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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Fire Protection

You train to install and look after the systems that put out fires in buildings, including sprinklers, hydrants, hose reels and special hazard setups.

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Illustration of a person working as fire Protection Technician
How long it takes
3 years
full time at TAFE NSW
How you can study
On campus
Main job
Fire Protection Technician
$83,200 (estimate) median pay
Taught by
2 providers
NSW, QLD

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Fire Protection asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in keeping buildings and people safe from fire
  • confidence with hand and power tools
  • an eye for detail when following plans and measurements
  • patience for testing and servicing systems

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Fire Protection Technician

    Fire protection technicians install, test and maintain the systems that detect fires and hold them back, from alarm panels to sprinkler pipework.

    What else you need

    This is a licensed occupation, so a state licence is needed as well as the trade certificate, and requirements vary by state. It is usually done as an apprenticeship with an employer. The award alone confers no licence.

    Median pay$83,200 (estimate)

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

Where you can study this course

There are 2 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

37 units: 32 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.

  • Reading plans and marking out
  • Plumbing tools and materials
  • Welding and pressure piping
  • Designing fire sprinklers
  • Hydrants and hose reels
  • Testing pumps and systems
See all 32 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for CPCPCM2045…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you for the trade qualified role of installing, testing, maintaining, servicing and repairing fire protection systems. You learn to fit sprinklers, hydrants, hose reels and special hazard setups, with a lot of the work being plumbing.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Is a licence, registration or check required to work in this area?

Yes. This is a licensed trade, and licensing, legislative, regulatory and certification requirements may vary between states and territories. Consult the relevant state and territory regulatory authority to confirm what applies to you.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.