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Overview
The scheme is designed to keep the knowledge and skills up-to-date of individuals who hold a practising certificate to exercise specific statutory functions.
The maintenance of competence scheme applies as a condition on practising certificates issued by the Resources Regulator. If you hold a practising certificate you will be required to satisfy the condition to complete a required total amount of recognised learning in areas of competence over the five year period of your certificate.
Changes were made to the maintenance of competence scheme from 1 October 2025. Please ensure you review the new practicing certificates guide to ensure you are up to date.
The requirements for the maintenance of competence can be summarised as including:
- undertaking a specified number of hours of learning in competence areas over the five years, according to the type of practising certificate
- recording learning activities and renewing their practising certificate with the Resources Regulator every five years.
The Resources Regulator will monitor and audit compliance by individuals with the scheme.
The maintenance of competence scheme applies to all practising certificates issued by the Resources Regulator:
Maintenance of Current Competencies Things YOU NEED TO KNOW
| Underground coal mines | Total Hours |
|---|---|
| Mining engineering manager Electrical engineering manager Mechanical engineering manager Undermanager Deputy Ventilation officer Ventilation auditor Dust explosion control measures auditor |
120 120 120 90 60 90 90 90 |
| Coal mines other than underground mines | |
|---|---|
| Mining engineering manager Open cut examiner Electrical engineer Mechanical engineer |
120 60 90 90 |
| Underground mines other than coal mines | |
|---|---|
| Mining engineering manager Underground mine supervisor Electrical engineer |
120 60 90 |
| Mines other than underground mines or coal mines | |
|---|---|
| Quarry manager Electrical engineer |
90 90 |
Area of Competence
There are five areas of competence that you must complete a specified number of hours of learning in each category.
| 1 Mining & WHS Systems | 2 Legislation 3 Emergency managements 4 Leadership & management |
5 General WHS topics |
|---|---|---|
Minimum one-third total learning hours. Learning must cover four areas in the five years
|
Minimum one-third total learning hours. Learning must cover all three areas
|
Maximum one-third total learning hours
|
It is compulsory that you:
- Complete topics relevant to the statutory functions you are practising in e.g. electrical engineering
- Complete learning in all four subjects for the ‘Mining and WHS Systems’ area of competence during the five year period.
- Complete a minimum of 8 hours of learning (one day course) on the mining disasters topic for the ‘General WHS’ area of competence during the five year period.
Learning Types
- Formal learning: organised and structured learning with specific learning objectives. For example, seminars, training courses and studying for WHS mining related courses.
- Non-formal learning: semi organised and structured learning of a more adhoc basis, usually without specific learning objectives. For example, reading, field trips and emergency exercises.
- Informal learning: learning as a by-product of experience in participating or carrying out an activity. For example, participating in high level risk assessments (not everyday types), and participating in reviewing principal hazard management plans.
When you undertake your learning hours you cannot:
- Complete more than one third of total learning hours in any one year
- Have a break from learning for three or more years out of the five year renewal period
- Carry-over excess learning hours above the total number required between renewal periods.
How Forsythes Training CAN HELP YOU
Forsythes Training Formal Learning per Area of Competence
There are five areas of competence that you must complete a specified number of hours of learning in each category.
| 1 Mining & WHS Systems | 2 Legislation 3 Emergency managements 4 Leadership & management |
5 General WHS topics |
|---|---|---|
|
Safety Management System
|
Legislation
Emergency Management
Leadership & Management
|
|
Example of Maintenance of competence logbook – Underground Engineering Manager
