Mark VenderCert II training and impact – have your say
A new survey is open to gather views on the Certificate II course in in Split Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems, including whether the content and delivery of the course is adequate, and what effect the qualification has had on industry.
The survey has been designed by Powering Skills Organisation (PSO), the Jobs and Skills Council responsible for maintaining the electrotechnology training package, which includes air conditioning and refrigeration qualifications. AIRAH, the ARC, and AMCA are supporting the initiative, the objective of which is to gather detailed feedback about the UEE20120 Certificate II in Split Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems.
The October 2025 HVAC&R Sector Survey identified significant concerns about this qualification, including industry perceptions of inadequacy for safe and competent practice, scope limitations, and impacts on the broader trade.
This follow-up survey aims to understand:
- Who is completing and delivering the Certificate II
- Why individuals and employers choose this pathway
- How the qualification is being used in practice
- What specific gaps or concerns exist from the perspective of Certificate II holders, completers, trainers, and affected stakeholders.
The survey is aimed at those who hold or are in the process of obtaining the Certificate II qualification – including electricians and plumbers – as well as their employers. It also seeks views from those with a Certificate III in air conditioning and refrigeration, and registered training organisations (RTOs).
Responses will directly inform potential reforms to training products and regulatory frameworks. The survey will take approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.
To complete the survey, visit the PSO website.
The survey is open until March 27, 2026.
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Comments
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Plumbers and electricians are using it around Australia to pretend they’re duel trade creating dangerous, non compliant installs
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Cert 2 shouldn’t be recognised and should be left to those with the correct qualifications
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Correct !
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Completely unfair.
How & why is this even aloud.
Wonder why climate change is so bad, so many people just doing shocking flares causing gas leaks.
Let alone people dumping refrigerant.Why is there no cert II in electrical that other trades can do?
E.g, Cert III Electrotechnology & refrigeration guys know more things than most licensed sparkies, yet we can’t even run mains for A/C units.
Rules need to be more strict. Longer course, more theoretical training an practical.
I’m sure if there was a Cert II Electrical course it wouldn’t be as simple as the Cert II split bashers.
Please speak to someone about a CERT II ELECTRICAL COURSE.
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So we will have more useless people bashing in splits with out knowing if what they are removing could have been repaired
And most of these people will not stay in there lane this is proven by the fact they are already trying to do someone else job
This will end up with more non compliance
Just like the pink bats ScamSham Sham Shame
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Should be allowed.
Seen and repaired so many installs from people that think they know how yo install a split sytem .
I have seen guys that have never put a split sytem in and have this licence. -
It has been my experience that many sparky and turd chaser installers have next to zero skills base when challenged with practical thermo-dynamics and the relationship with refrigeration technology. Those without the basic knowledge, it is difficult to understand why such individuals are permitted to undertake installations. These are the ones that must be removed from the industry until becoming fully trained in theory and proven as being hands-on competent.
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Absolute joke that these people can do a 2 day face to face course and start installing units. In this time, they learn how to do pipe work, bend, flare and solder, electrical work (sparkies Ok but plumbers have zero idea and should go nowhere near electrical). They will also learn how to recover refrigerant and do duct work.
I am not only qualified air conditioning and refrigeration mechanic (that’s what we used to be called before the word technician became fancy) but I am also a qualified Trainer and Assessor working in the VET industry. It is impossible to cover the units of competency in a 2 day course. Yes, there is an online component but, in my opinion, most online study is useless.
I have always believed the people that lead our industry are weak when it comes to protecting our industry. They have continually sold our trade out and allowed others in. We need to start taking a leaf out of the plumbing industry and start protecting it.
Why does our industry not push for qualified Fridgy’s to start installing heat pump hot water systems including tapping into the existing water supply (with an appropriate course to upskill) or are they scared we might not be able to handle 400kPa without getting leaks. If the plumbers want into our trade, we should be allowed into theirs. I know this will never happen, but it should. Our industry needs to grow a spine.
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IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.
WHERE THE HELL IS THE ACCC IN ALL THIS?
THIS IS OBTAINING MONEY BY DECEPTION.
These fraudsters do a quick “WACK IN A SPLITTY” course, then run around quoting and installing ducteds with ZERO knowledge of:
1) How a refrigeration system actually works
2) Fan Laws
3) Heat Load Calculations
4) Duct Sizing
5) Static Pressure
6) Air Velocity and Volume Flow Rate
7) Flammable Refrigerants
8) Pressure Testing
9) Evacuation
10 PsychrometricsThey masquerade as “QUALIFIED INSTALLERS” and the consumer believes their lie.
The only thing they are qualified to do is dig shit out of blocked pipes and change tap washers or fit GPO’s and change fuses.Then they have the audacity to ridicule and badmouth the actual Fridgies to the consumer, the ones who are expected to rectify their abortion of an install.
The “WACK IN A SPLITTY” course should restrict them to being HARVEY WALL BANGERS and wack in splitties, NOT ducteds.
They are openly in breach of their license and are doing maintenance and repairs and installing Multi Splits and VRF. They just don’t give a toss.
The other day I had to deal with some muppet who complained that the compressor wasn’t running in Fan Only Mode and had to explain the difference.
It used to be a wonderful trade, now it’s just crap.
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