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 require 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
- Insulation and home improvement installers with specialisations in awning installer and security door installer
- Fabric and textile factory workers
- Factory process workers
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.
- Enhance the flexibility and industry relevance of MSF30919 Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles, by revising packaging rules and terminology, and reallocating electives in their relevant specialisations.
- Update units to correct inaccuracies and remove outdated content, addressing restrictions that impede unit enrolments, and reinforcing requirements for performance evidence.
- Adapt the qualification to support initiatives for a standardised nationally recognised minimum level of occupational skills for installers of security screens on doors and windows.
- Update mentioned products to those currently manufactured in Australia.
- Improve the flexibility of electives to import units from other qualifications.
- Update references to superseded units of competency in the core and electives of the qualification.
- Update unit content to further clarify work tasks required.
- Remove brand or trade names and replace with generic product names and edit wording to accurately describe product features.
- Adjust requirements for practical installation onto commercial versus residential buildings, as the installation is the same and update knowledge requirements.
- Update existing unit MSFGN2001 Make measurements and calculations or develop new units, as stakeholder feedback has indicated that it is not fit for this purpose. The current unit makes references to ‘estimates’ of measurements, which is not appropriate in this industry as measurements need to be exact. This project will seek industry support on updating this unit or, as this unit is required in other qualifications, if the qualification under review should develop its own AQF3 unit. Development of a new unit could fill a skills gap in the workplace, or with an update, the existing unit could be made fit for purpose in this qualification.

Tim Cleary
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
FurnishingWorks
tcleary@forestworks.com.au

Belinda Tierney
General Manager
ForestWorks
projects@forestworks.com.au

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 April 2025, and again to review and check final drafts in June 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. Please feel free to contact the stakeholder engagement manager, Tim Cleary on 0438 846 546 or email tcleary@forestworks.com.au
A Consultation Strategy and Technical Committee (TC) Terms of Reference are in development and will be made available once the TC has signed off on these documents.
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:
Skill gaps have emerged due to several factors, including:
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*
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Melbourne, VIC: Tuesday 1 July, 11am-1pm AEST 11528_e3ab5c-4e> |
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Blacktown, NSW: Thursday 3 July, 11am-1pm AWST 11528_bfd80c-b3> |
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Perth, WA: Tuesday 8 July, 9am-11am AWST 11528_869a6f-15> |
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Adelaide, SA: Wednesday 16 July, 2pm-4pm ACST 11528_3eeacd-2f> |
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Brisbane, QLD: Wednesday 16 July, 2pm-4pm AEST 11528_4b5614-bd> |
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Launceston, TAS: Friday 18 July, 11am-1pm AEST 11528_06d763-e5> |
*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 tcleary@forestworks.com.au, to be involved.
Online sessions*
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General introduction to the project – Friday 4 July, 12pm-2pm AEST 11528_e0676f-c3> |
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Security specialisation – Thursday 10 July, 2pm-3.30pm AEST 11528_1efee7-50> |
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Installation specialisation – Friday 11 July, 11am-12.30pm AEST 11528_419d8e-1a> |
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Manufacturing specialisation – Friday 11 July, 2pm-3.30pm AEST 11528_5b1940-15> |
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General industry update – Thursday 17 July, 10am-11.30pm AEST 11528_41d34c-f6> |
*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.
Consultation has been taking place to review 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.
Based on stakeholder feedback, the scope of the project was extended to allow for the drafting of new skill sets and units of competency, as well as the inclusion of additional units, before progressing to the ‘Consensus Gathering’ stage.
Thank you also to everyone who provided feedback on the training products that underwent this additional review from 19 August to 19 September 2025.
The training products available during that period included:
Consultation workshops
Online workshops were held in September providing further information about the work underway and how to have input.
Online sessions
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Tuesday 2 September 2025 – 9.am – 11.00am AEST 11528_b8e939-f5> |
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Tuesday 2 September 2025 – 2.00pm – 4.00pm AEST 11528_7f1168-5a> |
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Tuesday 9 September 2025 – 9.00am – 11.00am AEST 11528_294de7-60> |
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Tuesday 9 September 2025 – 2.00pm – 4.00am AEST 11528_9e4ed3-57> |
Summary of changes
In addition to the development of three new skill sets and units, some changes were made to the draft qualification, skill set and units that were available for feedback between 25 June to 28 July 2025.
Nationally, stakeholder feedback reflected a desire for better and more transparent licensing and regulation, with nationally transferable outcomes. This is outside the scope of this review, but important to note as there is a strong appetite to see training and regulation become a standard to raise the industry’s profile and create clear entry pathways. We have been liaising with regulators and licensing bodies to get their insights and feedback.
- For a detailed list of changes, please see the Summary of Changes document.
- To see all feedback received during the initial Broad Consultation period and how it has been responded to, download the Consultation Log.
View the draft documents
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.
Summary of previous consultation round
Initial drafts available for feedback
From 25 June to 28 July 2025
Stakeholder feedback on the draft qualification, skill set, and units released during this period led to the development of three additional skill sets and three units for broader review. Feedback also prompted consideration of reinstating the nine previously withdrawn units.
Summary of changes during this period
The Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens and Grilles was 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 were updated to reflect new technologies, current and emerging industry trends and products, and to ensure relevant skills and knowledge are assessed. Three additional units were also 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.
For a detailed list of changes, please see the Summary of Changes document.
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
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Melbourne, VIC: 1 July 11528_2308e2-d4> |
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Blacktown, NSW: 3 July 11528_19e931-65> |
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Perth, WA: 8 July 11528_c360b9-d9> |
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Adelaide, SA: 9 July 11528_ae73f6-80> |
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Darwin, NT: 15 July 11528_928200-f5> |
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Brisbane, QLD: 16 July 11528_a815fb-e7> |
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Launceston, TAS: 18 July 11528_713bba-da> |
Online sessions
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General introduction to the project – 4 July 11528_ac6281-b3> |
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Security specialisation – 10 July 11528_bb62c9-2c> |
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Installation specialisation – 11 July 11528_e053f1-52> |
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Manufacturing specialisation – 11 July 11528_7513b9-75> |
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General industry update – 17 July 11528_ce166e-03> |
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General industry update – 17 July 11528_6515db-c5> |
View the documents available from 25 June to 28 July 2025
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.
To keep up with the evolving needs of industry, the proposed Certificate III in Shading and Security Screens qualification, 4 skill sets and 30 units of competency for installers and manufacturers are being revised in consultation with stakeholders.
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the final drafts which were available for comment between 6 – 24 October 2025. Feedback was sought on whether the updates to the qualification, skill sets and units were accurate and appropriate. All feedback is being considered to progress the final drafts through to the Finalisation stage of the project.
Consultation workshops
Online workshops were held on Thursday 16 October to provide further information about the final drafts and how to provide feedback.
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Thursday 16 October 2025 – 12pm – 1.30pm AEDT 11528_4563d9-e7> |
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Thursday 16 October 2025 – 2.30pm – 4.00pm AEDT 11528_55e911-e4> |
Latest changes
The following updates to drafts were made as a result of feedback gathered during Broad Consultation from 19 August to 19 September 2025.
- Qualification: elective units were added to address skills gaps. Some units moved from general to specialised electives.
- Manufacturing Leadership Skill Set: unit selection was adjusted to better reflect leadership communication and facilitation skills and remove production skills.
- Units of competency: some minor changes were made to the draft units to improve clarity for delivery and industry currency/accuracy.
- Companion Volume Implementation Guide: updates to licensing and regulation guidance.
Nationally, stakeholder feedback reflected a desire for better and more transparent licensing and regulation, with nationally transferable outcomes. This is outside the scope of this review, but important to note as there is a strong appetite to see training and regulation become a standard to raise the industry’s profile and create clear entry pathways. We have been liaising with regulators and licensing bodies obtain their insights and feedback.
- For a detailed list of changes, please see the Summary of Changes document.
- To see all feedback received during the Broad Consultation periods and how it has been responded to download the Consultation Log.
View the draft documents
Click on the accordions below to view the draft qualification, skill set and units of competency.
Note: This project commenced prior to 1 July 2025 when the new Training Package Organising Framework was implemented. 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.
Summary of consultation to date
The draft qualification, skill sets, and units were revised in consultation with the Technical Committee and made available for Broad Consultation as part of two stages (between 25 June to 28 July 2025 and a second phase between 19 August and 19 September 2025). Six face-to-face workshops and five online sessions were held throughout the first phase and based on stakeholder feedback, the scope of the project was extended to allow for the drafting of new skill sets and units of competency. Feedback also prompted consideration of reinstating the nine previously withdrawn units.
During the second phase of Broad Consultation, held from 19 August to 19 September 2025, a comprehensive review process continued. This phase sought input on three new skills sets and changes made to the qualification, skill set and units. This phase included four online workshops with stakeholders contributing valued comments and feedback. Further discussions with subject matter experts and the Technical Committee were conducted to collaborate with the project team in responding to stakeholder feedback.
Thank you to those who provided feedback during these activities. Visit the ‘Development’ and ‘Broad Consultation’ tabs for more details of work and consultation undertaken during these times.
This project reviewed the Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles, developed four new skill sets and nine new units, and reviewed 20 units to improve their flexibility and relevance to the skill needs in today’s workplaces.
The final draft qualification, skill sets and units of competency have been endorsed by the Assurance Body and have now been provided to the Skills Ministers for their consideration. These drafts have also undergone an anti-discrimination assessment and review by the Senior Responsible Officers.
A Consultation Log was submitted alongside the drafts which included evidence of industry support for the changes made. A Companion Volume Implementation Guide has also been produced to assist industry and registered training providers (RTOs) deliver the units, qualification and skill sets. It contains key information to help trainers adapt to the new changes, mandatory workplace requirements, pathways and VET in schools, and additional information about the impacts of regulation and licensing implications and workplace health and safety on their training.
Key outcomes
As a result of consultation throughout the project, the qualification previously known as the Certificate III in Blinds, Awnings, Security Screens, and Grilles has been renamed to MSF30926 Certificate III in Shading and Security Screens. This change reflects industry feedback and the need for a title that more accurately represents the scope of work and emerging skills requirements.
The revised qualification offers more relevant specialisations to meet industry needs and address skills gaps. It provides greater flexibility through a broader range of electives while maintaining clear specialist areas in manufacturing, installation and security products. Of the four new skill sets, three have been developed to support manufacturers, installers and salespeople, with a fourth specifically tailored to the security screen industry to support licensing and regulatory needs. Nine new units were developed and 20 units were revised. The new units focus on safety and technical requirements that can be applied across the furnishing sector, and the revised units include updates relating to furnishing installations and integration with smart home systems such as Google Home and Alexa.
Based on advice from stakeholders, the proposed changes to the qualification, skill sets and units will:
- ensure the qualification reflects current technologies, products and installation practices to improve workforce capability
- support national occupational licensing initiatives and help businesses meet compliance requirements
- provide flexibility for employers and learners through updated packaging rules and elective options
- future-proof the industry by addressing emerging skills needs such as accurate measurement and security screen installation.
Summary of consultation
Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and expertise throughout this project. A project Technical Committee was established in May 2025 to guide the initial review of the qualification, proposed skills sets and updated units. National consultation involved stakeholders from every state and territory with regulators taking part to provide feedback on licensing implications.
Consultation
- Six in-person consultation workshops across six states
- 12 online sessions including three specialisation sessions
- 229 meeting attendees
- over 300 pieces of feedback received.
All feedback has been recorded and responded to in the Skills Insight database. The Consultation Log provides a summary of feedback from the Broad Consultation and Consensus Gathering stages and how feedback has been considered and addressed.
Documents being prepared for submission
Click on the accordions below to view the draft qualification, skill set and units of competency.
For details of all the changes to the draft, download the Summary of Changes.
Note: This project commenced prior to 1 July 2025 when the new Training Package Organising Framework was implemented. 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.
Louise Bull
Project Manager, ForestWorks
lbull@forestworks.com.au
In partnership with:



