A VOC assessment verifies one’s competence in a particular task against the identified competency that the individual holds. As an example, if you held a car licence and your employer wanted to verify if you could drive a car safely and to a standard, the RTO would measure your skill against the national standard to drive a car.
In order to complete a VOC you MUST hold the competency against which you are being measured.
VOC or Verification of Competence assessments were initiated by industry to allow employers and contractors to ascertain if the person or persons being employed to complete specific tasks at their workplace were competent to complete the task required.
Many tasks require specific skill sets or recognisable qualifications that the employee would require enabling them to complete that task or tasks.
RMS Training conduct VOC Assessments for a variety of competencies. Our VOC assessments have a 4- point rating. This rating provides the employer with an honest reliable appraisal of the candidate.
For example, if an employee is being assessed to see if they are suitable to operate a track dozer, we will test them on the dozer. At the completion of the VOC we will give them a rating out of 4.
(1) is a fail, (2) is low experience, (3) is medium experience and (4) represents an advanced level of competence. Having a 4-point rating system allows the employer to decide if that employee is suitable for the job or task in question.
RMS is well regarded for the quality of their VOC assessment documents and the level of theory and practical evaluation that needs to be completed. This ensures the VOC was completed to the highest standard and the outcome is trustworthy and reliable.
RMS design dashboard assessments to suit a specific brand or model type of equipment or a specific task. An example of a dashboard assessment could be the development of the assessment to suit a Komatsu HM300 dash 7 articulated truck or a Caterpillar D10N track dozer or a Genie GS1932 scissor lift. RMS develop the dashboard assessments at the request of employers or customers.
All VOC assessments can be generic and or designed for a specific model or task if needed.
Employers and contractors have a legal responsibility to ensure all employees at their workplace are capable and competent to perform the tasks requested of them.
Many employers have in the past employed staff that claim to be competent or qualified to perform a specific task only to find out they are not competent or have never performed that task previously or do not hold the required qualification for that task or equipment type.
If an accident was to occur due to persons not being skilled or competent to perform the tasks, the employer and or contractors would be held accountable for not testing or challenging the skills of their workforce.
VOC assessments measure and test against the standard(s) that industry is currently using within the workplace;
As an example, if you hold a qualification for track dozer operation RIIMPO308E then the VOC assessment would measure you to that same standard.
If you hold an “in-house” assessment certificate from your previous employer that does not have any formal or national qualification standard, then the VOC assessment will not have a recognisable standard to measure against.
Whilst the in-house standard you currently have may be considered by some to be OK, the VOC assessment will not recognise an “in-house” standard and therefore you should complete training and assessment to a nationally recognised standard prior to completing the VOC assessment!
No, the VOC assessment will measure your competence against the existing qualification you hold. It will not upgrade your qualifications in the process, that is not the focus of a VOC assessment.
No, the VOC assessment is not a qualification. For the VOC assessment to work, you must already have the qualification. The VOC assessment is simply a tool for checking that you are competent to perform the tasks that you currently have and hold qualifications for.
The VOC assessment cannot take an existing qualification away from you and nor will it provide you with a new or revised qualification; it is simply a Verification of Competence to ensure you are competent to perform the tasks required of you!
The VOC assessments are generally non-specific. What that means is a VOC assessment for a wheel loader (as an example) is designed to look at wheel loader operation. The VOC assessment is not specifically looking at the brand name or model of the wheel loader!
That is a choice made by the employer and in that situation, the employer can request that you are tested or checked on a specific brand or type of machine or similar. RMS develop a series of VOC “dashboards” assessments that are brand specific.
The second part of the VOC is the practical component of the assessment where you will need to demonstrate competent operation of the machine or task. This may include demonstrating to the assessor how to compete a walk around of the machine or task and then demonstrating that you can safely start and operate that machine or safely do a task!
The entire process (start to finish) may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
No, the assessor will look for key indicators that will quickly prove whether you can operate that machine or do that task.
As an example, if you were being tested on dump truck operation, the assessor will not test every aspect of the dump truck as this could take several hours, the assessor will make sure you can start and operate the truck safely.
Equally, if you were being tested to see if you’re a competent welder, the assessor would not assess you on every aspect of welding. The assessor would check your knowledge and test you on one or two key aspects that would demonstrate your competence!
No, the VOC assessment (if done correctly) is in place to find out if you can do the task that you have claimed to be able to do, it is not there to train you.
Your employer would be notified. Recommendation would be made to your employer as to what is needed to get you to the required standard. It would then be up to your employer if they choose to have you trained so that you can be successful in completing the VOC assessment.
Possibly, generally your employer will receive a notification and or certificate that shows you passed the VOC.