Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the overseeing and instructing of shed staff and defines the standard required to: assess levels of staff competency against job requirements; designate and communicate staff roles and responsibilities; provide training to undertake work activities and to develop competence in staff; implement strategies to foster teamwork; negotiate with staff and deal with conflict; implement environmental policies in the shearing workplace where appropriate; monitor team and individual work performance and provide feedback to staff.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies owner classer or wool classer to oversee and instruct shed staff in preparing their clip.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Define work shed roles

1.1. Roles and responsibilities of shed staff are clearly defined.

1.2. Skills of shed staff are accurately identified and matched with available tasks and duties.

1.3. Requirements of job duties and the industry code of practice are clearly identified and communicated to shed staff.

1.4. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policy and procedures are effectively communicated and implemented.

2. Induct shed staff

2.1. OHS hazards are identified, risks assessed and suitable controls are implemented.

2.2. The details of shearing, including flock and mob details, are communicated to staff.

2.3. New staff are briefed on relevant awards, enterprise agreements, pay rates and related administration.

2.4. New staff are advised of terms and conditions and signed on.

2.5. New staff are familiarised with the workplace and colleagues.

3. Support on-the-job training

3.1. Training needs are determined through skills analysis and monitoring work performance.

3.2. Practical skills are explained and demonstrated where required Training is provided based on clear explanations and practical demonstration of skills

3.3. Performance required is clearly indicated to the learner.

3.4. Training is delivered in line with operational requirements.

4. Monitor work performance of shed staff

4.1. Board staff are allocated responsibilities and their performance is monitored.

4.2. Skirting procedures are explained and skirtings are monitored for compliance to instructions.

4.3. Requirements for separating specific parts of the fleece are clearly described to wool handlers and justified by Code of Practice or processor requirements.

4.4. Condition of wool room is monitored to minimise contamination of all wool lines.

4.5. All bending and lifting that is required is done according to safe working practices and using the available safety equipment.

5. Provide follow-up and support to shed staff

5.1. Staff responsibilities are adjusted to allow for practice and skills development where required.

5.2. Coaching is provided to assist learning.

5.3. Discussion and information sharing is routinely used to communicate requirements of work activities through a participative approach.

5.4. Feedback is clear, constructive and provided promptly to individuals to maintain high quality clip preparation.

5.5. Disagreements and conflicts are managed constructively using appropriate conflict management strategies.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• supervise and instruct staff to achieve work activities
• delegate and allocate tasks
• identify and provide training requirements
• plan and monitor ongoing training needs
• demonstrate effective time management
• demonstrate safe workplace and environmentally responsible practices
• solve problems (staffing, resources)
• pen sheep
• perform board person duties
• pick up fleeces
• handle non fleece wool
• skirt and roll fleeces
• operate the wool press
• weigh, brand and stack bales safely
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• industry awards and conditions
• duty statements for each category of wool harvesting staff
• shearing industry Awards and personnel processes
• principles of team work, negotiation and time management
• conflict management techniques
• enterprise training requirements and processes
• relevant State/Territory legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice
• the use and control of hazardous substances and machinery and equipment
• hazard identification, assessment and control
• sheep behaviour
• animal welfare
• board duties
• contamination
• parts of the fleece
• non fleece wool
• wool press operating procedures
• pressing requirements.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• assess levels of staff competency against job requirements
• designate and communicate staff roles and responsibilities
• provide training to undertake work activities and to develop competence in staff
• implement strategies to foster teamwork
• negotiate with staff and deal with conflict
• implement environmental policies in the shearing workplace where appropriate
• monitor team and individual work performance and provide feedback to staff.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Staff may include:

• full time
• part time
• casual staff
• contractors.

Scale of operation may include:

• one stand to greater than 10 stands.

Flocks may include:

• all flocks run on the property.

Unit sector 

Shearing

Co-requisite units 

Competency field