36 / 116
3 6
PLUMBING CONNECTION
SPRING 2016
EASY AS CPD
A
s of 1 July the landscape for
plumbing licensing in Tasmania
has undergone a major overhaul
and it is a change that is likely to be
followed by other states.
The Tasmanian Department of
Justice introduced Continuing
Professional Development (CPD). This
means plumbers will have to undertake
professional development activities as
a condition of their licence.
Professional development
activities can come in the form of
courses, presentations, reading trade
magazines or doing online study.
Tasmanian Department of Justice
principal policy manager Beth Warren
explained the department audits
practitioners and monitors complaints.
This gave them an indication that CPD
was needed to reduce problems in the
industry.
“Three areas where there were a
significant number of complaints were
with a high rate of non-compliance,
defects and issues with incorrect
installation of tempering valves,
overflow relief gullies and incorrect fall
or cover on drainage pipes,” she said.
“After seeing these recurring areas
of non-compliance and defects and
gaining insightful feedback from
industry bodies such as Master
Plumbers, the problems were
significant enough to indicate we
needed to do something to maintain
the professionalism and the reputation
of the industry.”
Every year standards change,
new technologies emerge and new
products are released. The department
is hoping CPD will keep plumbers
up-to-date with these changes
and provide consumers with the
highest standard of service as well as
plumbers maintaining their own safety
while preserving the reputation of the
industry.
As technology is continually
becoming more environmentally
friendly the hope is there will be
environmental benefits as plumbers
are kept up-to-date with the latest
technology and products.
If the department identifies an area
of significant failure within the industry
the administrator of occupational
licensing can identify particular CPD
activities practitioners are required to
undertake. Practitioners can otherwise
choose which CPD activities they would
like to earn the required 12 CPD points
each year.
One CPD point is roughly equivalent
to an hour of professional development
so that equates to an hour a month.
Part of the licence renewal process
will now involve plumbers advising the
department on how much CPD they
have undertaken and the administrator
may audit plumbers to ensure they
have completed the CPD requirements.
Failure to complete the CPD
requirements can result in a licence
being cancelled, suspended, restricted
or have conditions placed on it.
MANY PLUMBERS VOLUNTARILY UNDERTAKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES; NOW THE TASMANIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS MADE SUCH ACTIVITIES MANDATORY.
JOE YOUNG
REPORTS.
CPD