This project will review two pathology VET qualifications not updated since 2015, HLT37215 Certificate III in Pathology Collection and HLT37415 Certificate III in Pathology Assistance.

The project will seek to address common skills gaps identified in the two qualifications including employability and digital literacy skills in consultation with key stakeholders.

 

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June - July 2024

There are two pathology VET qualifications:

  •  HLT37215 Certificate III in Pathology Collection links to the job role of Pathology Collector (ANZSCO ID 311216).

  •  HLT37415 Certificate III in Pathology Assistance reflects the role of specimen reception staff in a pathology laboratory.  

The qualifications have not been reviewed since 2015. Initial feedback from stakeholders has indicated a need to explore opportunities to address common skills gaps identified specifically for pathology and reiterated as cross-sectorial across Health and Social Assistance industries. 

Skills gaps to be addressed include:

  • regional healthcare settings and point of care testing 

  • support for specialist environments

  • development for a range of patient handling

  • digital literacy skills

  • pre-requisite skills

  • professional responsibilities and soft skills

The project outcomes will better align qualifications to current industry needs and regulatory requirements and will create clear and sustainable career pathways to support existing and future growth in the industry. 

A project Technical Committee (TC) is currently being established to provide expert advice for this project. Technical Committee members are selected based on their individual expertise relevant to the diverse aspects of the project.

Project fact sheet

August 2024

Numerous information gathering activities will be undertaken to prepare drafts of units of competency, qualifications and skill sets for the national stakeholder consultations. These include:

  • a Technical Committee meeting to source stakeholder names to consult on qualifications content, for insight on communication and consultation strategies, and to provide technical knowledge into the skills required to meet the desired vocational outcome of the qualifications.
  • 16 one-on-one employer interviews will be undertaken to determine the skills required in their organisations, the career pathways for workers and the focused changes in their sector in the foreseeable future. These will include employers from small, medium and large employers.
  • A virtual functional analysis workshop will bring together industry stakeholders from all Australian jurisdictions to determine what are the skill commonalities and differences. This information will assist in the determination of the core and elective components of the draft qualifications.
  • Desktop research will be used to gather publicly available information into industry standards, working conditions and employer’s recruitment key selection criteria. 
 
 
November 2024

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February 2025

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June 2025

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Consultation

The project will undertake a total of 8 in-person and 2 virtual workshops across all states and territories.

Details of consultation dates and activities will be published as the project progresses. 

How to get involved

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Project updates

Contact details

Evan Cooper – Training Product Project Manager

[email protected]

Alyssa Warland – Project Coordinator

[email protected]

Annual Training Product Development Plan

Download Annual Training Product Development Plan

Project timeline

  • Project Overview

  • Development

    Functional analysis undertaken via 16 employer interviews and a virtual functional analysis workshop.

    Development of draft qualifications, skill sets and units of competency.

  • Consultation

    Delivery of 8 face-to-face and 2 virtual workshops.

    Workshops will be held in all states and territories.

  • Finalisation and Submission

    Final draft materials will be submitted to Skills Senior Responsible Officers and any feedback will be addressed prior to submission to the Skills Ministers for endorsement.

  • Endorsement and Implementation

    Endorsed qualifications, skill sets and units of competency will be uploaded onto the VET National Training Register. The Companion Volume will be updated to reflect changes to the Training Package, identified pathways information and mapping information.

    Delivery of 3 virtual professional development workshops to highlight the features of the new qualifications, skill sets and units of competency.