Introduction
The Resources and Infrastructure Industry (RII) Training Package is one of the most heavily regulated areas in vocational education. When your RTO delivers high-level civil construction qualifications—especially the Diploma and Advanced Diploma streams—your trainer and assessor requirements go far beyond the standard TAE requirements under the Standards for RTOs 2015.
Yet many RTOs still treat RII units like any other training product.
This is where the disaster begins.
Several RII units, including:
- RIICWD601E – Manage civil works design processes
- RIIQUA601E – Establish and maintain a quality system
- BSBWHS616 – Apply safe design principles to control WHS risks
have explicit additional trainer and assessor requirements built into the National Training Register that must be met at all times. These requirements relate to:
✔ vocational competency
✔ current industry skills
✔ and most importantly: minimum years of current work experience aligned to the AQF level of the unit.
If your assessors do not meet these requirements, your RTO is immediately at risk of major non-compliance, credential recall, sanctions, and even cancellation.
This blog explains the exact requirements and what every RTO must do now.
1. The National Training Register Requires Minimum Industry Experience
Unlike many other units where any qualified assessor can assess competence, the RII Training Package introduces a stricter rule:
Assessors and/or Industry Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) must demonstrate minimum years of current industry work experience after achieving competency.
The required experience aligns with the AQF indicator level and industry sector.
Required Industry Experience (from the National Training Register)
| Industry Sector | AQF Indicator | Required SME/Assessor Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Drilling, Metalliferous Mining, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying), Civil Infrastructure | 1 | 1 year |
| Same Sectors | 2 | 2 years |
| Drilling, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying), Metalliferous Mining, Civil Infrastructure | 3–6 | 3 years |
| Other Sectors | N/A | In line with industry standards or regulation |
This means:
For Diploma and Advanced Diploma civil construction units (AQF 5–6)
Assessors must have minimum 3 years of current industry experience.
And “current” does not mean 10 years ago. It means:
- Work performed after achieving competence,
- Within the most recent industry cycle,
- Directly linked to the tasks of the unit being assessed.
Many RTOs do not meet this requirement — and most do not even realise it exists.
2. Industry Experts CAN Assist—but Only Under Strict Conditions
The RII Training Package does allow an RTO to pair a qualified assessor with an industry expert. This model is acceptable only when done properly:
✔ The assessor must hold TAE40122 or equivalent
✔ The industry expert must hold the required minimum years of experience
✔ Both must work together in the assessment process
✔ The industry expert must contribute to assessment judgement
This is not optional.
This is not a workaround.
This is a requirement.
If your assessor does not have the 3 years of AQF-aligned experience, your RTO must use an industry SME who does. If you fail to do so, your assessment becomes instantly invalid.
3. Why This Requirement Exists (And Why ASQA Treats It Seriously)
High-Risk Competencies in Civil Construction
Civil construction, design management, WHS design, and quality system units are high-risk competencies.
Learners who graduate from these qualifications will be responsible for:.
A trainer or assessor without the correct experience creates a pipeline of unsafe graduates —
and ASQA is fully aware of this risk.
This is why civil construction units require not just knowledge, but
recent, real-world, engineering-aligned experience.
4. What Happens If Your RTO Does NOT Meet These Requirements
Non-compliance in this area is classified as serious and systemic.
If your RTO is audited and ASQA finds:.
- Assessors without required industry experience
- Lack of industry SME involvement
- Incorrect assessment judgements
- Poor TAS and trainer matrix documentation
Then ASQA may:
- Require your RTO to recall qualifications and statements of attainment
- Force a re-assessment of all affected students
- Issue a non-compliance notice
- Impose conditions on your registration
- Freeze new enrolments
- Suspend delivery
- Cancel your RTO registration entirely
ASQA has cancelled multiple RTOs for this exact reason—incorrect assessor experience in high-risk industries.
Once certificates are recalled, the fallout is massive:
- Students lose their qualification
- Employers question your credibility
- Reputation damage increases
- Refund obligations increase
- Civil litigation risk rises
No RTO can afford this.
5. What Every RTO Delivering Civil Construction Units Must Do Now
Step 1 — Audit your trainer/assessor profiles
Check whether each assessor for Diploma/Adv Diploma civil construction units has:
- vocational qualification
- TAE qualification
- minimum 3 years relevant industry experience
- recent PD and currency evidence
Step 2 — Appoint industry SMEs where required
If your assessor does not meet the industry experience requirement:
- ✔ Engage a qualified and experienced civil construction SME
- ✔ Ensure joint involvement in assessment
- ✔ Document their contributions
Step 3 — Update your Trainer Matrix and TAS
Your TAS must explicitly reflect the:
- assessor role
- SME role
- industry experience
- assessment model
Step 4 — Document all industry currency
Keep:
- CVs
- reference letters
- licences (if any)
- project records
- PD logs
- industry currency logs
Step 5 — STOP delivery immediately if requirements are not met
Continuing to deliver non-compliant training is one of the top reasons ASQA cancels RTOs.
Final Message to RTO Owners, CEOs, and Compliance Managers
If your college is delivering Diploma or Advanced Diploma Civil Construction units, you must ensure your trainers and assessors meet the explicit vocational experience requirements listed on the National Training Register.
This is not optional.
This is not flexible.
This is not something ASQA overlooks.
Your entire qualification delivery can collapse if this requirement is ignored.
Now is the time to review your staff, update your matrices, and secure appropriately experienced SMEs before ASQA does a deep compliance check.
If you need support reviewing your RTO’s trainer and assessor requirements, I can help you develop:
- a compliant trainer matrix
- TAS updates
- SME engagement letters
- assessment partnership templates
- staff declarations and PD frameworks
Disclaimer:
The information presented on the VET Resources blog is for general guidance only. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee the completeness or timeliness of the information. VET Resources is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Always consult a professional for advice tailored to your circumstances.
