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About AHSCP Certification

The Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel (AHSCP) Scheme was established in 1994, and in 2012 became the first certification scheme for individual hydrographic surveyor competency to achieve international recognition by the FIG/IHO/ICA International Board for Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC).

The AHSCP operates under the combined stewardship of industry representative bodies – Australasian Hydrographic Society (AHS) and Survey and Spatial New Zealand (S+SNZ). Application for certification is open to all.

The Panel is comprised of the incumbent Hydrographer of Australia who chairs the Panel as an ex-officio member, and five Level 1 Certified Hydrographic Surveyors from varying hydrographic disciplines with extensive practical expertise in:

      1. Nautical Charting Hydrography
      2. Hydrography for Coastal Zone Management
      3. Industrial Offshore Hydrographic Surveying
      4. Hydrographic Education
      5. Hydrography Private Practice

Panel members are elected by current Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyors Level 1 (CPHS1) and Level 2 (CPHS2). The term of office is two years.


Survey vessel (courtesy of Australian Hydrographic Office, HIPP Program)

Why Certification Matters

The Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors’ Certification Panel (AHSCP) Scheme offers practicing hydrographic surveyors the opportunity to achieve recognition as a Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyor (CPHS) through an internationally recognised Scheme.

To attain the status of ‘CPHS’ means that the individual has demonstrated the necessary academic knowledge and practical experience to competently perform hydrographic surveys and associated activities.

The AHSCP’s robust system of competency assessment and individual’s certification, supports and protects:
    • maritime authorities - by ensuring that work is done by a competent professional
    • employers and contractors - by reducing their overheads in assessing the experience and qualifications of their prospective job applicants
    • hydrographic surveyors themselves - by providing a credible system that certifies their competency.

The AHSCP has already made a significant contribution towards ensuring that the hydrographic surveys critical to safety of navigation and marine exploration are conducted by competent professionals, thus reducing risk of incident and promoting marine safety and environmental protection.


Levels of Certification

There are two certification competency levels:

Level 1

A Level 1 Certified Professional in Hydrographic Surveying (CPHS1) holds the highest attainable level of hydrographic surveying certification

Level 2

A Level 2 Certified Professional in Hydrographic Surveying (CPHS2) is a technical professional in hydrographic surveying

The AHSCP uses the latest available editions of the FIG/IHO/ICA Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors (Category “A”) or (Category “B”), known as S-5A or S-5B, as the principal

reference for the assessment of hydrographic surveyor competence. This is done by confirming evidence of academic study and combining this with a detailed assessment of verified employment history and relevant hydrographic experience to assess the competency and professionalism of individuals in order to award certification.

These levels approximate the Category “A” (Cat A) and Category “B” (Cat B) academic qualification but with important differences. In addition to recognising the academic qualifications of an applicant who has completed a Cat A or Cat B course, the AHSCP also recognises equivalent qualifications. All applicants must also demonstrate appropriate practical experience in order to attain certification as a Hydrographic Surveyor.


Sub-Specialism Certification

Sub-specialism certification is a sub-set of Level 1 Certification and recognizes that an individual has expertise in a specific field of hydrographic surveying. Certified Level 1 Hydrographic Surveyors are eligible to apply for the following sub-specialisms:

    1. Hydrography in Support of Coastal Management
    2. Hydrography in Support of Inland Waters Management
    3. Hydrography in Support of Offshore Infrastructure Development
    4. Hydrography in Support of Safe Navigation

An applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the AHSCP that they have:

    • Two (2) years relevant experience in a particular sub-specialism demonstrated by completion of the “Logbook of Practical Hydrographic Surveying Experience” against the specific S-5A subjects as detailed in Section 3.0 of Appendix F to the Guidelines - Certified Hydrographic Surveyor Roles and Responsibilities.
    • Components presented in the original application for Level 1 which relate to this requirement may be identified to the Panel as evidence.
    • Two (2) projects demonstrating their fieldwork, reporting and other evidence of competence in the sub-specialism applied for. Components presented in the original application for Level 1 which relate to this requirement may be identified to the Panel as evidence.


Survey vessel (courtesy of Australian Hydrographic Office, HIPP Program)


Applicants will be assessed against a demonstrated level of experience and expertise in specific S-5A subjects for each different sub-specialism. These subjects are detailed in Section 3.0 of Appendix F to the Guidelines - Certified Hydrographic Surveyor Roles and Responsibilities.


Pathways to Certification

The AHSCP recognises that competence is a combination of knowledge and the ability to practically apply that knowledge gained through relevant experience, assessed against the recognized international standards S-5A and S-5B. The applicant must provide evidence of academic qualifications and verified practical experience for at least the minimum (min.) aggregate time required, to meet the requirements of the relevant pathway. An applicant may also be certified under the appropriate hydrographic surveying sub-specialisms detailed in Section 4.3. Practical Hydrographic Experience is quantified by Logbook days’ experience.

Level 1 - Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyor Level 1

There are three pathways to Level 1 certification, as follows:

Clause 4.1.1      Category “A” Course plus 2 years’ Experience

Education
Successful completion of an IBSC recognised Category “A” Course. This course provides a comprehensive and broad based knowledge of the theory and practice of hydrography and allied disciplines.

Experience
A minimum aggregate period of 2 years’ practical hydrographic surveying experience. At least 50% of this experience must be sea-time. 75% of the sea-time component must be in-charge time. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.

Clause 4.1.2      Suitable Tertiary Qualification and Category “B” Course plus 2 years’ Experience

Education
Successful completion of a suitable tertiary qualification in Surveying or an allied discipline that meets the S-5A Learning Outcomes contained in Standards of Competence for Category “A” Hydrographic Surveyors (Edition 1.0.2, June 2018) and successful completion of an IBSC-recognised Category “B” Course in Hydrographic Surveying.

Experience
A minimum aggregate period of 2 years’ practical hydrographic surveying experience. At least 50% of this experience must be sea-time. 75% of the sea-time component must be in-charge time. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.

Clause 4.1.3      Suitable Tertiary Qualification plus 5 years’ Experience

Education
Successful completion of a suitable tertiary qualification in Surveying or an allied discipline.

Experience
A minimum aggregate period of 5 years of appropriate surveying experience; 2.5 years of which should be practical hydrographic surveying. At least 50% of this experience must be sea-time. 75% of the sea-time component should be in-charge time. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.

Level 2 - Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyor Level 2

There are three pathways to certification at Level 2, as follows.

Clause 4.2.1      Category “B” Course plus 2 years’ Experience

Education

Successful completion of an IBSC recognized Category “B” Course in Hydrographic Surveying. These courses provide a practical comprehension of the principles of hydrographic surveying for the carrying out of various hydrographic surveying tasks. An IBSC Category “A” course in Hydrographic Surveying is also suitable for the purposes of this Clause.  

Experience
A minimum aggregate period of 2 years’ practical hydrographic surveying experience. At least 50% of this experience must be sea-time. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.

Clause 4.2.2      Other Qualification plus 5 Years’ Experience

Education
Successful completion of a Diploma or Certificate in a discipline of Surveying consistent with the FIG/IHO/ICA Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors for Category “B” Hydrographic Surveyors. 

Experience

A minimum aggregate period of 5 years of appropriate surveying experience; 2.5 years of which should be practical hydrographic surveying. At least 50% of this experience must be sea-time. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.

Clause 4.2.3      Suitable Tertiary Qualification plus 2.5 years’ Experience

Education

Successful completion of a suitable Tertiary Qualification in Surveying or a related discipline that meets the S-5B Learning Outcomes contained in Standards of Competence for Category "B" Hydrographic Surveyors (Edition 1.0.2, June 2018).

Experience

A minimum aggregate period of 2.5 years of appropriate experience in practical hydrographic surveying. Under normal circumstances this experience is expected to be gained post qualification.


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