Often at the Australian Institute of Food Safety, we’re asked whether Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) can contribute to Food Safety Supervisor recognition.
If you’re a Food Handler with extensive food safety experience, or you have a similar qualification from a tertiary or trade institution in Australia or overseas, we hope this article will give you some answers.
What Is the Food Safety Supervisor Skillset?
The Food Safety Supervisor skillset is a nationally recognised Australian course that recognises a person who demonstrates:
- The skills and knowledge to recognise, prevent and alleviate food safety hazards in a food business
- The authority to supervise and give directions about food safety to employees handling food in a food business
- Reasonable availability to address food safety hazards and incidents within the business
- The ability to serve as a point of contact for the local council, State and Territory Authorities, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand
For more information on a Food Safety Supervisor’s role in a food business, you can visit ‘What is a Food Safety Supervisor?'
What If I've Had Similar Training or a Similar Qualification?
If you have a tertiary or trade qualification that included food safety or hygiene subjects that could be considered to meet the skills and knowledge requirements of a Food Safety Supervisor, you may be eligible for:
- A Statement of Attainment in the equivalent competency (for example, Food Safety Supervisor recognition in the Health and Community sector)
- A partial credit, advising of any gap in training required to obtain the full Food Safety Supervisor requirements
Examples of tertiary or trade qualifications that may provide the skills and knowledge for a person to act as a Food Safety Supervisor include:
- A certificate IV or higher (for example, a Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Bachelor degree) from a recognised tertiary institution
- Chef qualifications
- An Environmental Health Australia (EHA) accredited environmental health degree or equivalent
Subjects studied could include:
- Food science or equivalent
- Food technology or equivalent
- Food microbiology or equivalent
- Nutrition and dietetics or equivalent
If you have one of these qualifications and would like to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Recognition of Current Competency (RCC), please contact our friendly support team for more information. There are fees associated with both RPL and RCC. (link to contact us page)
What If I Have Food Safety Experience but Not a Qualification?
People with extensive food safety experience, either through work experience or volunteering, may be able to receive recognition for some or all of the Food Safety Supervisor units of competency.
Contact the Australian Institute of Food Safety to check if you’re eligibility for RPL. However, be aware that you will need to provide evidence to support your claim, and you may still be required to take on additional units of competency to meet the standard for a Food Safety Supervisor qualification.
In most cases, students will still need to complete the online quiz components of the course in order to demonstrate that they have the required knowledge to be considered competent.
What If I Have an Overseas Food Safety Qualifications?
If you have an overseas food safety qualification, you will undertake the same process as a person with an Australian trade or tertiary qualification to assess your eligibility for RPL or RCC.
You will still need the Australian Food Safety Supervisor Statement of Attainment to operate as a Food Safety Supervisor in Australia.
The official AIFS Food Safety Supervisor course is designed to help you meet your legal requirements and protect your customers.
