Case Studies

LabTech Training's solutions for upskilling in laboratory operations industries have a practical application in settings ranging from oil and gas production to high school education.

Here is a short selection of how we have helped individuals and organisations to take advantage of federal government support for training and upskilling.

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Case Study
Lab training sets Gita on new learning path

Growing up as a member of the persecuted Baha'i faith in Iran, Gita Ghorbanian, 34, was denied her ambition of studying chemistry at university.

It was only recently that the mother of two saw the chance to revisit her dream.

"When I had children I decided to move from my work in community services to a career with steadier long-term prospects," says Mrs Ghorbanian.

"I also needed a job that offered family-friendly hours."

With her goal of studying chemistry in mind, Mrs Ghorbanian contacted LabTech Training (LTT), WA's largest provider of laboratory operations workplace training.

Within three days of enrolling in a Certificate III in Laboratory Skills, she was researching opportunities to work in school laboratories. After a week of searching, Morley Senior High School offered her a role as a Laboratory Technical Assistant.

"The school environment is perfect as I can balance my child care needs with my love of learning," explains Mrs Ghorbanian. 

"While working, I'd love to progress to Certificate IV or even a Diploma of Laboratory Skills."

Linda Engledow of LTT says "Gita's experience is just one example of the career options that open up with our nationally recognised Laboratory Skills Training."

"Roles in the resources, food technology and construction fields are all possibilities for people with these qualifications."

LTT's courses commence monthly and are free of charge to eligible applicants under the Federal Government's Productivity Places Program. Students should contact LTT on 1300 588 588 to discuss their eligibility. For more information visit www.ltt.com.au.

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Case Study
From Linguistics to Labs for Lisa

When Lisa Martley, 42, returned to Perth after several years of living and working in Japan, she decided the time was ripe for a change of career.  Moving away from a background in linguistics and employment in the export field, Martley began to pursue her long held dream of entering the oil and gas industry.

"When I moved back to Western Australia, it seemed like the perfect time to start a completely new career," explains Martley.  "I set my sights on gaining employment in the resource industry due to its importance in WA and started researching how to get started."

Her first move was to enrol in a Certificate II in Process  Plant Operations.  The course included work experience in production on an offshore oil rig, where Martley had the opportunity to spend time with the rig's Laboratory Chemist.  The opportunity to experience sampling and analysis techniques sparked a deeper interest in chemistry.

"I realised that solid laboratory skills could really round out my career prospects in the process operator field and set me ahead of other job applicants," she said.

"A good understanding of chemistry is fundamental to process operations and, apart from that, I really found the lab work interesting."

After finishing her work placement on the oil rig, Martley stepped back onto dry land and into a Certificate III in Laboratory Skills with LabTech Training (LTT), WA's largest laboratory operations workplace trainer.

Combining technical training with worksite placements, LTT's Certificate III in Laboratory Skills prepares students for roles in laboratories in sectors including oil and gas, mining, pathology and manufacturing.

"Our courses suit people like Lisa who are retraining for a new career, as well as new school leavers and experienced laboratory technicians who lack formal qualifications," says John Cattermoul of LTT.

"Despite recent economic news, there is still a strong demand for qualified laboratory workers and  employers have already been in contact with us asking for our Certificate III graduates to fill existing roles."

"The nationally recognised qualification means that graduates will be able to pursue jobs in WA and beyond."

LTT's students receive employability training and are supported to find work placements as part of the course, which Martley sees as a strong benefit.

"As part of my Certificate III in Laboratory Skills, I am currently doing two days a week of work experience with CSBP Kwinana's Analytical Laboratory."

"The opportunity to experience working in a real world analytical laboratory is giving me valuable experience that will really help when I apply for process operator traineeships at the end of my studies."

"I recommend LTT's training to anyone with an interest in science who is looking to pursue a new career. It really helped open up new possibilities for me."

LTT's laboratory skills courses commence monthly and are offered free of charge to eligible applicants under the Federal Government's Productivity Places Program. Students should contact LTT on 1300 588 588 to discuss their eligibility and course start dates.

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LTT is currently contracted by the Western Australian Department of Education and Training (DET) to deliver Traineeships in all available Laboratory Operations Training Package (PML04) qualifications.

With reference to this Request, the following Case Study provides an example of similar services provided by LTT staff to another client.

Case Study
Client: Western Geotechnics Group (WgeoG)
2004 - ongoing

Established in 1987, WgeoG is the largest independent private laboratory enterprise in WA providing services to local, national and international civil engineering contractors, engineering consultants, the resources industry and Government agencies. WgeoG has permanent Construction Materials Testing (CMT) laboratory services in Perth and the ability to support remote and offshore projects, including the South West Rail Corridor, Veranus Island and the Pilbara rail duplication.

LTT's three directors have been working with WgeoG since the inception of the current CMT training program in 2004. This ongoing program has developed through the following phases:

In 2004, with skills shortages looming throughout the WA economy, the management team at WgeoG decided, in their wisdom, to address the need to attract and retain quality staff to the CMT industry.

WgeoG contacted the Process Manufacturing Industry Training Council (PMITC), the advisory body for this industry sector, and a series of meeting ensued culminating in a plan to develop an employment-based training program for all eligible staff with the initial focus on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for senior laboratory managers.

Linda Engledow, Simon Gazia and John Cattermoul comprised the team. The team worked closely with senior managers at WgeoG to structure a training program that met the needs of the client. The main focus of the program was to provide laboratory staff with the opportunity to gain one or more of the following nationally recognised qualifications from the Laboratory Operations Training Package PML04:

• PML20104 Certificate II in Sampling and Measurement
• PML30104 Certificate III in Laboratory Skills
• PML40104 Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques
• PML50104 Diploma of Laboratory Technology
• PML60104 Advanced Diploma of Laboratory Operations

Though the initial discussions were based around the provision of RPL, the model was expanded to ensure that all laboratory staff had access to qualifications by one of the following pathways:

• RPL, an assessment-only pathway
• Employment-Based Training (EBT) delivery and assessment through a government-funded Traineeship, or
• A combination of both RPL and EBT

Linda, Simon and John (the RTO team) used their detailed knowledge of the PML04 Training Package, including content, packaging rules and flexibility, to structure suitable combinations of Units of Competency (UoCs) for each employee and each qualification. Course structures were documented to identify pathways to qualifications. The team developed and produced a bank of evidence record templates for each UoC in each qualification. The templates provided a framework for a range of evidence-gathering techniques and a means of tracking the assessment process to its conclusion. The resource is Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) compliant and has been used by the team throughout the project to record the progress of each employee.

Every effort was made to avoid duplication of existing WgeoG in-house training. Indeed, wherever possible the competencies (skills and knowledge) gained by employees who had successfully completed such programs were mapped against the relevant PML04 UoCs. Other evidence used in the mapping exercise included staff resumes, training records, certificates, job descriptions and industry accreditation records.

The team also scheduled and conducted individual interviews with all staff at the main laboratory in Welshpool, in other metropolitan Perth sites or in the more easily accessible project laboratory sites, e.g. Pinjarra. Staff who worked in more remote areas were interviewed when they were rostered to visit the Welshpool site. These evidence-gathering interviews enabled the team to build up a competency profile and provide WgeoG management with a recommended training pathway for each employee to the most appropriate PML04 qualification.

The competencies of senior laboratory managers were assessed using techniques such as workplace documentation, observation of skills, oral or written questioning, third party reports as well as the evidence collated through the interview process. This provided an AQTF-compliant basis for assessment by RPL and resulted in seven employees being awarded the Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques PML40104 and four being awarded the Advanced Diploma in Laboratory Operations PML60104.

The team liaised with the nominated Australian Apprenticeship Centre (AAC), the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Support Network (ATSN) and the DET to implement, manage and maintain the WgeoG Traineeship program with the focus on eligible existing and new employees. The team also sourced funding opportunities to support the resource development components of the program not covered by the existing Traineeship arrangements.

The model adopted to deliver Traineeships to new and existing WgeoG workers has the following features:

• Because EBT is used for each training pathway, all the training takes place in the workplace
• Trainees are provided with an AQTF-compliant learning guide for each UoC
• Competency (skills and knowledge) development of Trainees is a responsibility shared by the RTO and senior WgeoG staff
• All competency evidence is processed in accordance with the AQTF and recorded in the employee's individual evidence record manual
• Assessment is conducted by the appropriately qualified RTO staff
• Management is regularly briefed on the progress of their employees
• Trainees who successfully complete the program are awarded the relevant PML04 qualification

The success of the Western Geotechnics program is highlighted by:

• a high retention rate across all qualifications;
• the continuation of training for all staff receiving Certificates II, III & IV today;
• commencement of about ten new Trainees this year.

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