METAL WORK

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SKILL COMPETITION

1.1.1 The name of the skill competition is

Construction Metal Work

1.1.2 Description of the associated work role(s) or occupation(s).

Construction metalworking is the assembly and installation of steel structures, vessels and components
that encompass the food & dairy, pharmaceutical & chemical industries, architectural engineering and
structural steel work for buildings and bridges. Very high standards of finish and quality are expected
from the construction metalworker as food and pharmaceutical products are transported and produced
from steel components that a construction metalworker would

assemble. High-rise buildings, stadiums and bridges are erected using the skills of the construction
metalworker along with cutting edge architectural designs that affect the modern landscape for
innovative building designs.

The skills required for construction metalworking involve;

• A thorough knowledge and understanding of safe working practices, personal protection

equipment and the hazards and practices associated with the construction metalworking

industry.

• Interpretation of engineering drawings.

• Knowledge of mathematical calculations, geometrical construction techniques and computeraided

design and drafting software applications.

• A comprehensive knowledge of a range of industrial cutting and forming processes to suit a range of
steels and alloys including low carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steels, aluminium alloys and also
working with different tube & pipe standards.

• Shaping and forming these steel components with the aid of thermal processes and a range of
machinery used in cutting, bending and rolling metal plate

• Using modern thermal cutting processes such as plasma, laser and waterjet cutting techniques.

• Applying a range of welding processes such as Manual Metal Arc welding, TIG/TAG (Tungsten Inert Gas
& Tungsten Active Gas) welding, MIG/MAG (Metal Inert Gas & Metal Active Gas)
welding to assemble and join materials into structures and products.Work organization & self-
management, working precisely and accurately, concentration, attention to detail, communication and
interpersonal skills, problem solving, innovation and creativity, are the universal attributes of the
construction metal worker.

Construction metalworkers are highly skilled individuals who are able to work autonomously, contribute
to a technical team, take personal responsibility for completing projects to approved quality standards
in a timely manner, and interact effectively with colleagues and customers in an industrial setting. Every
step in the process matters and mistakes are largely irreversible and very costly.

With the international mobility of people, construction metalworkers face rapidly expanding
opportunities and challenges. For talented construction metalworkers, there are many commercial and
international opportunities, which carry with them the need to understand and work with diverse
cultures and trends.

1.1.3 Number of Competitors per team

Construction Metal Work is a single Competitor skill competition.

1.1.4 Age limit of Competitors

The Competitors must not be older than 22 years in the year of the Competition

REFRIGIRATION AND AIR CONDITIONING

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SKILL COMPETITION

1.1.1 The name of the skill competition is

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

1.1.2 Description of the associated work role(s) or occupation(s).

A refrigeration and air conditioning engineer works on commercial, residential, public and industrial
projects, including transportation and storage. There is a direct relationship between the nature and
quality of the product and service required and the resulting cost and price; therefore this branch of
engineering covers a wide range of products and services. It is also essential for the refrigeration and air
conditioning engineer to meet high and growing standards of service in order to comply with the
requirements of the customer and maintain and grow the business. Refrigeration and air conditioning is
closely associated with other parts of the construction and transportation industries at all stages, and is
equally affected by rapid change in these sectors, including growing environmental trends and
requirements.

The refrigeration and air conditioning engineer generally works inside domestic, commercial or public
buildings during and after construction and production, and on projects of all sizes and types. He or she
will plan and design, install, test, commission, report, maintain, fault find and repair systems to a high
standard. Work organization and self-management, communication and interpersonal skills, problem
solving, flexibility and a deep body of knowledge are the universal attributes of the outstanding
practitioner.

Whether the refrigeration and air conditioning engineer is working alone or in a team the individual
takes on a high level of personal responsibility and autonomy. From ensuring a safe and reliable
installation and maintenance service, in accordance with relevant standards, through to diagnosing
malfunctions, upgrading and commissioning, and fault finding and correction, the skills of concentration,
precision, accuracy and attention to detail at every step in the process are crucial.

Mistakes may be very expensive and damaging, while substandard work will significantly undermine the
performance of the building or equipment that it is intended to serve.p

In broad terms, the most talented and skilled refrigeration and air conditioning engineers will work on
larger and more complex projects, and the most challenging refrigeration and air conditioning issues.

These personnel are most likely to help lead the industry in resolving issues relating to climate and
environment. Affecting economies and community wellbeing and development, including health, the
modern refrigeration and air conditioning engineer has immense scope for make a positive impact
locally and globally.

1.2 THE RELEVANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DOCUMENT

This document contains information about the standards required to compete in this skill competition,
and the assessment principles, methods and procedures that govern the competition.

Every Expert and Competitor must know and understand this Technical Description.

In the event of any conflict within the different languages of the Technical Descriptions, the English
version takes precedence.

GRAPHIC ARTS

Graphic designers’ activities duringthe conceptual design phaseof client-initiated projects

Report of research in progress, reflection on the research process

Stella Tan Swinburne University of Technology (Australia)

Gavin Melles Swinburne University of Technology (Australia)

Nicolette Lee Swinburne University of Technology (Australia)

Abstract

This paper outlines a study investigating the strategies and activities undertaken by mid-weight graphic
designers during the conceptual design phase of clientinitiated projects. Descriptions of design activities
in the literature are most often derived from disciplines such as architecture, and product engineering.
More abstract approaches, which describe graphic design as ‘undefinable’ or a ‘linear step process’ do
not address professional design as a situated practice. While these studies are informative, they are also
limited, as they are not based on the specific nature of practice in graphic design. The aim of the study
presented in this paper was to understand graphic design practice through the investigation of the
activities and strategies undertaken by working mid-weight graphic designers. Specifically, it considers
the tool-mediated activities of designers as a situated practice during the conceptual stage of designing
for client-initiated projects. Employing ethnographic methods, three cases were investigated, in order to
generate a ‘thick description’ of these design processes.

Introduction

This paper reports on a study being undertaken for a Masters by Research degree in design. Design
activity studies undertaken by Lawson (2006),

Cross (2002), and Dorst and Cross (2001) have been situated in practices such as architecture,
engineering and product design. However, literature on graphic design practice is relatively limited and
highly varied in its methods and conclusions. This study was a preliminary investigation into the tool-
mediated activities that graphic designers undertake when solving ‘ill-structured’ problems in client-
initiated projects (Simon 1973). The investigation was undertaken using ethnographic methods,
specifically an observational study of three mid-weight graphic designers. For the purposes of this study,
mid-weight designers were classified as those with five to eight years of professional experience. The
study included observations of designer behaviours, visual work in progress, and the symbolic and
physical tools used to support problem solving. The data gathered from these cases were analysed from
the perspective of Activity Theory – a framework for understanding tool mediation in work practice.
Activity patterns derived from each study were compiled and examined using case study methods. It was
found that the activities undertaken during the design process were highly tool-mediated and iterative,
confirming work by several authors in related fields (Kruger & Cross 2006; Welch 1999).

Design Practice

There are complex processes at work when a designer develops visual concepts for a design brief.
Numerous authors have emphasized the illstructured nature of design problem solving (Buchanan 1992;
Dorst & Cross 2001; Lawson 2006). Findings from studies into the attributes of expert and novice
designers have indicated that expert designers are more purposeful in their use of tools compared to
novices (Buchanan 1992; Rittel & Webber 1973; Schon 1983). In undertaking problem-solving, designers
working in different fields, including graphic design, appear to share some common traits, particularly
the use of sketching to externalize inner thoughts (Stones & Cassidy 2007).

Addressing graphic design practice in particular, Schenk (1991; 1997; 2005) compared novice graphic
designers’ use of traditional and digital design tools, concluding that working with pen and paper
enabled designers to generate more ideas than when working with digital tools. Schenk’s studies of
graphic designers’ tool use during problem solving also found that sketching and drawing played a major
part in graphic designers’ processes. It was further reported that designers relied on pen and paper
sketching during the early stages of the design process for idea generation, and that computers were
used as tools more often during the detailing or latter stages. In their essays on graphic design practice,
Nini (1996) and Bonsiepe (1994) also noted that design students and novice practitioners appear to
ignore discussion of problem solving, and instead often prefer to focus their attention on the aesthetic
qualities of design outcomes.