Statement of Attainment

"Statement of Attainment" is a phrase that you hear a lot when working in and around the training & vocational industry, whether you are a trainer yourself, or are required by your industry to regularly be trained and retrained in various skills, particularly in the area of workplace safety.

What is a Statement of Attainment (or SoA)?

In the world of vocational training, to be eligible for a qualification (like a Certificate III in Fitness for example), a student is required to complete a number of modules called Units of Competency or UOC. A Statement of Attainment is issued when a student completes one or more of these UOCs but does not complete the full list of UOC required for a full qualification.

Ultimately, a SoA is a document showing which UOCs a student has completed as part of a nationally recognised training course.

What is the difference between a Certificate and a Statement of Attainment?

As mentioned above, a Statement of Attainment is issued when a student completes one or more UOCs but does not complete the entire list of UOCs required for a full qualification. Where as a Certificate is what is issued if the student completes the full list of UOCs and is eligible for the qualification.

More simply, a Statement of Attainment is proof you've completed certain UOCs, while a Certificate is proof you've completed a full qualification.

Do Statement of Attainments expire?

While Statements of Attainment don't technically expire, the various 'tickets' and licences that you may use your SoAs for, often have their own regulations to do with how long they remain valid.

For example: The Statement of Attainment you receive when completing a Working at Heights Course, or a Confined Space Course, doesn't have an expiry date. However the Working at Heights Association (WAHA) along with other regulatory and industry bodies recommend retraining every 2 years to keep skills fresh and up to date with industry regulations and changes.

Aside from that it will usually come down to the specific policies and procedures for the work site that you will be working on that will dictate how often these need to be renewed to be considered current. Some work sites will require you to renew these every year, while others may only require these to be renewed every 5 years – making it very site dependant.

Does a Statement of Attainment mean I can operate machinery legally?

While a Statement of Attainment proves you have completed a certain Unit of Competency (UOC), it is not always, on its own, enough to allow you to legally operate certain machinery or perform certain tasks.

For example: Completing our Forklift Licence or EWP Licence course will award you with a Statement of Attainment corresponding to the safe operation of either Forklifts or EWPs. However, you must then also apply to SafeWork NSW for your high-risk work licence before you can legally operate the corresponding machinery – the Statement of Attainment by itself is not enough.