Frequently Asked Questions
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About the IPWEA Qualification
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Q: What qualification is awarded for the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning?
A: The IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning is a short course which is practitioner based and focussed. A professional certificate is awarded by IPWEA upon successful completion of the course. Successful candidates may use the postnominals: ProfCertAM if they choose to do so. E.g. J.Citizen ProfCertAM.
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Q: Is the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning recognised by Engineers Australia?
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A: As an IPWEA course that extends or updates a practitioner’s knowledge and skills, it is eligible to be recognised for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by Engineers Australia as it relates to their area of practice. However, Engineers Australia doesn’t nominate points or hours that a course is eligible for. It is up to the individual candidate to seek recognition based on the number of hours. As a guide, each module will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete the mandatory learning activities. Additionally, you will be required to complete your final assignment, a draft Asset Management Plan incorporating an Improvement Plan. Your final assignment may take 20-30 hours to complete, depending upon the size and readiness of your asset management information.
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An optional 45 minute live Q&A session is scheduled each module, providing an opportunity for you to ask questions and discuss key concepts of asset management with a mentor. You would also need to look at the rules that are applied by EA in seeking recognition of CPD. Our understanding is that this course is a Type II course for the purposes of EA's definitions.
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Q: Is the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning recognised by The Engineering Institute of Canada?
A: The Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) recognizes NAMS Canada as a Quality Provider of continuing education units (CEU) to the engineering community. Successful completion of the Professional Certificate is recognized as 5.0 EU points by EIC. Let us know if you are seeking CEU’s under the EIC as we will need to register you for this recognition.
You would also need to look at the rules that are applied by your own professional association in seeking recognition of CPD.
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About the Course
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Q: What is difference between the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning and the 3-4 day NAMS.PLUS workshop?
The online interactive webinar series of the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning covers all areas of the NAMS.PLUS face-to-face workshops in an online delivery platform. In addition, it includes progressive course assessment and guidance to assist in ensuring that the participants can develop a draft infrastructure AMP at the end of the course. Each of the modules gives participants the opportunity to collect necessary data for the respective exercises and complete these in a more meaningful and timely manner.
The NAMS.PLUS 3-4 day course is designed for intensive group training, often in-house or regionally, for those that can attend face-to-face training. It is a workshop to develop awareness of the skills for asset management planning and using NAMS.PLUS tools and resources.
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Q: How much time would be required or recommended to complete the course?
The number of hours required to complete the certificate (7 modules over 9 weeks plus time at the end of the course to submit your completed AM Plan as part of assessment) has been estimated as:
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On average, each module will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete the mandatory learning activities. Additionally, you will be required to complete your final assignment, a draft Asset Management Plan incorporating an Improvement Plan. Your final assignment may take 20-30 hours to complete, depending upon the size and readiness of your asset management information.
An optional 45 minute live Q&A session is scheduled each module, providing an opportunity for you to ask questions and discuss key concepts of asset management with a mentor.
Total estimated 50 – 60 hours (depending on available data & previous experience).
This includes sourcing asset register data, participating in the Cahoot discussion forum, answering multiple choice questions, working with the templates, downloading graphs, and developing up the draft asset management plan. The time taken will also depend on previous knowledge and experience, ready access to data and other factors.
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Q: Do I have to attend online live training sessions?
A: Each of the modules consists of videos and homework tasks. These can be undertaken during the week of the module at a time that suits the participant. Weekly there will be a live Q&A session in which participants can raise questions and receive answers directly from the course mentors. The Q&A sessions will be recorded but are not mandatory for successful completion of the course. The recording of the Q&A session is usually available within 24 hours of each live event.
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Q: What happens if I get behind completing the course modules? Can I catch up?
A: For some mandatory learning activities, it is possible to catch up on your work. However, if the catch up is going to impact the two assessment deadlines, you will need to request an extension. Extensions are only provided to participants who satisfy certain requirements. Refer to the course Terms and Conditions for further information. Extensions are the exception, not the norm.
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Q: Can people from overseas participate in the Live Event Q&A webinar or only watch the recorded sessions because of the different time zones?
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A: The majority of the course is flexible and can be completed as best suits the participant. There will be live Q&A Sessions for each module. Recorded Q&A sessions can be at any time before the end of course. The course is highly relevant for overseas applications. Overseas registrants can participate in the live Q&A sessions, but the time zone difference may make this less desirable. This is one reason why Q&A sessions are recorded in full for you to view when it is convenient for you to watch them. If there is sufficient demand from overseas, live events may be scheduled in more suitable time zones. We are currently experiencing rapid take-up of this course from overseas.
It is possible to complete the course by just viewing the recordings. In a recent International course, candidates from North America participated in the Live Events as these were live in the early evening in their local time zone.
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Q: If you don’t work directly for a Council, Municipality or local government, but work as a Consultant to the Council, can you still use the NAMS.PLUS tools for clients or register for the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning?
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A: Yes. Consultants can register for the International Professional Certificate. If a consultant wishes to use the NAMS.PLUS tools & resources for their clients, they need to be affiliated or "sponsored" with a client NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity. A letter authorising the consultant to have access to the entity’s NAMS.PLUS log in is required from the subscribing entity. Email admin@ipwea.org to obtain these forms.
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Q: Considering the end goal is to draft an Asset Management Plan, can people work collaboratively on the assignments?
A: Yes, but assignments must be your own work. The participation in the live interactive events can only be by one person in the entity per registration (however registered participants can watch the live sessions as a group). The Professional Certificate is only awarded to candidates who have registered and successfully completed the course. There can be collaboration, but each person must actively participate in live sessions and all work.
All online work, discussions and Q&A’s should be the individual's own work. It is important that we can record your progress and have guarantees that you are participating in the course. Duplicated or substantially the same work submitted by two candidates will not be accepted.
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Q: Is IPWEA Australasia a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)?
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A: No. This course is not an AQF accredited course. It is professional industry training delivered by expert practitioners. There is an increasing number of position vacant advertisements requiring that the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management is a pre-requisite to the position.
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Q: Can participants gain access to any higher education fee assistance scheme (Australian HECS etc)?
A: No, participants cannot gain access to HECS as this is an IPWEA course, not a higher education course.
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Q: Is the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning equivalent to a TAFE Cert 4 or higher or a post graduate certificate?
A: No. This is an IPWEA practitioner, industry-based course. It is recognised by the industry and often listed as a pre-requisite for local government and municipal positions. It is however recognised for CPD hours with Engineers Australia and other CPD bodies.
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Q: Does this course cover the new standards (ISO 55000) and the latest IIMM?
A: Yes. This content of this course is consistent with the new ISO 55000 Standards and also the IIMM Supplement. There is a good alignment between the ISO and the IIMM. There is a lot of common content, but they are structured quite differently. ISO 55001 follows the standard ISO structure for management systems standards and works from the more strategic to operational requirements. It is the ‘what to do’ of asset management.
The International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM, an IPWEA publication) is a ‘how to’ guide and is intended to take the user through the logical steps of defining AM requirements (section 2) and then developing AM strategies to meet these requirements across the asset lifecycle (section 3), all of which is supported by AM enablers (section 4). The IIMM provides comprehensive guidance across all of the ISO standard requirements.
This course is not specifically about ISO or IIMM. This course is about writing a credible AM Plan consistent with the requirements of ISO & IIMM.
You do not have to use the NAMS.PLUS system, however as the course has to be based upon an AM system, we use the NAMS.PLUS as that system. You can apply the AM principles learned to any advanced AM system.
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About the Course Registration
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Q: Is there any Group Discount for the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning?
A: Yes. 20% group discounts are available if you are registering more than 6 people from the same entity; 15% for 3-5 participants. Enquire at admin@ipwea.org.
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Q: I have missed the close-off date for the last course. Will the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning be offered again?
A: Yes, we run the program at least twice a year commencing February / March and August / September. Separate dates apply for dedicated NAMS Canada courses. Contact: support@namscanada.org for latest details.
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Q: The certificate has already started, am I still able to register?
A: Yes. We accept registrations a few weeks after the certificate begins, however you will be required to watch the modules and catch up in accordance with course requirements. The live sessions are recorded to assist you.
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About NAMS.PLUS
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Q: Is the course structure weighted towards developing AM skills or towards use of the NAMS.PLUS templates and tools?
A: The course is aimed at developing skills in people to develop a draft AM Plan. It is a practical example of AM Planning and uses the NAMS.PLUS tools and templates. The main purpose of the NAMS.PLUS templates and modelling is to enable people to develop their AM Plans in a short timeframe. All the information required is in, and consistent with, the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM).
The NAMS.PLUS tools make drafting an Asset Management Plan much faster as there is no need to develop the templates and modelling from scratch. People can do the work themselves in a few months if they wish rather than use the NAMS.PLUS templates, but we find our tools, templates and other resources give a good start. Over 400 local governments and public utilities across Australia, Canada and increasingly in the United States use the NAMS.PLUS system.
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Q: Is this just a course about the NAMS.Plus Tools and Templates?
A: No. A creditable AMP has to be based upon data and analysis. Whilst entities can use a variety of approaches, for the purposes of the course, we are going to base it on the highly acclaimed IPWEA tools and templates, which is an industry recognised approach.
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Q: Why NAMS.PLUS is better than other Systems?
A: The great advantage about NAMS.PLUS and the ongoing subscription is that once you have developed an asset management plan it doesn’t stop there. NAMS.PLUS allows you to review, refine and update AMPs as often as required. There is no limit to how many data sets can be put in for modelling for subscribers.
When entities adopt the process where the AMPs feed into their Long Term Financial Plans which in turn drive the budget, annual updates of the AMPs will be very straight forward using NAMS.PLUS.
NAMS.PLUS and the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning are designed to build your own internal staff capacity and competency. It does not rely upon consultants doing the work for you; however, if you would like the assistance of consultants there are many NAMS accredited consultants that can assist you. Contact IPWEA if you would like a list of these.
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Q: What's meant by “sponsored by a NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity”? How can you obtain proof that you are sponsored by a NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity?
A:NAMS.PLUS is subscription-based service that provides tools, templates and other resources for developing your asset management plan. Our systems know if you are attached to a financial NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity when you go to register online. See www.ipwea.org/namsplus or www.namscanada.org/namsplus for further details.
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Q: What if my entity is not a NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity - can I still enrol for the Professional Certificate?
A: Yes, but with limitations. IPWEA has introduced a free NAMS.PLUS trial limited subscription for individuals enrolling for the IPWEA Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning so that they can seek to gain the qualification where their entity is not a NAMS.PLUS subscriber.
This trial subscription is on a time-limited basis (approx. 4 months) for the duration of the Course only. Some functions have been disabled but sufficient access to NAMS.PLUS tools & resources is provided for completing the course.
NAMS.PLUS tools and resources made available as part of the trial subscription are strictly for course use only. Candidates are required to agree that Draft Asset Management Plans completed during the Course, and NAMS.PLUS tools, templates and other resources made available to complete the Course must not be used for any other purpose beyond the Course (unless a subscribing organisation).
A NAMS.PLUS subscription is required to be taken out to activate use beyond the sole personal purpose of completing the Course. Employer entities (e.g., local government) and Consultants cannot make use of the draft plan or other NAMS.PLUS resources without becoming a NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity (asset-owning public entities) or (for Consultants) their client is a NAMS.PLUS subscribing entity.
Candidates are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that NAMS.PLUS resources are not used beyond their personal purpose of completing the Course.
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Q: Is it possible for Consultants to subscribe to NAMS.PLUS?
A: No. Consultants can't subscribe to the full NAMS.PLUS program. Your asset-owning clients need to subscribe. The benefit of a Consultant doing the course is so that you can then use our tools and templates for NAMS.PLUS subscribing entities. We can provide Consultants with a free limited trial subscription to NAMS.PLUS for the purpose of undertaking the Professional Certificate the course.
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Q: In order to register for the Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning, can entities subscribe to NAMS.PLUS now?
A: Yes, Councils can subscribe to NAMS.PLUS at any time during the year. See www.ipwea.org/namsplus or www.namscanada.org/namsplus for further details.
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Is the ownership of NAMS.PLUS with IPWEA? Will NAMS.PLUS be on-going?
A: The copyright and ownership of NAMS.PLUS is with IPWEA. As we are a professional institute, we have expertise in the latest technology for back-end processing and cloud-based backups. It is therefore important that IPWEA’s IP in the spreadsheets and other NAMS.PLUS resources are protected. Hence, they are contained within secured documents. Final analysis is undertaken by lodging the spreadsheet data for analysis to our website and NAMS.PLUS portal.
All data submitted to the NAMS.PLUS for uploading is retained by the submitting entity in the form of the spreadsheet, so entities retain their own data. IPWEA has been operating and supporting NAMS.PLUS since 2007.
Importantly, NAMS.PLUS is provided by IPWEA as a prominent and professional member association. IPWEA first started in NSW over 100 years ago.We are here for the long term and so is NAMS.PLUS.
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Q: Is NAMS.PLUS suitable for different needs?
A: Yes. NAMS.PLUS tools and resources are particularly relevant to infrastructure-related entities, inclusive of local government, public utilities and owners of physical infrastructure assets.
NAMS.PLUS has been used by over 80 municipalities in Canada demonstrating the application in other countries. Queensland TMR (State Road authority), RMS NSW and others have used our NAMS.PLUS courses to provide training to enhance skills development in the principles of asset management planning to their staff.
IPWEA has also delivered in-house courses.
The Victorian State Government in 2016 published its Better Guide to Asset Management and cited the NAMS.PLUS system as one that Victorian Councils should be considering adopting.
The principles of our work are transferable to different situations beyond local government and across international countries. Our tools are particularly suitable to road, drainage, water, sewerage and other networks, parks assets, buildings, recreation, and other facilities but are applicable to all physical infrastructure assets.
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