Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) CPC40120

The Certificate IV in Building and Construction meets the education requirements for registration as a licensed builder in all state and territory building licensing requirements.

ACT, TAS, NT, SA, & QLD – depending on the license required.

This course is specifically designed to cater to individuals who are planning to enter the construction industry, focusing on roles that involve direct involvement in various construction activities.

If you are already working in the industry, this nationally recognised qualification is a great way to formalise your current experience and climb the career ladder.

With Open Colleges, you can study whenever you want, wherever you want and make your way through the course at a pace that suits you.

This course is perfect if you have no experience but would like to launch a career in Building and Construction.

The Certificate IV is also an ideal way to formalise your current work experience if you are already in the industry but need a qualification to get ahead.

Students completing CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) may undertake further study in the following qualifications delivered across Open Colleges:

• Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

During this course, you'll learn how to:

• Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 1 and 10 building
• Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 2 to 9 Type C
• Apply health and safety precautions on a work site
• Prepare simple building sketches and drawings
• Read and interpret plans and specifications
• Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects
• Select, prepare and administer a construction contract
• Produce labour and material schedules for ordering
• Apply structural principles to residential and commercial constructions
• Plan building and construction work
• Supervise site communication and administration processes for building and construction projects
• Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects
• Apply site surveys and set-out procedures to building and construction projects
• Manage work health and safety in the building and construction workplace
• Select, procure and store construction materials for building and construction projects
• Apply project quality management techniques
• Minimise waste on the building and construction site
• Resolve business disputes
• Use building science principles to construct energy efficient buildings
• Manage finances for new business ventures

The duration for the course is maximum 18 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

Entry Requirements

There are no mandated education entry requirements for this qualification, per the CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package. There are no mandatory Open Colleges entry requirements. It is also recommended that students: 

• Are 18 years old (note: students under 18 will need permission from a parent or guardian to enrol) 
• Have language, literacy and numeracy skills that ensure the ability to work independently and use own familiar support resources, communicate effectively via email, and identify relevant information from a range of written texts. These skills are equivalent to those that would be required to successfully complete 
• Year 12 or ACSF Level 3, or 
• Certificate III level or higher 
• Have access to a modern computer with video / audio playback capabilities and high-speed internet
• Have access to Microsoft Office or equivalent 
• Have basic computing skills, including ability to make a short video 
• Have access to a digital video recording device to save and upload video/image files to OpenSpace, e.g., mobile phone/smartphone.
•  Intermediate communication and math skills 
•  Problem-solving skills and high attention to detail

Language, Literacy and Numeracy

Have language, literacy and numeracy skills that ensure the ability to work independently and use own familiar support resources, communicate effectively via email, and identify relevant information from a range of written texts. These skills are equivalent to those that would be required to successfully complete: 

• Year 12 or ACSF Level 3, or 
• Certificate III level or higher,
• or 3 years relevant industry experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication.

Physical requirements

Learners need to have a reasonable level of fitness, as the role may involve a variety of physical tasks, such as: 

• Handling and moving heavy items safely. · Using construction equipment that requires physical control and coordination. 
• Standing, bending, or crouching for extended periods during construction activities.
• Safely ascending and descending to work at heights.
• Moving around construction sites that may have irregular surfaces or obstacles.

Tools and equipment required

Access to others - this course includes a requirement to record video and/ or audio roleplays. These will require participation by 1-2 other people sourced by you. 

Tools and equipment - to be advised

IT requirements 

• Operating system Microsoft Windows 7 or higher (Windows 10 recommended) 
• Mac OS 10.11 (El Capitan) or higher 

o Note: (Microsoft Office 365 can only guarantee support on the current release of Mac OS, plus two previous versions. Older versions may work but may have issues 

• Processor - 2 GHz or faster, 2-core 
• Memory - 4GB of RAM or higher
• Hard Drive Space - 2 GB free disk space 
• Browser - Chrome is the preferred browser for students
• Software - Acrobat Reader Microsoft Office 2017 or later (including MS Office 365) 

o Note: if using an equivalent office software (such as Open Office or Apple Pages etc), ensure that documents can be formatted correctly and exported to common file formats Audio recording Software (Voice recorder app, Garageband, or Audacity) Video editing software (iMovie, Video Editor app) 

• Internet Connection - DSL, Cable, or Satellite with at least 2mbps upload speed. Note: it is strongly recommended that you have access to the Internet from home. Expecting to access your course from your work internet or a public network like a library or coffee shop may be impractical due to your average weekly study hours. 
• Printer/Scanner - Access to printing/scanning devices or facilities may be required for certain course activities
• Peripherals - Speakers or headset for audio playback. Microphone for audio recording. Webcam or equivalent (such as a smartphone with video recording capability)
• E-Mail Capability - Access to e-mail through an e-mail program or web-based e-mail system (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, Mail for Android or Mail for iOS apps)

Workplacement/ Worksite visit

While there is no mandatory workplacement, it is recommended that any students who are not currently employed at an appropriate workplace find a host organisation to undertake worksite visits.

Students will need to find a Workplace Mentor with an appropriate Host Organisation. An experienced and appropriately qualified Workplace Supervisor can act as a Workplace Mentor. 

A Workplace Mentor provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between studying a course and real world experience. It provides an opportunity to observe workplace environments and use the experience and knowledge of the Workplace Mentor to help complete the assessment activities. It also gives the student the prospect of linking up with others working in the same role. 

While undertaking their training and assessment in industry, the student must abide by the policies and procedures of the workplace. 

The mentor and organisation needs to be able to provide the student with access to equipment and resources necessary to undertake roleplays and projects. Students will need to complete a worksite permission form which will be approved or rejected by the CSM (EM) based on its suitability for the course projects.