An organisation is only as good as its staff and the rail industry is no exception. The Centre for Excellence in Rail Training (CERT) was developed in recognition of this fact in Western Australia in 2003.
Owned by diversified company Engenco, CERT is a registered training organisation (RTO) committed to providing responsive, flexible, innovative and cost-effective training solutions to the Australian rail industry.
From small beginnings, the company has since moved on to provide extensive training not just for rail workers in Australia, but across the mining, port and engineering industries internationally. With over 40 trainers and assessors located across the country, the business has developed into a significant safety player.
In 2004, the business expanded to New South Wales, followed by Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory in 2008. By 2011, CERT boasted training facilities all over Australia, with the newest being its Ballarat station training centre in Victoria, opened in 2018.
The company expanded its high-risk and mobile plant equipment training capacity in WA with its Pilbara and Bunbury centre launches in 2016 and 2018, with highly skilled assessors focusing on relevant, contextualised and hands-on training in addition to rail.
The company’s client base has also grown considerably in the same period, encompassing a list of rail majors and government orgs. This includes companies such as Queensland Rail, RISSB, Transport for NSW, Samsung C&T, Aurizon and V/Line, in addition to several Tier 1 mining companies such as Rio Tinto, BHP and Fortescue, to name a few.
“CERT offices and trainers are strategically placed nationally to ensure compliant, responsive and cost-effective service to national clients,” says CERT Training national manager Mark Haigh. “Internationally, CERT has developed and delivered tailored training programs to countries including Kenya, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Uganda and the UK.”
Nationally recognised rail qualifications offered by the company for the Australian rail industry currently include:
- TLI21315 – Cert II in Rail Infrastructure;
- TLI32515 – Cert III in Rail Infrastructure;
- TLI42315 – Cert IV in Rail Infrastructure;
- TLI42615 – Cert IV in Rail Operations; and,
- TLI22015 – Cert II in Shunting with track inductions and rail safeworking.
These courses include various assessment methods including theory, practical and on-the-job assessments. For all these processes, CERT has integrated the use of technology helping to enhance the learning experience and support environmental commitments.
All CERT trainers hold the current Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in addition to state and national safety and vocational qualifications. CERT trainers are also kept current in their vocational skills with regular industry placement to ensure their training reflects the latest in industry practice.
These qualifications are relevant across all states and territories of Australia and encompass a holistic approach to rail training, according to Haigh.
“CERT trainers and assessors have a minimum of 15 years’ — most in excess of 20 — rail industry experience and a minimum of three years’ rail training experience,” he says. “Our most popular courses vary from state to state and subject to particular project requirements, but in general it’s about rail infrastructure at all levels of qualification, rail safeworking and rail operations.”
CERT maintains high levels of regulatory compliance and continues to expand opening new facilities and extending its scope of services to meet industry demand nationally.
Contact: cert.edu.au