Food Handling Skill Set

Get qualified to handle food in your food-related business.

Victoria’s food industry is strictly governed by a set of regulations, including the Food Act 1984. If you work with food or run a food-related business, this course is designed to give you the knowledge you need to understand the relevant standards and to meet the requirements of the Food Act 1984.

• Food contamination (introductory)
• Personal hygiene, food hygiene, cleaning, sanitising and pest control
• How quickly food can ‘go off’
• How to deal with danger foods
• How to correctly store food in a bain-marie
• Why you shouldn’t refreeze foods
• How long food can stay out of the chiller or fridge
• When you should wash your hands
• Whether your business complies with current healthy regulations
• Whether you can work when you are sick
• What sanitisers are and how you use them
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Australia – seven key principles

Successful completion of this course will make you appropriately qualified to work in a food handling environment.

Upon successful completion, you’ll receive credit and certification for the following accredited unit from SIT30821 - Certificate III in Commercial Cookery. 

SITXFSA005 - Use hygienic practices for food safety

After achieving the unit SITXFSA005 Use Hygienic Practices for Food Safety (Safe Food handling short course) learners could extend their skills by enrolling in SITHFAB002 Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol or SITXFSA002 Participate in Safe Food Handling (Food Safety for Supervisors). Learners could progress into SIT30616 Certificate III in Hospitality either as a trainee or on campus or SIT30816 Certificate III Commercial Cookery on campus or apprentice.

Why don’t you come along to our next course info session to find out everything you need to start your learning journey? You can chat with our teachers, tour our facilities, learn more about the course, find out about the application process and get your questions answered by our course experts. 

Find the next info session near you

• provide photo ID to the trainer on the first day of the course
• bring a pen and paper
• wear fully covered shoes and casual clothing.

Core Units

This course involves accredited units.  You will be required to complete assessment tasks to demonstrate your underpinning knowledge, skills and attributes to meet the course outcomes.  A combination of written, oral and practical assessment strategies will be used in either a classroom, online or workplace environment. 

Where units require demonstration of skills in a workplace environment, you will have the opportunity to do this either in your own workplace (where appropriate), through a practical placement, or by using one of the Institute's simulated workshops/classrooms.  Detailed information about the types, conduct and dates of assessments will be provided in advance.  You will also be provided with information about the opportunity for reassessment and appeal.

Once you have applied for your chosen course, you will receive a thank you email from South West TAFE with a few steps to help process your enrolment.

Complete a Pre-Training Review
You will receive an email to complete a Pre-Training Review online evaluation. This evaluation helps us tailor your training to suit your needs.

Create or provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
A USI is a nationally recognised reference number that provides an online record of your training qualifications gained in Australia.
Create your USI
Already have a USI but can’t remember it? Find your USI

Skills recognition
If you have experience or prior qualifications, you may be eligible to apply for recognition of prior learning and gain credits. You will be asked to provide any relevant Statement of Attainment to support identified credits.

Here's an outline of fees and costs associated with your course.

Your fees each year can be made up of 3 different elements.  Everyone has different circumstances that can affect what you pay and how much you pay. :

1. Tuition fees - charged as an hourly rate that varies from course to course. A large portion of the tuition is subsidised by the Victorian Government for eligible students.
2. Resource and/or materials costs - covers the cost of materials and other incidentals. This fee will vary according to the course being undertaken.
3. Booklist items - such as textbooks, equipment and stationery recommended for your course

Tuition fees

There are 4 different rates of tuition fees. Only one will apply to you (depending on your eligibility and circumstances). 

1. Government Subsidised Fee - you could be eligible for a government-subsidised rate under the Skills First funding depending on your age, educational history, and citizenship or residency status. If you are eligible, the government will contribute to the cost of your training.
   Find out more about subsidised training
   
   
2. Government Subsidised Concession Fee - If you are eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place and hold a current healthcare or pension card, that you can provide at enrolment, you may be eligible for the concession rate. Note, the concession rate is not applicable to Diploma level courses.
   Find out more about concession rates
   
   
3. If the course is a Free TAFE course or part of the Free TAFE Pathways Program - Eligible students will not pay course tuition fees for the duration of their enrolment in this course, however, there may be some consumable/material fees for the course (find out more below). Any resource or material costs, or booklist items for this course are listed in the table below.
   Find out more about Free TAFE
   Find out more about Free TAFE Pathways Programs
   
   
4. Full fee - If you are not eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place, exemption, concession or are enrolling in a course that isn't government-subsidised, you may be required to pay the full fee rate.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FEES AND ELIGIBILITY

The fees listed below are indicative only. The course fees published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Course fee funding is made available to eligible individuals by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. If funding is utilised, this may affect opportunities to access additional funding in the future. An accurate quote for this course will be provided during the enrolment process.

Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study eg: tools of the trade, excursions, etc. Final costs will be determined upon enrolment.

Once we have processed your enrolment form, you will receive an email with your invoice.

You have three options when organising your payment:

1. Upfront payment - can be made over the phone with EFTPOS

2. Payment plan - can be directly debited from your bank account, debited from your Centrelink payments or via a VET Student Loan (for diploma or advanced diploma courses only)

3. Paid by employer, school or job network agency - if your fees are being paid by your employer, school or job network agency, you will need to complete an Authority to Invoice form.

Payments will need to be arranged within five(5) business days of receiving the email containing your invoice.

We also offer a range of scholarships each year which you may be eligible to apply for to assist with course fees.

You can book and pay for your place in a short course online by following the book now button. Alternatively, you can call us on 1300 648 911 or visit your nearest campus for assistance in your booking.

If your course is to be invoiced to a third party, (eg. Work Cover, employer or agency) an Authority to Invoice (ATI) form needs to be completed and signed by the third party. Please contact us via the live chat below, calling 1300 648 911, or email short.courses@swtafe.edu.au to receive the form.

There are five simple steps to apply for a course with us.

1. Apply - complete a short online application form. Once this form is submitted we'll send you a thank-you email.
2. Literacy and Numeracy Assessment - we will assess whether you need to undertake a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) assessment and email it to you if required.
   If you are not required to undertake this assessment, you will skip to step 3.
3. Chat to our team - your teacher or course specialist will contact you to discuss the course in more detail and ensure the right units of study are selected for you.
4. Enrol – you will be sent an email to accept your offer for the course. By accepting, you will be directed to verify your details and submit your enrolment for processing.
5. Pay - once we’ve completed your enrolment, we will send you an invoice to arrange payment of your course fees.

If you need any assistance with applying, contact our team on 1300 648 911 or visit your nearest campus.

There are four simple steps when applying for a course with us. 

1. Book – you can book and pay for your place online via the book now button.  A tax invoice/receipt is automatically emailed to you upon payment.
2. Get ready – you will receive an email confirming the date, time and location of the course from the short course team. The email will also include the next steps with links to complete a pre-training review and to create a unique student identifier. You will need to follow the links to complete the pre-training review and create or confirm your unique student identifier. Your enrolment form will also be attached in this email.
3. Enrol – upon completion of the pre-training review, you need to sign and return your enrolment form including your unique student identifier number and photo ID. We will then process your enrolment in the short course.
4. Attend and complete the short course - 100% attendance of the short course is required. Upon successful completion of the short course, you will be sent a Statement of Attainment for the accredited units completed within 30 days.

If need any assistance with completing your booking, contact our Customer Service team via the live chat below, call 1300 648 911 or visit your nearest campus.

Not sure which course is right for you? South West TAFE will help you find your way.

Our Careers Coaches at the Skills and Jobs Centre is here to support you. Whether you’re exploring career options, transitioning from school to the workforce or looking to study after school we’re here to help you.

As a SWTAFE student, you can access a variety of support services that will enhance your study experience and help you complete your studies successfully. For more information about any of these services, visit our student page.