Certificate IV or Diploma?

CPC40120 covers planning and supervising building work within a defined class scope. CPC50220 adds contracts, estimating, tendering, labour and material scheduling, and business risk. Most state licensing schemes distinguish between them - check what your jurisdiction requires for the class of work you want to do.

Does this give me a builder's licence?

No. Licences are issued by state and territory authorities with their own experience and financial requirements. This qualification is commonly a component of the application.

Only three electives?

Yes, and at most one from outside the package. The content is effectively fixed, which is appropriate for a qualification that underpins licensing.

Do I need the Certificate IV first?

Not as a register requirement - entry requirements are recorded as none. The two share several core units, and many people complete the Certificate IV first.

What does it cost and how long does it take?

Both are set by each provider and are not published on the national register.

CPC50220 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

About this qualification

CPC50220 is the qualification for building professionals running projects rather than trades. The register describes people who apply “knowledge of structural principles, risk and financial management, estimating, preparing and administering building and construction contracts, selecting contractors, overseeing the work and its quality”.

Twenty-seven units, and twenty-four are core. You choose three, and at most one may come from outside the package. That is among the most locked-down structures in this directory, and it reflects what the qualification is for — it underpins builder licensing in most jurisdictions, so the content cannot drift.

The step up from CPC40120 is commercial rather than technical: selecting, preparing and administering construction contracts, producing estimated costs, labour and material schedules, and preparing and evaluating tender documentation. All core, none present at Certificate IV.

It also imports BSBOPS504 Manage business risk and BSBWHS513 Lead WHS risk management from the Business Services package — at this level you are running a business, not just a site.

Roles it maps to

Roles described on the national register for CPC50220.

Builder Construction Manager Estimator Contract Administrator Project Manager — Building

Where it sits

Where CPC50220 sits in the construction package.

Certificate IIICPC30220 Carpentry
Certificate IVCPC40120 Building and Construction
Diploma · you are hereCPC50220 Building and Construction (Building)
Diploma · commonly held with itBSB50820 Project Management

What it covers

24Core units

3Elective units

Twenty-seven units in total: twenty-four core plus three electives, of which a maximum of one may come from any training package or accredited course.

Twenty-four core units. The first thirteen:

BSBOPS504 Manage business risk
BSBWHS513 Lead WHS risk management
CPCCBC4001 Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 1 and 10 buildings
CPCCBC4003 Select, prepare and administer a construction contract
CPCCBC4004 Identify and produce estimated costs for building and construction projects
CPCCBC4005 Produce labour and material schedules for ordering
CPCCBC4008 Supervise site communication and administration processes for building and construction projects
CPCCBC4009 Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects
CPCCBC4010 Apply structural principles to residential and commercial constructions
CPCCBC4012 Read and interpret plans and specifications
CPCCBC4013 Prepare and evaluate tender documentation
CPCCBC4014 Prepare simple building sketches and drawings
CPCCBC4018 Apply site surveys and set-out procedures to building and construction projects
CPCCBC4053 Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Class 2 to 9 Type C buildings
CPCCBC5001 Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for Type B construction
CPCCBC5002 Monitor costing systems on complex building and construction projects
CPCCBC5003 Supervise the planning of on-site building and construction work
CPCCBC5005 Select and manage building and construction contractors
CPCCBC5007 Administer the legal obligations of a building and construction contractor
CPCCBC5010 Manage construction work
CPCCBC5011 Manage environmental management practices and processes in building and construction
CPCCBC5013 Manage professional technical and legal reports on building and construction projects
CPCCBC5018 Apply structural principles to the construction of buildings up to three storeys
CPCCBC5019 Manage building and construction business finances

For a full list of elective units, visit training.gov.au →

Frequently asked questions

Certificate IV or Diploma?: CPC40120 covers planning and supervising building work within a defined class scope. CPC50220 adds contracts, estimating, tendering, labour and material scheduling, and business risk. Most state licensing schemes distinguish between them — check what your jurisdiction requires for the class of work you want to do.
Does this give me a builder's licence?: No. Licences are issued by state and territory authorities with their own experience and financial requirements. This qualification is commonly a component of the application.
Only three electives?: Yes, and at most one from outside the package. The content is effectively fixed, which is appropriate for a qualification that underpins licensing.
Do I need the Certificate IV first?: Not as a register requirement — entry requirements are recorded as none. The two share several core units, and many people complete the Certificate IV first.
What does it cost and how long does it take?: Both are set by each provider and are not published on the national register.

Other registered providers

Filtered by where each provider is based, not where they can deliver.

NSW

TAFE NSWRTO 90003

Deliver and assess · National
QLD

TAFE QueenslandRTO 0275

Deliver and assess · National
WA

North Metropolitan TAFERTO 52786

Deliver and assess · WA
QLD

Halo Nation TrainingRTO 32485

Deliver and assess · National
WA

WA Dept of Training and Workforce DevelopmentRTO 52395

Deliver and assess · WA
QLD

National SkillsRTO 45438

Deliver and assess · National
VIC

The Management EdgeRTO 3927

Deliver and assess · National
NSW

Open CollegesRTO 90796

Deliver and assess · National
TAS

Reach Community CollegeRTO 40747

Deliver and assess · National
NSW

Captain Cook InstituteRTO 91707

Deliver and assess · National
QLD

Australian Trade Training CollegeRTO 31399

Deliver and assess · National
SA

Salford CollegeRTO 40298

Deliver and assess · National
Find more providers

12 of 298 providers shown — search the register for the rest
training.gov.au →

More in Construction

Other qualifications in the CPC training package, nearest level first.

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Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

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