Have you recently tried becoming a WIA Exams Assessor?

[VK5GR]

Recently a discussion occurred at my local radio club about what was involved in becoming WIA Exams Service assessor. It seems to be getting to the point in Adelaide at least where more often than not the only way to run an exam is go through only one radio club who had enough qualified people, or at least get someone from that club to help stage an exam for the lone assessors left in the other clubs.

So, I thought - really - can it be that hard to become one? After all, we all want to see more people get into the Amateur Service

So far however I'm baffled!

A few hours of research on the WIA site and trying to find a body who can deliver the training modules I apparently need to complete in order to qualify as an assessor I have come up with the following:

• it looks to me like it might cost be around $1500 in tuition fees to do about 1/4 of a Certificate IV course in Workplace Training
• and take about 6 months of study!
• and I'm not clear on whether there is some ongoing refresher course I would need to do every 3 years in order to maintain currency

This is to just learn how to set up a room, handle the quality control and process people through the experience in an unbiased and professional way...... We are not talking about writing exam questions, nor are we involved in setting or marking the majority of the technical content (except for the practical part of the assessment). This is mostly how to conduct the exams themselves.

Now I completely agree there have to be standards and controls in place, but really, has it reached the point where it is just a bit too hard?

Or, am I missing something here and it isn't as hard as it appears? (Mind you if it isn't, then the WIA board should perhaps step up here and help by providing clearer information on their website).

Interested to hear if anyone else has tried to do this recently from scratch? What exactly did you have to do, how much did it cost and what is the subsequent maintenance requirements of your accreditation? Have I understood the requirements correctly or have I drastically missed something here? Surely it isn't as hard as it appears?

Regards,
Grant VK5GR

[VK4EA]

Call Fred Swainston at Silvertrain, it's a zero cost course of about 4 modules done by correspondence. To be accepted into the course a radio club endorsement is required. In Qld you need to hold a "Working with Children" card, not sure what the SA equivalent is. Not that difficult. The Cert IV is only required if you are becoming a Nominated Assessor.

http://www.silvertrain.com.au/assessors ... Show_login

Sent from my SM-T805 using Tapatalk

[VK2XSO]

Move the entire exam system online.

No need for assessors and a JP can verify ID.
The only function of an assessor is to verify the ID of the person sitting the exam.
The WIA requires assessors to be members. Compulsory unionism is still alive.

I'd be an assessor except for two things.
1> I don't want to join the WIA.
2> I don't want to look people in the eye and be a front for an over charging and pathetically slow and bureaucratic system.

[VK4WDM]

Hi Trash

I have used on-line exams in my professional arena for about 15 years and they work well, but they are not as simple to set up and regulate as people think. They are obviously more convenient for the candidates than face to face exams but in my experience they are certainly not cheaper for either the candidate or the examining body. For the AR exams there is also the practical assessment which cannot be done on line.

As for cost, I would really like to see a quote from other RTO's including TAFE. My guess it that they would be more expensive than the WIA.

Anyway, at the end of the day, any changes to the system, including cost recovery, lies with the ACMA not the WIA.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4TI]

" Anyway, at the end of the day, any changes to the system, including cost recovery, lies with the ACMA not the WIA. "


Consider that a cert 2 or 3 with funding runs into thousands of dollars Wayne an unfunded cert 4 over 10k and a diploma 14>15k
scary huh ?
It's very possible to set the exams online with moodle but the initial setup deos cost a fair bit so again the cost is an inhiniting factor

[VK4WDM]

My exams pre-dated Moodle (for those who don't know we are talking about https://moodle.org/) but that is something that the WIA could consider not just for exams, but for license tutoring as well.

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4DU]

The exam system is designed and administered by the ACMA.

Pointless bashing the WIA.

[VK4TI]

"VK4DU"The exam system is designed and administered by the ACMA.

Pointless bashing the WIA.""
I don't see it as wia bashing , you are correct as to the exam matter BUT it's administered by the wia and as such the most expedient method might well be online , once running the training and application of the exam process merely needs a suitable person like a police officer . minister local teacher or other suitable person to be in attendance at the exam meaning distance education might well be in order to a larger degree would it not ?
On average a module takes just a few hours to adjust and will run flawlessly .
I can only imagine the disaster if people stopped giving their time for free as certainly the training and exam costs would be prohibitive and the hobby would fail to grow
All that needs to happen for an online presence is a server be found and the moodle and exams /training material be configured and tested as required then access allowed , wouldn't take long once labour is found
B

[VK4DU]

I agree, it should be streamlined, however it is not just a matter of doing it.

The ACMA would have to be consulted.....

[VK4TI]

" VK4DU "
I agree, it should be streamlined, however it is not just a matter of doing it.

The ACMA would have to be consulted....."

Obviously the dept would be consulted , it's a given that they would be after all it;s their programme but I can't see an objection to streamlining unless a curmugeon gets involved

oh wait .....

[VK2MUS]

" Anyway, at the end of the day, any changes to the system, including cost recovery, lies with the ACMA not the WIA. "


Consider that a cert 2 or 3 with funding runs into thousands of dollars Wayne an unfunded cert 4 over 10k and a diploma 14>15k
scary huh ?
It's very possible to set the exams online with moodle but the initial setup deos cost a fair bit so again the cost is an inhiniting factor

why would the setup cost be high - moodle is free software , I assume the WIA has a server already if not I could supply hosting space for a few dollars a week and install moodle for free , the only real cost is to move the current testing across to moodle - as the current system relies on multi-answer questions setting up the exams in moodle should require only moderate intelligence - even Trash could do it . The practical could be done at the clubs for most. The remote rural will always pose problems

[VK4TI]

You get what you pay for so I expect anything installed will need paid help , or are you offering to do it for free , and have the modules been written correctly ?

be careful what you wish for

[VK2XSO]

Practical exam.... why?
The practical exam is a joke.
There was no practical exam up until 2005.
What benefit has it brought amateur radio?

Pointless bashing the WIA

$75 for a tick on a piece of paper for the pointless practical exam?
Where does the $75 go? To the ACMA?

It's disgraceful and there is two sensible solutions that I can think of.

1> The entire exam system be withdrawn from the WIA's involvement and automated online directly by the ACMA.
or
2> The exam process be process standardised and open to competition. ie Organisations or individuals report directly to the ACMA.


The Minister for Communications is the only person who could make it happen, but he has no incentive to do so.
The ACMA certainly have no incentive or desire to fix the system and the WIA says they'd like to fix it but the ACMA won't let them.
I believe that like I believe there are Geese that lay golden eggs. The incentive is for the WIA not to do anything.

In order for a Minister to instruct the executive government to do something specific there has to be a clear gain for the minister or his party.
Either revenue or votes. There isn't enough of either for him to consider even ignoring amateur radio.
The ACMA has nothing to gain by changing the system, they collect the tax. That makes Malcolm, Joe and Tony happy because they're counting pennies right now.
What does the WIA gain by changing the system?

Pointless bashing the WIA

Makes you want to clock the WIA like a Canadian fur seal.
That's right it's pointless because complaining to them or about it is not going to make them fix it.
They're never going to fix it and they're not going to even try. The is no incentive or punishment for them to do so at any level.


One solution I do see is Anarchy.
Ignore or encourage ham radio piracy. That is anybody jumps on amateur radio, pick a blank callsign and go for it.
What does this do?
Deprives the WIA of examination candidates.
Deprives the ACMA and government of a tiny amount of revenue.
Costs the ACMA time and money to police the spectrum (if they chose to do so)
Costs the government shitloads of time and money trying to prosecute large numbers of people for petty crime.

The government will do nothing. They'll continue to ignore the situation for the same reason they have no incentive to act now.
It does them no good and no harm to do nothing.

But Australians have become good at obeying the law. They find it difficult to do otherwise unless there is a clear personal gain for doing so.

[VK5ZLR]

Why can't we have VK2XSO as the minister for communications? The position is surely about to become vacant......

The Wallies Institute has an excellent business model:
-a govt sponsored monopoly position
-can charge what they like
-can deliver as little as they like

There is obviously no short term advantage for the ACMA in changing the status quo.

There needs to be competition & transparency in the exam/licensing system.

[VK2MUS]

I have to agree with Trash - the prac exam is totally useless - I did mine on the balcony of the Wyong Race Club with not a radio or a bit of wire in sight
Practical implies that you have infrastructure in place to carry out the event - this is only true if you are near a radio club or have an assessor come to your shack and use your equipment.

[VK3ZAZ]

I have to agree with Trash - the prac exam is totally useless - I did mine on the balcony of the Wyong Race Club with not a radio or a bit of wire in sight
Practical implies that you have infrastructure in place to carry out the event - this is only true if you are near a radio club or have an assessor come to your shack and use your equipment.

I would never admit to this.
It is bit like saying flew a simulator and got a pilots permit.

Shows up the flawed system.
But then its self fulfilling prophesy, dumming down the hobby then promulgated by those dumbed down leads to what?
But then it is Ham radio and when I got my ZED call in 63 the OTs said theer goes the hobby..
no commercial overtones or significant consequences if you dont know your theory or practice
Less qrm on cw also.

[VK4TJ]

To get the topic back on track - another option is to become a "learning facilitator", if all you want to do is sit in second seat for a lone assessor. I'm one of those "lone assessors" in the bush, and I rely heavily on LF'ers. The LF'er process is a little weird, but it is definitely 100% online. *CALL* (do not email) Fred if you want to pursue it. Emails to Fred go to the great bit bucket in the sky. If you call him, diarise a follow-up call for 7 days time, and every subsequent 7 days, or that, too, will fall into his bit bucket.

There is a sub-text at work that probably will never be articulated by those at the top - Fred was pretty happy with the uptake for assessors. 5 years on, he's pretty UNHAPPY with those assessors who have never done an assessment, or maybe do 1 or 2 per year, so he sees no reason to do another travelling road show to sign up more. That's great for the capital cities, but a bit rough on those of us in the bush, who may have missed the first cattle call. I believe the other poster is correct - Fred has relented a bit, and made it possible to become an assessor online, though I know from at least 1 candidate that the road is somewhat rocky.

73
John VK4TJ
WIA assessor 4-035

[VK3ALB]

I have to agree with Trash - the prac exam is totally useless - I did mine on the balcony of the Wyong Race Club with not a radio or a bit of wire in sight
Practical implies that you have infrastructure in place to carry out the event - this is only true if you are near a radio club or have an assessor come to your shack and use your equipment.

That says more about the assessor than the process.

Assessor alert 103 states quite clearly in relation to the practical assessment, "Assessors must have the equipment indicated in the exam instructions and QSO's conducted during the exam are on air using live equipment.".

[VK2JDH]

1> The entire exam system be withdrawn from the WIA's involvement and automated online directly by the ACMA.
or
2> The exam process be process standardised and open to competition. ie Organisations or individuals report directly to the ACMA.

.

If you have a 'commercial' organization doing the exam and assessment it is going to cost way more.

For example is you wish to take a Cisco CCNA ( the base level certification) exam it is completely online ,less that 60 min and it costs around $300.

The ACMA is moving away from direct involvement in almost all of it's functions.

[VK2MUS]

That says more about the assessor than the process.

Assessor alert 103 states quite clearly in relation to the practical assessment, "Assessors must have the equipment indicated in the exam instructions and QSO's conducted during the exam are on air using live equipment.".

It does not say more about the assessors - it does say more about those designing the exam and requirements that assessors in these more rural and remote situations are not given the equipment to full fill the requirements. IN a remote or rural situation where the assessor even comes to the applicants home there may be no radio gear already purchased that can be used for a prac exam . The prac exam procedure assumes that there will always be the required radio equipment available and this of course cannot be assumed - so just what does an assessor do in this situation.