Frequently Asked Questions

The Combined General and Timber Pest Management course bundles two AIT courses, covering five nationally accredited units from the Certificate III in Urban Pest Management:

• General Pest Management: CPPUPM3005 Manage pests without applying pesticides, CPPUPM3006 Manage pests by applying pesticides, and CPPUPM3018 Maintain equipment and pesticide storage area in pest management vehicles.
• Timber Pest Management: CPPUPM3008 Inspect for and report on timber pests, and CPPUPM3010 Control timber pests.

When you're assessed as competent, you receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for each course.

Most timber pest technicians start in general pest work, and many licences for timber pest work need both sets of units. In Queensland, for example, a licence for timber pest work requires all five units in this bundle. Enrolling in both together also saves you $300.

General pest management: how to inspect homes and businesses for pests, identify them, and manage them both with and without pesticides. Topics include integrated pest management, pest biology, inspection techniques, hygiene and proofing methods, pesticide selection and modes of action, labels and safety data sheets, calculating and mixing, sprayer calibration, baits, dusts, gels, granules and space treatments, and setting up a safe, legal storage area in your vehicle.

Timber pest management: how to inspect buildings and sites for timber pests, identify them and the damage they cause, write inspection reports, and plan and carry out treatments. Topics include termite, borer and wood decay biology, construction methods and pressure areas, inspection tools and safety, Australian Standards and codes of practice, general versus pre-purchase inspections, termite management systems, baiting, dusting, foaming and soil treatments, calculating termiticide quantities, chemical safety, and monitoring treatment results.

General pests: ants, cockroaches, rodents and spiders, plus bed bugs, bees and wasps, birds, fabric pests, fleas, flies, mites, occasional invaders such as millipedes and springtails, psocids (booklice) and stored product pests.

Timber pests: subterranean termites, dampwood termites, drywood termites, borers and wood decay fungi.

People starting a career as a pest management technician who want to offer both general and timber pest services, and anyone working in the industry who needs these units for a licence.

Yes. The course is available to students in all Australian states and territories.

You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. You also need a work placement with a supervising pest management business, arranged before you enrol. There are no prerequisite units.

Yes. You must complete your general pest work under the supervision of a licensed general pest technician, and your timber pest work under a licensed timber pest technician. You need to arrange your supervision before enrolling. If you don't have a supervisor, we can refer you to affiliated pest companies in capital cities. Supervision through an affiliated company costs $2,400 + GST for both courses ($1,200 + GST each), paid directly to the pest company. This isn't included in the course fee.

Fully online and self-paced through our learning platform. There are no classes or timetables, so you can study whenever suits you.

About 200 hours of learning (about 100 hours for each course). You have 9 months from enrolment to complete both courses.

No. The learning platform walks you through each module and is easy to use. You'll need a computer or tablet with internet access, and a phone or camera for photo evidence on the job.

Yes. Each unit has a downloadable learner guide with the same content as the online modules, so you can read it offline or keep it handy at work.

Yes. Our industry-qualified trainers are available to help through the learning platform, and you can call us on 1800 248 249.

For each unit, you record 7 premises in your logbook with documents and photos, and your supervisor validates them. Your assessor observes the other 3, in person or by live video. For the general pest units, the three observed jobs must together cover ants, cockroaches, rodents and spiders. For the timber pest units, at least one observed job in each unit must involve subterranean termites. For CPPUPM3018, your supervisor validates your workbook and your assessor has a short interview with you about your spill kit and equipment.

Inspection and treatment equipment, pesticides, termiticides and PPE through your supervising business, plus the Australian Standards AS 3660 and AS 4349.3 and the industry codes of practice for termite management and pre-purchase timber pest inspections.

Each unit has an online multiple-choice knowledge assessment with a pass mark of 80%, plus the workplace evidence described above. Your assessor reviews everything and makes the final competency decision.

You'll see which topics to review, and you can go back over the modules and try again.

Two options are available:

1. Pay upfront: $2,690 (includes a $300 bundle discount)
2. Payment plan: $990 on enrolment, then four weekly payments of $450

The discount is only available with the upfront payment option. Supervision costs are separate (see above). Payment terms and our refund policy are in our Student Handbook.

Yes. These units are nationally recognised, so you need a USI before we can issue your Statements of Attainment. You can create one free at usi.gov.au.

Arrange your supervision first. Then click Enrol on the course page, complete your details and payment, and use the link in your welcome email to log in and start.

The course doesn't issue a licence, but it can help you meet the training requirements to apply for one through your state or territory licensing authority. In Queensland, these five units cover the competencies Queensland Health requires for a pest management licence for general pest work using pesticides and for timber pest work. Other states have their own rules, so check with your licensing authority.

Combine timber pest inspections with building inspections. We also offer building inspection courses, so you can work as a pre-purchase building and pest inspector. In Queensland, building inspections are licensed separately by the QBCC.

Registered Training Organisation number 41516

St Patrick Institute of Technology Pty Ltd trading as Australian Inspector Training