Blinds, awnings, security screens and grilles provide Australian homes and businesses with sun protection, security, energy saving benefits and visual appeal. Manufacturing and installing these custom-made and fitted products requires skilled workers to meet the unique measurements and style preferences of each customer.
Click across the tabs to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.
The sector’s diverse range of fabrics, fittings and fixtures has contributed to a high level of complexity within manufacturing and installation occupations. The long-term success of individual businesses and the industry require the ability to access appropriately skilled workers.
Consultation will take place throughout this project to review the Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles and relevant units of competency so they are more flexible and relevant to current workplaces. In response to a crucial need for consistent skills in the installation of security screens, this project will also explore the option of developing a skill set to align with industry’s proposal for a specialised occupational licensing system.
We encourage input from industry, trainers, the union and other stakeholders with relevant experience so that updates reflect how work is currently performed in the industry.
Related occupations
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘Furnishing’ as one of your industries of interest.
Project scope and purpose
This project will update the national qualification and skills standards for the window furnishing manufacturing industry so that learners can acquire the skills needed for effective performance in current workplaces and contribute to the industry’s overall development and presence in the construction and home improvement sectors. The updated qualification and possible new skill set for security screen installers will support the national occupational licensing initiative which seeks to ensure that all professionals in this field are adequately skilled in delivering quality and reliable installations.
Initial input from stakeholders suggests the following potential updates.
Timeline
Project team
Tim Cleary
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
FurnishingWorks
[email protected]
Belinda Tierney
General Manager
ForestWorks
[email protected]
Opportunities for stakeholder input
Stakeholder input is appreciated throughout the duration of this project. The qualification, units and skill set will be revised and drafted in consultation with the Technical Committee and their networks. Opportunities to provide targeted feedback will occur when the draft materials are made available in June 2025, and again to review and check final drafts in August 2025. However, your feedback is welcomed at any time, and will help us in drafting the qualification, skill set and units. The qualification, skill sets and units need to reflect real work experience. So, if you work in the sector, Skills Insight would appreciate your input.
A list of key stakeholder organisations has been identified for this project. Skills Insight will support FurnishingWorks as they work to contact each of these organisations during the development of this project to seek involvement and views on the draft qualification, skill set and units. Consultation is not limited to the organisations on this list. This list simply helps us to identify those organisations that, because of their industry role, size or specialty, are likely to have a key interest in the development and outcomes of this project. If you are aware of an organisation that you think should be involved, please contact the project team.
For updates and consultation opportunities, please subscribe to news and updates.
Alternatively, please feel free to contact the stakeholder engagement manager, Tim Cleary on 03 9321 3526 or email [email protected]
This project is part of the Annual Training Product Development Plan 2024-25.
A review of the Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles, and relevant units of competency, is underway to improve their flexibility and relevance to the skill needs in today’s workplaces. The sector’s diverse range of fabrics, fittings and fixtures has contributed to a high level of complexity within manufacturing and installation occupations. The long-term success of businesses and the broader industry requires the ability to access appropriately skilled workers.
A Technical Committee of relevant experts has been formed to provide advice throughout the project. The group met 22 May 2025 for initial discussions and to review and accept the Technical Committee Terms of Reference and Consultation Strategy. The committee is reviewing the qualification and units and providing advice for revisions; including the development of new units and the creation of a security screen installer skill set.
Drawing upon their deep understanding of the day-to-day operations and demands within the industry, the Technical Committee has initially focused on:
- accurately defining the scope of work currently performed across the sector
- identifying critical skill gaps that must be addressed.
Skill gaps have emerged due to several factors, including:
- existing units of competency becoming outdated and superseded
- necessary improvements in industry standards
- the significant impact of ongoing technological advancements within the field.
The committee also discussed the importance of the qualification and skill set taking into account existing and future licensing and regulation requirements, and a shared objective to acknowledge the industry-specific technical skills and precision required for installers and manufacturers alike.
Next steps
The draft qualifications and units of competency will be made available on this webpage for broad stakeholder consultation and feedback in July 2025.
Register for a consultation workshop
In-person and online workshops are planned for July to coincide with the release of draft documents for broad stakeholder feedback. These sessions will provide further information about the work underway and outline how you can contribute to the updated draft qualification, skill set and units of competency.
Register for a session that best suits you.
In-person sessions*
*Please note that the in-person event scheduled to be held in Darwin will not be running. Stakeholders in the area are encouraged to register for the online General Industry update scheduled for Thursday 17 July 2025 or email Stakeholder Engagement Manager Tim Cleary at [email protected] to be involved.
Online sessions*
*Please note, the previously scheduled general industry update for the afternoon of Thursday 17 July will no longer be running. Those interested are encouraged to attend the earlier session that day.
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘Furnishing’ as one of your industries of interest.
Consultation has been underway as part of the review of the Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles, and relevant units of competency to improve their flexibility and relevance to current job roles.
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the draft qualification, skill set and units of competency that were available for feedback between 25 June to 28 July 2025.
The project team is reviewing all feedback from stakeholders to guide further adjustments to the drafts which are being considered by the Technical Committee. The documents will be made available for comment again at the Consensus Gathering stage. During this stage we check our work with stakeholders to confirm the drafts are in line with expectations and seek final stakeholder feedback.
The draft qualification, skill set, and units have been developed in consultation with the Technical Committee, made up of members from across both shading and security screens and involved in manufacturing, installation or a combination of these processes. The Technical Committee were also encouraged to engage their networks and gather advice and feedback throughout the process.
Summary of changes
The Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens and Grilles has been revised to reflect updated units and offer a broader set of core and elective units, with a focus on:
- critical soft skills in teamwork and communication
- technical skills in safety and sustainability
- emerging trends in technology and products, including security standards, automation, and a renewed consumer interest in curtain products.
A new specialisation and skill set for security screens has been included to reflect the technical nature of the security door and window screen sector, replacing the estimating and detailing specialisation that was previously incorporated.
Based on advice from stakeholders, 14 existing units have been updated to reflect new technologies, current and emerging industry trends and products, and to ensure relevant skills and knowledge are assessed. Three additional units have been created to provide:
- a safety unit specifically for installers to equip learners with skills to manage the unique risks of the work
- a unit for security installers to describe the compliance requirements for both the screen and the opening where it is installed
- a unit for product knowledge that outlines the life cycle of a shading or security screen, from material to manufacture, to installation, and finally, operation by the end user.
Consultation workshops
In-person and online workshops were held in July to coincide with the draft documents being made available for broad stakeholder feedback. These sessions provided further information about the work underway and how to have input.
In-person sessions
Online sessions
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘Furnishing’ as one of your industries of interest.
View the documents
Click on the accordions below to view the draft qualification, skill set and units of competency, including any comments made on them through the feedback hub.
Note: This project commenced prior to 1 July 2025 when the new Training Package Organising Framework commenced. It is therefore following the 2023 Training Package Organising Framework and adhering to the Standards for Training Packages 2023, Training Package Products Development and Endorsement Process Policy 2023 and the Training Package Products Policy 2023.
The Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles has been revised, with the draft below offering more relevant specialisations and electives within each specialisation to meet industry needs. This revised qualification offers greater flexibility, with the ability to choose from a wider range of electives, while maintaining clear specialist areas (manufacturing, installation and security products).
This skill set has been developed to meet a need for a specialised skill set for the security screen industry, to support licensing and regulation.
Questions we would like you to consider when reviewing the units:
- Does the language used in the units reflect current industry language?
- Are the details in the unit Application, correct?
- Do the updated Elements and Performance Criteria match the current job task?
- Do the products to be manufactured in the performance evidence reflect Australian Made products and current technology?
- Do the products to be installed in the performance evidence reflect currently available products and current technology?
- Is the volume and frequency of Performance Evidence reasonable?
- Is the Knowledge Evidence reasonable? Are there details that could help refine the scope of the knowledge that needs to be assessed?
Click on the unit sector title below to view the list of draft units.
A draft copy of an extract that will be included in the MSF Furnishing Training Package Companion Volume Implementation Guide (including details of the proposed changes to the qualification, skill set and units) is also available for review and comment.
This stage has not yet commenced.
As part of consensus gathering, we check our work with stakeholders to confirm that solutions are in line with expectations.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the finalisation stage, final checks are conducted and the outcomes of the project are submitted to the Department for consideration. Following this, outcomes are published or enacted.
FurnishingWorks, a part of ForestWorks, is providing support for the management of this JSC project as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. ForestWorks has an enduring and strong connection working with the forestry, timber, paper, fibre and furnishing industries and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership.