Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Expectations:
· volume deemed necessary to provide reliable data
· quality parameters
· cost factors
· requirements of food safety and other relevant standards
· enterprise product specifications.

Plans:
Detailing:
· equipment
· personnel
· records
· charts.

Constraints:
Availability of :
· suitably skilled personnel
· equipment
· raw material
· budgets
· out-of-hours operation.

Testing:
· test equipment and/or facilities required
· quality parameters
· availability of suitable quantities of product to facilitate realistic testing.

Opportunities to improve product:
· improvements to quality
· increased output
· opportunities to reduce costs.

Enterprise policies and procedures:
· OHS
· material safety data sheets
· HACCP
· standard operating procedures
· quality standards
· industry standards.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· HACCP and food safety systems
· production planning
· product development methodology
· seafood quality, handling and preservation methods.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· planning.
· interpreting regulations, standards, specifications
· identifying and monitoring critical control points
· communicating with workteams and managers
· co-ordinating activities, supplies and processes
· solving problems
· prioritising tasks and giving appropriate attention to detail
· scheduling tests
· collecting, recording and analysing data
· optimising a range of processing equipment
· identifying skill gaps in processing activities
· training staff.

Oral and written workplace communication skills used for:
· reading and interpreting information
· compiling reports
· recording and interpreting data
· completing complex forms
· interpreting technical documents/publications
· communicating trial information to supervisors and line staff
· communicating results to interested parties.

Numeracy skills used for:
· calculating production data
· estimating time, volume, flows, pressures etc
· estimating safe working loads
· calculating averages and/or percentages.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· perform the tasks necessary to take a new product concept and develop a plan for production trial/s, to implement and manage trials for the purpose of gathering sufficient data to confirm production viability.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· enterprise expectations of new product and initial specification/s
· food safety requirements including HACCP
· relevant standards which impact on the new product
· enterprise Standard Operating Procedures
· location and availability of raw material inputs
· location and availability of sufficient storage capacity for product generated during trial/s
· laboratory test facilities relevant to the product being trialed
· analysis techniques.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment may be conducted in the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
Observation of practical exercises in the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources required for assessment
· relevant product specification/s
· enterprise standard operating procedures
· food safety and other relevant standards
· enterprise HACCP plan
· equipment and/or facilities suitable to the scope and scale of the trial
· access to enterprise expertise in production, processing and/or engineering
· sufficient product or raw material to reflect a commercial quantity for the trial.