SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Achieve and maintain a state of operational readiness. 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
244645  Achieve and maintain a state of operational readiness. 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Maritime Defence 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security Safety in Society 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  4 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful for people who have completed the introductory courses to warship safety management and bridge watch keeping within a naval context. These two qualifications are foundational for further progression as an officer into warship operations management, and ultimately to command and control in a maritime surface warfare environment.

This unit standard will give them the opportunity to develop and balance their practical skills in setting standards and managing exercises with the essential knowledge needed to achieve readiness states as part of a formal qualification in Warfare Operations Management.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Achieve a specified state of readiness.
  • Assist with the conduct of acceptance trials.
  • Maintain the vessel at the required state of operational readiness.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the process. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners are competent in:
  • Communications at NQF Level 4.
  • Mathematics at NQF Level 4. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Achieve a specified state of readiness. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Required levels of readiness for the vessel are determined from Navy Orders. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Criteria and/or factors determining states of readiness are identified and used as the basis for determining actions to achieve the required state of readiness for the vessel, as specified in Naval Orders and publications. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Criteria and factors include: personnel or lack of personnel; intended operations or maintenance.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The purpose of the required state of readiness is confirmed with reference to the criteria and Naval Orders. The purpose is communicated clearly to all affected personnel. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Plans to achieve the required state are specific with respect to required actions, roles and responsibilities of personnel, resources available for use, timelines, and desired outcomes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Required inspections to determine the state of readiness are identified and executed. Variances from required levels are identified, and actions taken address variances and promote achievement of the desired state. Actions are consistent with standard operating procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The appropriate authority is notified on the state of readiness of the vessel as required by Naval Orders once required state is achieved, in accordance with standard operating procedure. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Assist with the conduct of acceptance trials. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Includes all assets involved in trials: assets. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Different types of trials are described in terms of their purpose and requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Trials include: installation inspections; setting to work; harbour acceptance (including basin trials); readiness acceptance; sea-acceptance.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Plans for the readiness acceptance trials include all assets affected by the trials, and are prepared in accordance with navy orders and standard operating procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Personnel involved in trials are identified in terms of their contribution, roles and responsibility, and scope of authority. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Criteria and/or specifications for readiness acceptance are identified and communicated to personnel directly involved in trials in time to support effective preparation for trials. Briefing for trials promotes their successful execution. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Criteria include: periods, rates.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Procedures governing trials are identified and plans for the readiness acceptance trials are coordinated in accordance with navy orders as laid down in standard operating procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Preparation meets the requirements of relevant procedures, and is completed by the stipulated time. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Maintain the vessel at the required state of operational readiness. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Routines established to monitor the state of readiness include scheduled inspections and a matrix of purpose designed exercises to maintained required levels. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Exercises are executed at scheduled times. Variances are noted and corrective actions are appropriate to the nature of the variance, and executed with a degree of urgency consistent with the required state of readiness. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Efforts of personnel are coordinated via appropriate channels of command to ensure that levels of readiness are maintained between scheduled inspections. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Reports to OST and Officer Commanding provide required detail on the state of readiness in terms of the criteria, and are submitted on time and in the correct format. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Evaluate the effectiveness of the process. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Debriefing sessions are conducted in a positive and constructive manner. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Information pertinent to the evaluation is gathered from all relevant sources and involved personnel. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Personnel involved in the readiness exercises are debriefed in accordance with established naval debriefing procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The evaluation report produced complies with format and content requirements and is forwarded to the appropriate authority via approved channels. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Information relating to the readiness process is disseminated via approved channels to assist with refinement of equipment, responses and procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Debriefs are conducted to validate and/or contribute to the development of effective training evolutions. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this unit standard must be accredit as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
  • Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the ETQA's policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation.
  • Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the qualification, unless ETQA policies are specified otherwise. Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual unit standards as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • SOLAS Convention (specifically Chapter V).
  • STCW Convention (specifically Chapters II and VIII).
  • Merchant Shipping Notices.
  • Marine Radar Performance Specifications.
  • Automatic Radar Plotting Aids Performance Specifications.
  • Reports of Courts of Marine Enquiry relevant to safe navigation.
  • Marine Accident Investigation Bureau reports relevant to safe navigation. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:

    Every candidate for certification shall:
  • Be required to demonstrate the competence to undertake, at operational level, the tasks, duties and responsibilities listed in the STCW Code (Table A-II/1).
  • At least hold an appropriate certificate for performing VHF radio-communications in accordance with the requirements of the Radio Regulations.
  • If designated to have primary responsibility for radio-communications during distress incidents, hold an appropriate certificate issued or recognised under the provisions of the Radio Regulations.

    In addition, every candidate for certification shall:
  • Be required to provide evidence of having achieved the required standard of competence in accordance with the methods for demonstrating competence and the criteria for evaluating competence tabulated in STCW Code (Table A-II/1).

    Definition of Terms:

    Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  64129   National Certificate: Warship Operations  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 
    Elective  58840   National Certificate: Submarine Operations  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.