARC they are “now implementing appropriate regulatory action against the provider as a result of ARC’s complaint”.
“ARC has shown that by partnering with the Australian Skills Quality Authority and acting on complaints raised to us by our members we can rid the industry of dodgy training courses,” Evans said.
“Appropriate qualifications are the cornerstone of the ARCTick licence scheme and, on behalf of our 80,000 licensed members, ARC will keep up the pressure on training bodies to deliver quality courses for our quality industry."
The announcement was welcomed by the Australian Refrigeration Mechanics Association (ARMA) which has been calling for more action against dodgy training courses for several years.
ARMA president, Kim Limburg, said the organisation is currently preparing a petition for the ARC calling for two week split system air conditioner installation courses to be abolished.
"Refrigeration mechanics currently carry out a four year apprenticeship in their trade which entitles them to work in all facets of the industry. We complete these apprenticeships in goodwill expecting that the ARC will protect our trade," Limburg said.
"We as a trade are sick and tired of people that have completed a two week split system installation course coming in and undercutting by carrying out inferior workmanship that is not up to the trade standard.
"The courses that are being run are an insult to the many thousands of people that have spent the time to be properly trained in their respective trades."
The ARC said concerns about the quality of training in the RAC sector should be directed to its technical and training manager, Noel Munkman.
Emails should be sent to nmunkman@arctick.org