Experts in Rail Training – convenient online or phone bookings available with CERT

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Start your journey towards becoming a Train Driver with the TLISS00224 – Rail Operations Fundamentals Skill Set course. An introduction to train driving and a pathway to start your rail career.

CERT Training

CERT has offices and trainers that are strategically placed nationally, and in all mainland states, to ensure compliant, responsive and cost effective service to national clients.

Nationally CERT employs in excess of thirty-five trainers and assessors with either a safety or rail background, and in most cases both. Our business commenced and remains a national business with local teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced training Deliverer’s, Administrators and Managers who are able to transfer those skills and services to the international rail training market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to some of the most common questions asked about CERT rail training. If you have other questions about training and requirements needed to become a rail industry worker that isn’t listed below, contact us.

CERT Training, formed in 2003, is a nationally recognised Registered Training Organisation (RTO) accredited to deliver rail and associated courses Australia-wide, including high-risk and specialised training. All the outcomes we deliver comply with state and national rail safety legislation.

Check courses available per state here:

Learn more about CERT Training here.

Yes, CERT trainers and assessors hold relevant vocational qualifications. Our team brings extensive industry expertise in safety, infrastructure, and rail. Each trainer possesses a current Certificate IV Training and Assessment and a relevant vocational qualification in areas such as infrastructure, operations, safe working, or high-risk work to effectively teach within the vocational education and training sector.

Our trainers are well-equipped to demonstrate vocational competency in their capability to develop plans and provide training that are tailored to address students’ language, literacy, and numeracy needs, and assess competence of learners in face-to-face and online environment.

CERT trainers have specialised skills to design and implement training and assessment strategies using nationally recognised training products to meet vocational training needs.

They also draw on their industry skills to develop customised industry-based workforce and development training programs that appropriately address key elements and performance criteria of units of competency being delivered.

Navigate to “Courses” on the navigational menu on our website to select your state. Once you’ve identified the course you want to enrol in, scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the available course schedule. Click either “Student Enrol” or “Employer Enrol” to access the enrolment form. The enrolment process will require you to answer questions regarding your details including name and email to gain access to the CERT Training Student Portal and purchase the training course.

If you need more help, call us on 1300 042 378.

In most cases, course materials are provided. It is advisable to bring a pen and some paper for notes and personal identification will need to be verified upon enrolment.

For courses that do not require PPE, participants should wear long pants, a t-shirt or long sleeve top and wear closed-toe shoes. Thongs, sandals, high heels and open toed shoes are not permitted.

For some courses, there may be specific items, including PPE which participants need to supply.  Where this is the case, these are listed clearly against each course’s participant information.

  • Bring Photo ID – Preferably a driver’s licence or passport.
  • Students must wear full safety gear including steel capped boots and hi-vis unless prior arrangements with the trainer have been made.
  • Course must be paid in full prior to commencement.
  • If you have booked a medical appointment prior to your course, bring any associated documentation for this assessment. 

Check the individual course page for specific entry requirements.

Credit Transfer: If you have already completed part/s (units of competency), you can provide a verified certificate (Statement of Attainment or Transcript of Results) from other registered training providers which records what has been successfully completed. Aspects already completed will be credited and listed on the certificate for the course being studied. Only the equivalent unit/s of competency can be credited.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL is an assessment process assessing your formal and informal learning to determine the extent to which you have achieved the competency standards that make up the course of study. All applications for RPL are assessed on their merits and all students have the right to request an RPL application where they feel they hold the necessary skills and knowledge relevant to the course.

Download our handbook for more information.

A unit of competency (UOC) is a specific set of knowledge and skills in a subject area. A UOC is the smallest element that can be assessed, recognised, and assembled into skill sets or nationally recognised qualifications.

The units of competency associated with a course will vary depending on the nature of that course and units of competency can be selected in groups to make up a course required for workplace competence.

All CERT Training Courses will specify the units of competency which make up that course.

Learn more about the Unit of Competency on the Student Information page.

A National Qualification is a course which is nationally accredited with a certificate issued under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) once a person completes all units of competence (UOCs) required to be eligible for either a Qualification or a Statement of Attainment.  A Statement of Attainment is a certificate which represents one or more UOCs completed as a course without a full Qualification being completed.  Only Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) such as CERT Training can deliver nationally recognised training and issue Qualifications and Statements of Attainment.

The Australian Government regulates all nationally recognised training through the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

The Certificate II in Rail Infrastructure is an example of a nationally recognised qualification.

A Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a reference number linked to an individual student and stores every Nationally-Recognised Training course completed in Australia through an RTO to a national register.

Under Australian law, RTOs cannot enrol a person in a Nationally Recognised Training course without them having a USI.

You can create a USI or enrol with CERT Training to have a USI created for you.

Learn more about USI numbers on the Student Information page.

The Rail industry worker (RIW) card is a physical card linked to your RIW profile. This account helps maintain a record of your skill set at an industry level, allowing you to be considered for jobs that require the said competency. This account needs to be updated for rail workers after every training they complete.

The RIW card serves as proof that you have qualified, competent, and medically fit to access the track and perform various rail jobs.

The validity of RIW cards is five years from the date of issue. You must renew your RIW card before it expires to avoid any work-related disruptions.

Register yourself in CERT Training’s TLIF0020 – Safely access the rail corridor (also known as SX52/RISI in NSW) now and earn the right to serve in the rail industry.

Read more about the RIW card and the RIW card course here.

CERT Training in partnership with CMS, an Authorised ARA Health Professional, provides Category 1, 2 and 3 rail safety medicals, as well as pre-employment medicals and other services nationally.

Assessments are conducted by appointment and must be booked in advance via our state-based online system, medbookings@cert.edu.au or a call to 1300 042 378.

Often your employer will specify which rail medical you require but it can be helpful to understand the differences in medicals and which one will be the most relevant to you:

Cat 1 Medical: The highest level of rail medical for rail workers or contractors undertaking a safety critical role requiring a high level of attentiveness to their tasks and where sudden incapacity may result in a serious incident affecting the public or the rail network.

Cat 2 Medical: Applies to rail workers or contractors undertaking a safety critical role however, a sudden medical event or incapacity will not result in a serious incident affecting public safety.

Cat 3 Medical: An assessment designed to help non-safety critical workers make sure their health and fitness does not impact the rail network.

Learn more about railway medicals on the Student Information page.

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