Basic / Intermediate / Advanced Rigging
5 days each · $900–$1,500 · Required for: Riggers, shutdown crews
Overview
Rigging Tickets stack in Three tiers — Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced and each one unlocks Higher-Paid work on Australian mine sites. Basic Rigging (CPCCLRG3001) requires you to already hold a Dogging Licence and covers Structural Steel, pre-Cast Concrete, Hoists, and Safety nets. Intermediate Rigging adds Cranes, Conveyors, Dual-lift Operations, and Demolition Rigging. Advanced Rigging opens gin poles, flying foxes, guyed derricks, and complex Suspended Structures — the kind of work you'll see during Shutdowns and major plant construction. Each level runs about five days at an RTO with costs between $900 and $1,500 per level, and each requires a Documented logbook of Practical hours before you can sit the Assessment. Riggers with the Advanced ticket routinely earn Premium Daily rates on Pilbara and Bowen Basin shutdowns, plus travel and living-away allowances. Because rigging is a High Risk Work Licence, it's recognised nationally and doesn't expire, but you must keep the Physical Card Current and continue working in the trade to stay competitive. If you're a fit person willing to work at heights, this pathway is one of the fastest routes to a six-figure mining income.
How to get your Basic / Intermediate / Advanced Rigging
Rigging progression follows a strict prerequisite ladder set by Safe Work Australia. Step one is your Dogging licence (CPCCLDG3001). Step two, Basic Rigging (CPCCLRG3001), teaches structural steel erection, precast concrete panels, mast climbers, materials hoists, static lines, and safety nets — five days of RTO training plus a logbook of on-site practical hours. Step three, Intermediate Rigging (CPCCLRG3002), covers cranes and their components, hoists with jibs, tilt-slabs, demolition rigging, and dual-lift crane operations. Step four, Advanced Rigging (CPCCLRG3003), unlocks the most complex work: gin poles, flying foxes, guyed derricks, and cantilevered structures often used during shutdowns and greenfield plant construction. Each level runs five days at an RTO, costs $900 to $1,500, and requires documented on-site practical experience before you can sit the final assessment — a written test, verbal Q&A, and a supervised live practical. After passing, the RTO submits your Notice of Assessment to the state WHS regulator (WorkSafe WA/DMIRS, SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe QLD etc.) and you pay a $70–$120 government issue fee to receive your physical High Risk Work Licence card. All rigging tickets are nationally portable and do not expire, but many major shutdown contractors require you to demonstrate recent work (12 months minimum) or refresh through a competency assessment before hiring.
Who to enquire with — training providers & employers
The strongest RTOs for progressive rigging pathways are Access Training Centre (Perth, Karratha, Port Hedland), Site Skills Training (Mackay, Emerald), Skilltech Consulting Services (Newcastle, Sydney), MTC Training (Brisbane, Gladstone), and PPTA Training (Adelaide). Major shutdown contractors — Monadelphous, UGL, Downer, Civmec, CIMIC, Broadspectrum — hire riggers directly and often reimburse Intermediate and Advanced ticket upgrades for reliable crew members. Labour hire agencies specialising in rigging and scaffolding include Skout Solutions, Workforce Australia, and Rigging Services Australia. Overseas riggers with equivalent qualifications should apply through Trades Recognition Australia for skills assessment before booking Australian training, because prior competency is often granted RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) credit that cuts training time in half.
Insider tips
Keep a photo diary of every complex lift you're involved in with dates, load weights, and crane types — it doubles as evidence for RPL claims and as marketing material for recruiters. Advanced Rigging combined with Confined Space and Working at Heights is the trifecta that puts you on shutdown crew rosters year-round.