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HomeCoursesSecurity and investigationCertificate III in Investigative Services

Certificate III in Investigative Services

This course prepares people to work as private investigators or inquiry agents, digging into facts about a person's character, actions or work and gathering evidence that may end up in court.

  • Course code: CPP30619

Where you can study this course

  • Australian Training Institute

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    Campuses
    Australian Training Institute (ATI) - RTO 30200
    Duration
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    Full fee
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    What students say

    Most students rate the trainers and the teaching highly, many praise the course content, and some speak well of the student support.

  • Rose Training Australia

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    Campuses
    Rose Training Australia
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Most students rate the trainers and teaching highly, while many also value the course content and student support. A number of students found organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the course content and student support.

Last reviewed 21 September 2026.

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Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

  • Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.
  • Yes. Licensing or registration rules apply in some states and territories, so check with your local regulator before you enrol. Legislative, regulatory or certification requirements also apply in some states and territories; for further information, check with the relevant regulatory authority.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:

  • an interest in finding out the facts
  • a careful and discreet approach to other people's business
  • good observation skills and attention to detail
  • the judgement to work with limited supervision

What will you learn?

You learn how to plan an investigation, trace and locate subjects, deal with clients and present findings as evidence. Investigators usually work with limited supervision, so the training builds judgement and discretion alongside the practical technique, including surveillance work. Licensing or registration rules apply in some states and territories, so it's worth checking with your local regulator before you enrol.

  • Planning investigations
  • Tracing and locating subjects
  • Gathering evidence lawfully
  • Working with clients
  • Preparing evidence for court
  • Surveillance and legal limits

Units of competency (5 core, 11 elective)

The qualification is made up of 16 units. Everyone completes the 5 core units below, and the remaining 11 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.

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Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).