Fish and Seafood Processing Operator

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as Fish and Seafood Processing Operator. Learners will benefit from knowing the safety measures of preparing fish and seafood for consumption to ensure standards and specifications are met. A Fish and Seafood Processing Operator, operates equipment, and performs tasks to process fish and seafood products by cleaning, grading, sorting, and preparing fish and seafood for consumption to ensure that quality standards and specifications are met. A qualified learner will be able to: • Receive fish and seafood input materials according to specifications. • Prepare fish and seafood related products for processing. • Process fish and seafood related products to specification. • Control the operation of fish and seafood processing to specification. Typical Graduate attributes: • Communication. • Problem Solving. • People Management.

The need for this qualification stems from the necessity to align two expired historical qualification. Currently, there are two-unit standard-based qualifications at Nqf Level 2 and 3. Based on the sector skills plan for the Food and Beverage Sector a specific need was identified by the Fish Seafood industry to provide a qualification to replace the two existing qualification for Fish and Seafood processors at NQF Level 2 and 3. There is no similar qualification presently registered on the NQF other than the two historical qualifications this qualification is replacing. There are two major sources of employment for a commercial fish and seafood processing operator. He or she can work at sea or in the further processing of fish and seafood in processing plants on shore. This qualification satisfies the needs for the processing of fish and seafood on shore. For the purpose of this qualification, fish includes pelagic fish species namely, sardines and pilchards, and also whitefish species, sometimes referred to as linefish. It is not an industry preference to use the term linefish as this presupposes that fish under this term would all be caught by line, while fish can also be caught by the method of trawling. For this reason, a more generic term for whitefish is used by the industry. Seafood is a generic term that incorporates shellfish, squid, octopus and molluscs. There are multiple large and small industries providing employment largely focussed on the coastal regions of Southern Africa, and this qualification will have significant benefit for the employees in this industry. There are currently no similar qualifications registered on the NQF that relate directly to this qualification. The larger processing plants and organisations will benefit from this qualification as it reflects the latest technologies and processes required for the 21st Century digital machine operator. This qualification will be recognized nationally and will qualify the processing operators in various contexts (white fish, pelagic and seafood ensuring consistency and quality across the fish and seafood industry, and also ensuring that all interested learners will have access to the right level of skills and experience. This qualification will benefit the society and the economy by enhancing citizenship, increasing social and economic productivity, providing specifically skilled and/or professional people, and transforming and redressing past inequities. Long term benefits include lateral and vertical growth opportunities for employees in food and beverage manufacturing plants and access to previously inaccessible employment opportunities at higher levels as process controllers, supervisors, and production managers. The typical learners are the school leavers wanting to enter employment in the seafood industry will use this qualification and part qualification, thus creating a pool of processors manual and automated that can advance into the various other roles in the Food and Beverage Industry. There is no professional body for the Seafood Industry. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders: Subject matter experts from large and small fishing organisations both on shore and off- shore were involved as well as experienced training providers situated within the industry. Typical occupations in this area are the following: Seafood Processing Operator; Seafood Processor; Fish filleter; Fish gutter and skinner; Seafood Process Operator; Seafood packer; Shell cleaner; Shell shucker, Crustacean cleaner and packer Collaboration with relevant stakeholders: We involved senior managers in the fish processing industry as well as members of The South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI). List typical professions in which the qualifying learner will operate (if relevant) Fish and Seafood Process Operator.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for Access Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for exemption from modules For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills programme through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be exempted from certain modules. RPL for credits Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. For a Skills Programme, the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP) must ensure all modular competency requirements are met prior to the EISA and keep record of such evidence. Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications is approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: An NQF Level 1 qualification.

• Describe the fundamental knowledge and concepts required of an employee in the workplace including communication, interpersonal relations, business understanding, manufacturing, quality and food safety in the fish and seafood processing and related products manufacturing environment.
• Explain the nature of fish and seafood (molluscs and shellfish) with reference to quality, microbiology and spoilage
• Manage a workstation according to standard operating procedures.
• Operate a single stage stand-alone seafood processing equipment according to standard operating procedures.