Intermediate Occupational Certificate: Freight Handling Practitioner

Purpose

The Intermediate Occupational Certificate: Freight Handling Practitioner will contribute to the development of the learner by providing learners with the skills, knowledge, insights and competence required to oversee the operational processes relating to the safe and efficient handling of freight through a storage facility.

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Freight Handling Practitioner. A Freight Handling Practitioner oversees the operational processes relating to the receiving, allocation, storing, picking, reconciling, and dispatching of freight through a storage facility.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Oversee operational processes to receive, verify, and allocate freight.
• Oversee operational processes to store and pick freight.
• Oversee operational processes to reconcile and dispatch freight.

A qualified learner will demonstrate the following key attributes

• problem identification and solving
• decision making
• communicating information, and methods and
• techniques application.

Rationale

The need for this qualification resulted from the requirement to review and align an expired Occupational Certificate: Freight Handling Practitioner qualification to meet new policy requirements. Additional changes were affected in terms of the occupational title, to better reflect the scope of coverage.

Freight Handling Practitioners play a vital role in the logistics and supply chain industry, by contributing significant social and economic value to various stakeholders. Freight Handling Practitioners play a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of shipments. Every product or material on the market was moved at some point in time, whether by road, rail, air or water, creating a growing demand for qualified Freight Handling Practitioners.

No other national qualification that provides the requisite knowledge and skills for this freight handling practitioner is registered on the NQF.

This qualification will benefit the transport sector and the economy as qualified Freight Handling Practitioners efficiently and safely handle freight, which contributes to economic growth, trade facilitation, job creation, customer satisfaction, and sustainable practices. The demand for freight handling services drives investments in transportation infrastructure such as ports, railways, airports, and road networks. Freight Handling Practitioners play a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of shipments. They adhere to strict protocols for handling hazardous materials, perishable goods, and sensitive cargo, minimizing the risk of accidents and incidents that could harm people and the environment, thus benefitting society. Furthermore, the freight handling industry is labour-intensive, providing numerous job opportunities to individuals with varying skill levels and educational backgrounds. By creating employment opportunities, freight-handling practitioners contribute to local economies and support livelihoods.

Typical learners of this qualification are those who have an interest in freight and logistics operations career.

Stakeholders from different associations and organisations operating within the freight handling environment participated in the development of this qualification.

The typical occupations related to this qualification include Freight Loader, Stevedore, Store Person Packer, and Aircraft Loade.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for Access

Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a qualification if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a qualification.

Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors.

RPL for Exemption

For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or nonformal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

Entry Requirements

An NQF Level 2 qualification.

This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 32301-004-01-KM-01, Emotional Intelligence and Active Learning, NQF Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-02, Basics of Computers and Computing Systems, NQF Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-03, Ethics and Basic Business Principles, NQF Level 3, 3 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-04, Principles of General Health, Fire Safety, and First Aid, NQF Level 3, 4 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-05, Principles of Business Communication and Customer Services, NQF Level 3, 4 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-06, Introduction to Transport and Logistics, NQF Level 3, 12 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-07, Legislation and Quality in Freight Handling, NQF Level 3, 6 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-08, Receiving, Verification and Allocation of Freight, NQF Level 3, 5 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-09, Storage and Control of Stock and Picking of Freight, NQF Level 3, 5 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-10, The Reconciliation and Dispatching of Freight, NQF Level 3, 8 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 53

Practical Skill Modules

• 32301-004-01-KM-01, Prepare for the receiving of freight and Verify Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-02, Allocate Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-03, Store Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-04, Pick Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-05, Reconcile Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-06, Dispatch Freight, NQF Level 3, 2 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 12

Work Experience Modules

• 32301-004-01-KM-01, Processes for the Receiving, Verification and Allocation of Freight, NQF Level 3, 19 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-02, Processes for the for the Storing and Picking of Freight, NQF Level 3, 19 Credits.
• 32301-004-01-KM-03, Processes for Reconciling and Dispatching Freight, NQF Level 3, 13 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 57

1. Maintain operational processes related to the receiving, verification and allocation of freight.
2. Maintain operational processes related to the storing and picking of freight within a managed environment.
3. Apply basic key concepts to maintain operational processes related to the reconciliation and dispatching of freight.
4. Maintain administrative and reporting processes related to the receiving, storing and dispatching of freight.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO 1: Maintain operational processes related to the receiving, verification and allocation of freight.

• Identify appropriate freight handling equipment and space for the type of freight and mode of transport.
• Verify delivered freight against the delivery documents.
• Verify the quality and quantity of the freight based on specified requirements.
• Correctly allocate freight based on characteristics and discrepancies.
• Select and apply appropriate procedures to resolve problems related to freight handling.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Maintain operational processes related to the storing and picking of freight within a managed environment.

• Safely move freight into storage facility.
• Correctly identify stock control methodology for the type of freight.
• Identify picking protocols based on facility characteristics and freight requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO 3: Apply basic key concepts to maintain operational processes related to the reconciliation and dispatching of freight.

• Reconcile stock based on picking lists and documents.
• Safely secure and move freight to dispatch bays.
• Identify appropriate freight handling equipment and required space for the dispatching, mode of transport and the type of freight.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Maintain administrative and reporting processes related to the receiving, storing and dispatching of freight.

• Adhere to administrative and reporting processes related to the receiving of freight.
• Adhere to administrative and reporting processes related to the storing of freight.
• Adhere to administrative and reporting processes related to the dispatching of freight.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification, part-qualification or occupational skills programme, such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities are used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment.

Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weakness, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained.

Formative Assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided.

Summative Assessment

An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification, part-qualification or skills programme.

Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g. applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc.

The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. An SoR, using the template provided by the Quality Partner, is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications and part-qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the final result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component, was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA.

The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certificating a learner.

For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating the attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical and Work Experience modules.