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 QUALIFICATION:

Occupational Certificate: Laundry Washer

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
117371	Occupational Certificate: Laundry Washer
ORIGINATOR
Development Quality Partner - Services SETA
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Part-Qualification	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Preventive Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	26	Not Applicable	NQF Level 02	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered		SAQA 12129/20	2020-07-30	2025-07-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-07-30		2029-07-30

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 qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The purpose of this part-qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Laundry Washer.

A Laundry Washer clean soiled textiles using correct washing procedures.

Rationale:
This part-qualification is important to address the skills of the current and future employees serving as Laundry Washer. The industry will draw the learners from the cohort of current employees who performed the function without recognised qualification. Current qualifications do not provide any qualifications for skilled employees. Equally important is the high number of young people without the necessary qualifications who seek elementary occupations.

There are hundreds of small and large public and private laundries facilities across the country and all serve customers across various economic sub-sectors. These subsectors could be security (prisons and places of safety), health facilities and hospitality facilities. Qualified Laundry Washers will increase productivity and enhance customer satisfaction for the business. The part-qualification will also restore the dignity of many employees who occupied these positions without any recognition of their professional service and will enhance job security.

The part-qualification will open new opportunities to the learners for growth into Laundry Worker and Laundry Machine Operator responsibilities. The subsector has a huge operational range from two machines to a very large operations using large industrial machine. The scope for occupational mobility for qualified employees is significantly large, and qualified learners can move between economic sectors as well. For instance, qualified learners can work in hospitality, medical and nursing homes, domestic as well and security facilities.

The part-qualification requires basic knowledge of the textiles and a significant amount of on the job practice and experience. However, the actual training and turnaround need to be quick to justify the investment. Otherwise, an expensive and long training for laundry washers will defeat the purpose, hence low credits for the part-qualifications.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment:
Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or by certifying a work experience record.

RPL for access to the part-qualification:
Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

Entry Requirements:

NQF 1 with Mathematical Literacy.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This part-qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules:

Knowledge Modules:

812101-000-00-00-KM-01, Workplace Fundamentals, NQF Level 2, 6 Credits.

812101-000-00-00-KM-03, Fundamental Principles of Sorting and Washing of Soiled Textiles in Laundry, NQF Level 2, 5 Credits.
The total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 11.

Practical Skill Modules:

812101-000-00-00-PM-02, Wash Laundry Items, NQF Level 2, 4 Credits.

812101-000-00-00-PM-03, Identify Stains on Laundry Items, NQF Level 2, 4 Credits.

812101-000-00-00-PM-04, Tumble Dry and Pre-condition Washed Items, NQF Level 2, 3 Credits.
The total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 11.

Work Experience Modules:

812101-000-00-00-WM-02, Processes for Hygienic Washing and Treatment of Textile, NQF Level 2, 4 Credits.
The total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 4.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Wash soiled laundry items for compliance with specifications.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Laundry loads are washed using the correct washing programme.

Machine is monitored for effective functioning and unusual sounds and signs, and these are reported to operator following standard reporting procedures.

Procedures for identification of stains are explained and demonstrated as per standard industry practices.

Items not suitable for tumble drying are removed according to the care labels and symbols on each item and redirected for alternative finishing methods according to standard procedure.

Tumbled work is checked against the planning schedule.

Integrated Assessment:
Integrated Formative Assessment:
The Skills Development Providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This Formative Assessment leads to entrance into the integrated External Summative Assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment:
An External Integrated Summative Assessment conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required to issue this part-qualification. The External Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

An International comparability exercise was undertaken to compare the current Part-qualification: Laundry Washer with related qualifications from specific countries in terms of their scope, duration and curriculum content. The purpose of this exercise is to compare the part-qualification against existing and comparable practice internationally. The exercise was conducted with two countries Britain and Australia.

Britain:
In Britain, the Guilds of Cleaners and Launderers provide a short laundry worker course that contains modules similar to those used by the Laundry Washer part-qualification. The course provides the following short modules: Cleaning/washing using water and chemicals to remove stains as necessary before processing. Loading items into machines and monitoring cleaning process. After drying, carrying out an inspection and, if necessary, sending for re-processing before finishing.

Australia:
Victoria Skills gateway provides Laundry Worker (General) courses that cover the following specific modules similar to modules used by Laundry Washer: loading and unloading washing machines, driers and extractors; adding cleaning agents and starches to articles.

Conclusion:
The two countries and specific institutions provide qualifications with comparable modules, though of course these modules are drawn from a much more intense program.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This part-qualification offers the following articulation possibilities.

Horizontal Articulation:

Occupational Certificate: Laundry Worker, NQF Level 2.

Occupational Certificate: Home Based Personal Care Assistant, NQF Level 2.

Vertical Articulation:

Occupational Certificate: Home Based Personal Care Worker, NQF Level 3.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

Qualifying for external assessment:
In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required knowledge and practical modules by means of statements of results and a record of completed work experience including Foundational Learning Competences.

Additional legal or physical entry requirements:
None.

Criteria for the accreditation of providers:
Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the QCTO website.

The curriculum title and code is Laundry Washer: 812101000-00-02.
Encompassed Trades:
This qualification encompasses the following trades as recorded on the NLRD.
This is not a trade.

Assessment Quality Partner (AQP):
Services Seta.

Parent Qualification:

812101-000-00-00, Laundry Worker, NQF Level 2, 60 Credits.

Related Part-Qualifications:

812101-000-00-01, Occupational Certificate: Laundry Sorter, NQF Level 2, 23 Credits.

812101-000-00-03, Occupational Certificate: Laundry Finisher, NQF Level 2, 28 Credits.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

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