Occupational Certificate: Perishable Goods Department Coordinator

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Perishable Goods Department Coordinator.

A Perishable Goods Department Coordinator coordinates staff and the supply of perishable goods, whilst controlling and maintaining compliance to cold chain, safety, and company standards.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Handle and resolve customer queries impacting on sales in the perishable goods department
• Achieve and maintain cold chain compliance by coordinating activities in the perishable goods department

Rationale

In the Wholesale and Retail sector, the function of the Perishable Goods Department Coordinator is critical to the performance of wholesalers and retailers in terms of food safety and cold chain compliance. This aspect has been identified by the sector as critical to customer health, safety, and satisfaction. This has been supported by stakeholders in various regions and endorsed in the stakeholder forums within the wholesale and retail industry.

The typical learners identified for this qualification are Shelf Fillers and Cold Chain Replenishers in retail or wholesale stores. This qualification presents an opportunity for the learner to acquire competencies and the ability to attend to food safety and cold chain compliance as well as to attend to customers and resolve their queries, provide customer service, and build customer relationships to increase customer loyalty. The Perishable Goods Department Coordinator is responsible for cold chain and food safety compliance activities in retail and wholesale environments where fast moving consumer goods are subject to cold chain requirements.

These competencies prepare the learner to gain access to senior sales process responsibilities and prepare learners for sales supervision and management in a wholesale or retail store.

The industry motivated for a total credit value of 54 credits. The sector is characterised by high staff turnover that presents challenges to get Perishable Goods Department Coordinator work-ready in the shortest possible time. The perishable goods require adherence to strict time management therefore staff can only be released for scheduled training at suitable periods. The industry confirmed that the average learner can demonstrate competence in this period of time.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Learners will gain access to the qualification through RPL for Access as provided for in the QCTO RPL Policy. RPL for access is conducted by accredited education institution, skills development provider or workplace accredited to offer that specific qualification/part qualification.
• Learners who have acquired competencies of the modules of a qualification or part qualification will be exempted from modules through RPL.
• Learners will be awarded credits for or towards the qualification or part qualification through RPL as provided in the QCTO RPL Policy. RPL for credits provides for the formal award of credits for, or towards a qualification or part-qualification registered on the NQF.

RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment

Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Occupational Certificate: Perishable Goods Replenisher, NQF Level 2.

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

Knowledge Modules

• 522301-002-00-KM-01 Principles of Attending to Different Types of Customers and Resolving Customer Queries Impacting on Sales, Level 2, 4 Credits.
• 522301-002-00-KM-02 Monitoring and Control of Perishable Goods and Cold Chain Compliance, Level 3 , 12 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 16

Practical Skill Modules

• 522301-002-00-PM-01 Interact with Different Types of Customers and Present a Positive Image, Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 522301-002-00-PM-02 Handle Customer Queries and Complaints, Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 522301-002-00-PM-03 Coordinate the Activities in the Perishable Goods Department Ensuring Cold Chain Compliance is Achieved and Maintained, Level 3, 12 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 16

Work Experience Modules

• 522301-002-00-WM-01 Processes and Procedures for Attending to Different Types of Customers, Handling Customer Queries and Communicating with Customers, Level 2, 10 Credits.
• 522301-002-00-WM-02 Cold Chain Control and Perishable Goods Monitoring, Level 3, 12 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 22

1. Attend to customers and handle queries.
2. Coordinate perishable goods displays, sales and compliance within legislated cold chain requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Explain the generally accepted ways of greeting and acknowledging diverse customers to promote customer service and create a positive first impression.
• Explain the way in which different types of customers encountered in a wholesale and retail environment should be handled with examples appropriate to the scenarios given.
• Explain the impacts that personal appearance, grooming, the use of professional language and housekeeping has on the customer terms of the image of the sales assistant and the store.
• Give appropriate responses to customer queries on product location, stock availability and promotions to the query and information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Monitor and oversee the operational activities in the perishable goods department while ensuring compliance with cold chain and food safety requirements and address deviations from required standards.
• Coordinate perishable goods replenishers in the perishable goods section using planning, monitoring, reporting, and scheduling principles and techniques.
• Deal with customer queries and complaints.
• Apply shrinkage control measures to prevent shrinkage/stock loss.
• Conduct an internal self-audit to ensure compliance with legislation and company standards and identify and rectify deviations.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated Formative Assessment

The Skills Development Providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment

The occupational qualification is assessed externally through an appropriate nationally standardised integrated summative assessment. An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required to issue this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria.

The external assessment will consist of a combination of a written assessment (paper or on-line) and the assessment of evidence produced during the workplace experience. The evidence produced during the workplace experience will be assessed at an approved assessment site. The written assessment will be conducted over a period of 3 hours at an approved assessment site.