Last week I spoke to the people at Consumer and Business Services to check what they require before issuing a person with a license to complete internal & balcony waterproofing. Each week we have people call asking if they can complete our 3 day course in waterproofing and then go out and work in the industry. If you have plenty of experience aside from the 3 day course, then yes, you can apply for a license but you will most likely be called in for a technical interview.
If you do not work in the building industry you need to get experience first. You could work with a tiler or an already licensed waterproofer until you have the experience to pass a technical interview. The interview covers off a lot of ‘what if’s’ you wont simply be reciting the Australian Standards, Building Code or SA Ministerial Code. You will need to have broad enough experience to answer questions across both commercial and residential work. This is because your license will enable you to work across all sites so you will need to understand the differences.
It is also helpful to attend training courses provided by one of the manufacturers of waterproofing materials. Gripset, Ardex and Mapei all provide regular training on how to use their products. Some of these manufacturers also have phone apps that let you lookup the product you need for certain jobs.
Once you feel you are ready to apply for a waterproofing license, you will need to complete the requirements that Consumer and Business Services have set out on their website. This includes completing two short courses in business law and finance.
Click here to access Consumer & Business Services guidelines for applicants. As always, if you have questions you can email us at info@fcta.com.au or call 83675615.