By: OzAdr1an (CC BY 2.0)

PSP40416 Certificate IV in Government Investigations


Course DATES

Course 1

Virtual class - Online - FeB/Mar 2025

  • Workshop 1: 18 - 21 Feb 2025

    Workshop 2: 4 - 7 Mar 2025

  • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

  • Registrations close: 10 Feb 2025

  • Course cost: $3400 (GST-free)

    Further information about fees is available at Price Policy

  • πŸŽ‰Special Offer: Enrol a group of 3 or more participants by 6 January 2025, and each participant gets 5% off all courses!


recognition of prior learning (RPL)

  • Course Cost: $200 per unit (GST-free)

    Further information about fees is available at Price Policy

  • Please note the full qualification is 15 units.


Course Description 

The Certificate IV in Government Investigations (PSP40416) will assist you in learning and developing the necessary skills to perform in an investigative, regulatory, or compliance role in many jurisdictions such as the Commonwealth and various States and Territory governments. It has a particular focus on meeting the ethical and legislative requirements of the public service and aims to provide officers with a skill-based and best-practice approach to conducting investigations and acting on non-compliance. This qualification has no prerequisites. 

We also offer these courses on a closed and tailored basis for your Department if there is sufficient demand.

The training is delivered by way of a Virtual Classroom using Microsoft Teams and our E-Learning platform. These virtual classroom sessions will run from 9.00 am - 4.00 pm each day. ACFEC provides training support in the use of Microsoft Teams and provides learners with hired laptops at no charge.

  • Successful completion of a Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital (LLND) test.

    All our courses require an LLND assessment, and ACFEC will contact you via email with details about this process.

    For more information or to access an LLND skill level test before starting your studies, please contact ACFEC at admin@acfec.edu.au.

  • ACFEC provides learners with three different options for completing the Certificate IV in Government Investigations:

    Contextualised Training 

    We recommend this training for organisations looking for government investigations training that is specific to their internal policies, procedures, and processes. This ensures a learning pedagogy is used to meet the learners’ needs, and the training material delivered is relevant to the learners. Clients select the units of competency that are most relevant to their current needs. In the Certificate IV in Government Investigations courses ACFEC contextualises the following:

    • PowerPoint presentations;

    • Materials;

    • Extracts and articles;

    • Simulated workplace environment scenario; and

    • Assessment tasks including the underpinning questions.

    For example, scenarios are developed in consultation with the client. The client's precedent forms, guidelines, policies, and procedures are used where possible. These items are contextualised to give effect to the organisations operating environment. Contextualised courses can be delivered at the client's venue or at the University of Canberra.

    Open Course

    We recommend this training for learners who are interested in beginning or developing a career in government investigations, gaining a stronger understanding of their current role or seeking a promotion. The course covers broad concepts and policies that underpin the process of government investigations. Our open courses typically consist of individuals from various departments. 

    Recognition of Prior Learning

    We recommend Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for learners with previous experience in government investigations.  

    RPL acknowledges that prior learning or workplace experience will mean that some learners can demonstrate competencies through evidence-based assessment, without having to undertake all units in a course. ACFEC works with the individual learners and their training managers to ensure the learner meets the required competencies in the most efficient manner.

    This process is often more cost-effective for learners and organisations and can occur in a shorter time frame. It can also better accommodate the individual needs of learners and organisations and enable the use of workplace documents to satisfy the assessment requirements.

    Partial RPL can be done in conjunction with open courses or the contextualised training for the areas where an individual has relevant experience. 

  • The Certificate IV in Government Investigations (PSP40416) requires the completion of 15 units of competency. Of these 6 units must be completed from the core units, 1 unit from the Group A electives, and a minimum of 5 units from the Group B and Group C electives. The remaining electives can be selected from the list below, from elsewhere within the Public Service Training Package, from another endorsed training package, or from an accredited course. The units below are typically selected by clients, but the unit selection can be amended in consultation with the client.

    Core units:

    PSPETH002 Uphold and support the values and principles of public service

    PSPINV001 Plan and initiate an investigation

    PSPINV002 Conduct an investigation

    PSPINV003 Finalise an investigation

    PSPREG003 Apply regulatory powers

    PSPREG012 Gather information through interviews

    Elective units :

    Group A Work Health Safety

    BSBWHS201 Contribute to the health and safety of self and others

    Group B Regulatory Compliance Specialisation

    PSPREG006 Produce formal record of interview

    PSPREG008 Act on non-compliance

    PSPREG013 Undertake inspections and monitoring

    Group C General Elective units

    PSPCRT007 Compile and use official notes

    PSPGEN033 Use advanced workplace communication strategies

    PSPLEG002 Encourage compliance with legislation in the public sector

    PSPREG010 Prepare a brief of evidence

    PSPREG011 Give evidence

  • Assessment will be conducted in accordance with the assessment guidelines outlined in the Public Sector Training Package. 

    Assessment tools include:

    • practical exercises;

    • contextualised workplace simulation that is embedded into the sessions;

    • a mock court (using Ciscos WEBEX); and

    • short-answer questions to test underpinning knowledge.

  • Virtual class - Online - Feb/Mar 2025

    • Workshop 1: 18 - 21 Feb 2025

    • Workshop 2: 4 - 7 Mar 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 10 Feb 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Mar/Apr 2025

    • Workshop 1: 25 – 28 Mar 2025

    • Workshop 2: 1 – 4 Apr 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 10 Mar 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Apr/May 2025

    • Workshop 1: 29 Apr – 2 May 2025

    • Workshop 2: 13 – 16 May 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 15 Apr 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Jun 2025

    • Workshop 1: 10 – 13 Jun 2025

    • Workshop 2: 17 – 20 Jun 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 1 Jun 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Aug 2025

    • Workshop 1: 5 – 8 Aug 2025

    • Workshop 2: 19 – 22 Aug 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 28 Jul 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Sep/Oct 2025

    • Workshop 1: 23 – 26 Sep 2025

    • Workshop 2: 7 – 10 Oct 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 7 Sep 2025

    • Enrol Here

    Virtual class - Online – Nov 2025

    • Workshop 1: 11 - 14 Nov 2025

    • Workshop 2: 25 – 28 Nov 2025

    • Time: 9 am - 4 pm

    • Registrations close: 31 Oct 2025

    • Enrol Here


Image credit: OzAdr1an (CC BY 2.0)