Skills maintenance
Being licensed means you must maintain your skills and knowledge. You need to acquire skills maintenance points and submit these to the Registrar at least every two years.
One hour of learning equals one point
You choose the activities that best suit your needs and the requirements of your licence class. Your activities need to inform you about things such as changes to the Building Code, building materials, design technologies, and good design and building practices. You’ll probably find you do many of these activities anyway. The following are some examples on how you can acquire skills maintenance points:
- reading material
- attending seminars, workshops, conferences, trade events
- inductions
- on-the-job training
- formal study
- supervising of apprentices (formal arrangement required)
- activities approved by the Registrar
Activities approved by the Registrar
To help with your skills maintenance the Registrar has approved various activities. There is an ‘Activities approved by the Registrar’ category on your record of skills maintenance either online, or on the record of skills maintenance form. However, you have the choice on what activities you undertake.
How many points do you need?
| Licence |
Points over 2 years |
| Carpentry, Bricklaying and Blocklaying, External Plastering, Foundations, and Roofing |
24 |
| Site and Design—area of practice 1 |
30 |
| Site and Design—area of practice 2 and 3 |
36 |
If you hold two or more licensing classes, you need the higher point allocation. For example, if you are licensed in Carpentry and Site area of practice 2, you need 36 points.
Keeping a diary of your points
You can update your skills maintenance records using the LBP online system. If you do not wish to use the online system you can record your points in your work diary and update the ‘record of skills maintenance form’ yearly (and get a bonus point) or two yearly. When due, the Registrar will attach the ‘record of skills maintenance form’ with your annual relicensing.
What evidence do I need to keep?
We might ask to see evidence of your skills maintenance, so keep receipts, and other evidence that shows what you did. You should keep this evidence for a minimum of two years. It might be useful to keep records for longer depending on your circumstances, for example, when reviving your licence after a period of voluntarily suspension. Some examples of evidence are:
- tertiary education - certificates or record of learning
- email, fax or letter from the person who organised or paid for the activity
- page printed out from a website
- handout or meeting agenda
- photocopy of a DVD case
- seminar flyer or notice
- details on materials you have read eg, issue and title
- documentation about on the job training eg, induction, mentoring, or supervising and apprentice.
Record-keeping does not need to be a hassle. As long as you can reasonably show you did the activity, it is up to you what you decide to keep. It’s a good idea to sign and date your evidence or photocopy if it doesn’t have a date on it.