Career Episode Report (CER)

A CER is a structured document that allows surveyors to show how they are applying their professional and technical competencies in their day to day work. It is a description of any project or period of work that highlights their professional qualities and skills.

A CER should address the following:

• how a specific task was completed;
• the process followed;
• problems faced;
• the judgements made;
• the results and outcomes achieved;
• directly address the context of each descriptor claimed; and
• has relevant supporting documents and evidence attached.

A CER is not a description of how you would complete a job, nor is it a report or summary of work performed by someone else, even if that person was being supervised by you.  A CER is a description of work you have performed and is written in the first person (I did this).

A CER must be linked to the applicable competency framework e.g. Surveyor or respective endorsement. This is achieved by recording the descriptor numbers in the margin against the description of work performed and recording the descriptors claimed in the Executive Summary. A CER for competency assessment is generally about a task completed within the past 12-24 months.

Refer to the following documents for additional guidance for Surveying Graduates preparing CERs for the Surveyor framework assessment:

• Writing CERs for Assessment
• CER Content Guidelines
• Framework Notes and Example Comments

Steps to follow for CER submissions

Step One – Select projects and collect evidence

Take the opportunity to work with your mentor/supervisor to identify when competency has been gained in a particular type of survey referred to in the Surveyor framework and gather the necessary documentary evidence from your work records to support the CER.

Step Two – Prepare the CER

The CER must be in the standard format and authenticated, (signed by a person who has knowledge of the applicant carrying out the work), preferably a supervisor.   Progressive CERs may be lodged at any time. It may be advantageous to submit one or two CERs initially to obtain feedback from assessors on the extent and depth of evidence required.

For further information please refer to:

• Progressive Assessment of Competency – Procedure
• Guidelines for Preparing CERs
• CER Word Template

Step Three – Prepare an Executive Summary

Prepare an Executive Summary to relate your CERs and documentary evidence to the elements and descriptors of the framework. The Executive Summary will describe all the CERs in your current submission and clearly indicate to the assessor what elements and descriptors are being claimed. Update the Executive Summary with each progressive CER submission noting which descriptors have already been successfully demonstrated. The applicant must demonstrate competency in all elements and descriptors of the Surveyor framework to successfully complete the competency assessment.

For further information please refer to:

• Guidelines for Preparing Executive Summaries
• Template Surveyor Executive Summary

Step Four – Submit the first CER

With your first progressive CER, submit the following to the Board:

• an application for competency assessment Form 09A – Competency Assessment – Surveyor
• the assessment fee
• current CV
• hard copy of your signed (authenticated) CERs, evidence and Executive Summary
• electronic version (CD or USB)

The Board will write to the Surveying Graduate to confirm acceptance of the application for competency assessment and advise the assessment outcome.

Step Five – Continue to lodge CERs

Continue to prepare and lodge CERs as part of the progressive assessment of competency process.  CERs have to be lodged until all units and elements of the Surveyor competency framework are completed and demonstrated. The maximum period that the Board will hold a competency assessment matter open will be five (5) years.