Overview
Expand your civil construction and management skills with the Certificate IV in Civil Construction RII40720 at Victoria University Polytechnic.
This course equips current employees in the civil construction industry with leadership and management skills to provide effective leadership in the workplace.
You’ll be responsible for the quantity and quality of your own work, as well as those of others. You will also learn to provide technical solutions to non-routine problems.
Learning from industry professionals, you’ll develop specialist knowledge in:
- leadership
- risk management and worksite safety
- supervising civil works
- operational plan implementation.
These skills will set you up for success in the following specialisations:
- RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction – Supervision
- RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction – Operations
This course is ideal for those currently employed in the civil construction industry. You may be employed by local councils, private companies or work in government infrastructure.
Specialisations
Supervision specialisation
Within the supervision specialisation, areas of learning include:
- civil works supervision
- principles of earthworks construction
- preparing tender documentation and processes
- resource management
- supporting individual and team development
- effective communication
- developing work priorities.
Operations specialisation
Within the operations specialisation, areas of learning include:
- implementing and monitoring environmental policies
- principles of earthworks construction
- traffic management plans
- application of compliance systems
- operational work preparation
- contract administration
- developing work priorities.
Benefits
Hands-on training & industry links
You will have access to state-of-the-art simulators and machines at our Werribee Campus (Werribee East). As part of your course, you will undertake 150+ hours of operating machinery, including our eight-tonne wheeled front end loader, in a controlled environment. Learning with us means you’ll get the hands-on training to operate equipment safely and be job-ready when you graduate.
Industry partners are also co-located at Werribee East, allowing for closer industry contact during your training.
Learning advice
VU’s Learning Hubs are welcoming spaces where you can improve your study and employability skills.
Our students can attend Learning Hubs at one of five VU campuses.
We offer maths, writing, careers and English-language advice, and show you effective ways to study and manage your time.
Our programs include:
- workshops
- drop-in sessions
- peer mentoring
- maths and writing resources
- resume and career guidance.
We also have accessibility support services and counselling services available for all students.
Need some advice?
Request a call back from one of our experienced Victoria University Polytechnic course advisers to get your questions answered.
Request a call backTAFE resources
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Free TAFE
No tuition fees for eligible students. - Fee subsidies
Campus tour
Attend a trades campus tour and application support session to see where you'll be learning, and find out more about applying to study at VU Polytechnic.
Careers
Possible career opportunities emerging from the completion of RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction include:
- civil construction supervisor
- foreman
- supervisor
- leading hand.
Nationally recognised training
This course is nationally recognised training.
Course structure
The course structure comprises the following core and elective units. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback.
Course RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction has core and elective units of competency that cover the skills for the following two (2) specialisations:
- Supervision
- Operations
Specialisation 1 -Supervision
To be awarded the RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction (Supervision), a student must successfully complete a total of twelve (12) units of competency, comprising of;
*Five (5) core units
*Seven (7) elective units, of which:
- at least three (3) must be chosen from Group A
- at least two (2) must be chosen from Group B
- no more than two (2) units may be chosen from elsewhere within this training package, or from another endorsed training package, or from an accredited course.
Specialisation 2 - Operations
To be awarded the RII40720 Certificate IV in Civil Construction (Operations), a student must successfully complete a total of twelve (12) units of competency, comprising of;
*Five (5) core units
*Seven (7) elective units, of which:
- at least two (2) must be chosen from Group A
- at least three (3) must be chosen from Group B
- no more than two (2) units may be chosen from elsewhere within this training package, or from another endorsed training package, or from an accredited course.
All elective units selected from outside this qualification must reflect current occupational and learning outcomes of this AQF qualification level.
Course structure and units
VU Polytechnic delivers the electives listed in the ‘course structure and units’ below. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback. Alternative suitable electives are only available via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT).
Core units
Elective units
For Domestic students - Specialisation Supervision
Group A (General Supervision)
Group B (Operations)
Additional Units that may be offered
Group A (General Supervision)
Group B (Operations)
For Traineeship students - Specialisation Supervision
Group A (General Supervision)
Group B (Operations)
Additional Units that may be offered
Group A (General Supervision)
Group B (Operations)
For Domestic and Traineeship students - Specialisation Operations
Group A (General Supervision)
Group B (Operations)
Additional Units that may be offered
Group A (General Supervision)
Recognition of Prior Learning and/or Credit Transfers
Previous completion of units at the Polytechnic or any other Registered Training Organisation and/or previous attainment of skills and knowledge may be credited towards this course. Units must satisfy the completion rules of the qualification and be assessed as appropriate by the Polytechnic.
Learning outcomes
This qualification reflects the role of individuals working in supervisory and technical specialist positions in civil construction. They perform tasks involving a broad range of varied work activities most of which are specialised and within known or changing contexts. They are responsible for the quantity and quality of their own work, as well as for the output of others. They contribute to the development of technical solutions to non-routine problems.
Fees & scholarships
Fee type for this course: VET
Fee type definitions
The amount you pay for your course depends on whether you’re offered a government subsidised place or a full fee-paying place.
Students who enrol in a:
- government subsidised place pay subsidised tuition fees (the government contributes the rest), and may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee along with any material fees
- full fee-paying place pay the full fee tuition rate (which includes Student Services and Amenities Fee and any material fees).
Calculate your VET course fees.
Find out more about:
- the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- ways to pay your fees
- important fee dates
- how to apply for a VE/TAFE refund
Scholarships & assistance
Apply for a scholarship to help with your study costs.
We can help with fee assistance and advice.
Admission & pathways
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.
If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs.
Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.
Entry requirements
As part of the application process, applicants must complete a Pre-training Review (PTR) and undertake a literacy and numeracy (LN) assessment to determine suitability for admission.
Local admission requirements for Direct applicants:
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must be employed in the civil construction industry ideally as a foreman.
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must submit a copy of their resume to confirm their industry experience and current position.
Local admission requirements for Trainee applicants:
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must be employed as a Trainee within the Civil Construction Industry at a coordinator or foreman level
- must have an active Epsilon number prior to commencing the course.
Pathways from VU courses
There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.
Find out more about pathways and credits.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.
You may be able to complete your qualification sooner through formal recognition of your existing skills. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
To receive RPL, we assess your previous work, education and life experiences against recognised qualifications. Applications for RPL can be made prior to enrolling.
Call us on 1300 TAFE VP (1300 823 387) to discuss RPL options with the course manager.
How to apply
Prior to enrolment, all applicants will be required to complete a literacy and numeracy assessment to assist with determining eligibility and to identify learning support needs.
Available start dates:
- 10 July 2023
- 2 October 2023
Before you apply
Before starting your application, please read through the step-by-step VU Polytechnic application process to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information ready to successfully complete your application.
Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:
- Credit transfer/Recognition of prior learning (RPL): If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.
Apply direct to VU
Apply direct to VU using our admission centre, submit applications for one or more courses, track and save your progress and upload additional information.
Already a VU student?
If you are already a VU student, apply direct to VU using our Admissions centre to transfer into this course. Remember it’s best to be accepted into your new course before withdrawing from your current one.
After you apply
- It’s important to check for emails from us (which may go to your spam/junk folder).
- Complete any requests for information by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered
Enquire now – TAFE
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Contact VU Polytechnic
Please note that if changes to this course occur, VU will notify students as soon as possible.
At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.
