Skills Maintenance Check (Requals)

2025 SMC (Requal) Dates

Click the image to view the 2025 course dates.

If you need assistance, please email our Requal Officer for help.

As per SLSA Policy and NCSLSC by-laws, all Active and Long Service members with an award must:

  1. Complete a Skills Maintenance Check (SMC) before the 31st December each year, or

  2. Apply for an exemption from patrols and/or SMCs

    Note: Failure to complete may result in your membership being suspended and/or terminated.

All active and long service members must undertake their proficiency SMC before 31st December annually

Register for your SMC

What You Need to Know

Mandatory eLearning

All members with Awards will be required to complete a short SMC eLearning course. To access the module:

  • Login to the SLS Hub

  • Click on ‘Applications’ (top menu)

  • Select ‘eLearning’

  • Select ‘Training Library’ (left menu)

  • ‘VIEW COURSES’ in the ‘Skills Maintenance 2025/26’

  • ‘ENROL’ in the ‘Skills Maintenance 2025/26 - Bronze Medallion (BM) Theory’

  • Allow approx. 30 minutes to complete.

You must complete this eLearning before attending the in-person SMC session.

Enrolment Conditions

You must register for the session you plan to attend. 

  • Once a session reaches its ticket cap, you will not be permitted to register for that session – you must choose another date. This is to provide a safe environment and to avoid members sitting around for long periods waiting for their turn.  

  • If you do not attend your enrolled SMC you will be charged up to a $50 No-Show fee. 

  • A No-Show fee may apply for late withdrawals from your registered practical session <48 hours prior to the session start. Please unenroll via the SLSA Members Area with as much notice as possible to allow others to attend in your place.

31 December Cut-Off

Members must be proficient by 31st December to: 

  • Patrol in the second half of the season

  • Assist with or operate certain equipment

  • Compete in surf lifesaving competitions*

  • Continue their membership (which may be suspended or terminated as per the NCSLSC By-Laws) 

There may be opportunities to complete a late SMC after 31st December which will incur a $50 penalty fee. On completion of the required SMC the above restrictions may be lifted* and full membership reinstated.  

* Members completing their proficiency after 31 December of the season will be eligible to patrol but will not be permitted to participate in any SLSA Championship competition until 1 July later that year (SLSA Policy 5.04 provides further details on competitor proficiency/patrol requirements). 

 FAQs

  • The SMC assists with:

    Maintaining the standards of knowledge of volunteers in positions within the Club.

    Maintaining and reinforcing our service commitment to the community and public attending the beach.

    Satisfying legal and statutory requirements.

    Providing up to date training which in turn aids in confidence building.

    Updating volunteers and members of changes in policy or procedure.

  • Bronze Medallion – annually (3 hours)

    Surf Rescue Certificate – annually (2 hours)

    ART – annually (2 hours)

    Nipper Rescue Certificate - annually (1 hour)

    IRB Driver or Crew – annually (0.5-1 hour)

    Gold Medallion – annually (1 hour)

    First Aid – every 3 years

    Trainer and/or Assessor – every two years

    *SRC award holders can complete their SMC in any Bronze SMC - please select an SRC ticket and let the assessor on the day know about your SRC status.

    *IRB award holders will be contacted by email and dates also advertised in the newsletter to schedule SMCs

    *Completion of the ART course or assessment day can be used to complete your SMC requirement (contact assessment@ncslsc.com for more information)

  • It’s okay – life happens! Ensure you make time to reschedule your SMC to ensure you are proficient before 31st December.

    You will be asked to explain your non-attendance – if you do not have a reasonable explanation, you may be asked to pay No-Show penalty fee of up to a $50 to discourage this behaviour.

  • Expired 1-4 years = Standard SMC

    For members whose award(s) have lapsed for a period of greater than one year, a gap analysis needs to be completed and the member may need to complete additional training/updates to ensure they are current with the latest techniques and information.

    Please click here to enrol in a Standard SMC.

    Expired 5+ years = Extended SMC

    The SLSA Education Committee has produced a guideline that, for a period of five or more years, a member needs to complete a full assessment for that award to regain their currency. Exemptions to this guideline are possible if a member can show due to: experience, other qualifications, current work; that they retain the appropriate skill set and are current. This may be applied to either the whole award or elements of it.

    Please click here to enrol in an Extended SMC

  • A new exemption category has been created for long service members that are 65+ years old and those that have a permanent impairment that does not allow them to participate in an SMC.

    If you think you qualify please complete the exemption form and await approval. You may be required to provide evidence.

  • To maintain your SLSA awards, all active and long service members must complete a Skills Maintenance Check (SMC) prior to the 31st of December as per SLSA Policy and NCSLSC by-laws.

    If you believe you have a valid reason to be exempt from completing an SMC and Patrols, you are encouraged to apply for an exemption. This is subject to approval by the Chair of Lifesaving or Chair of Education. You will need to apply for an exemption annually via the NCSLSC office. Separate exemptions apply for:

    Medical Illness or Personal circumstances (these may include injury preventing safe participation, hospitalisation, pregnancy, relocation overseas, full-time carer status). You must apply for an exemption annually.

    Expatriate Members are automatically exempt. If you are away for the entire season you can contact the Requal officer who may be able to assist you with completing your SMC.

    Members with a permanent impairment or Long Service 65+ years old You will only need to apply for this exemption once. If your circumstances change and you wish to participate in an SMC you will need to contact the Chair of Education.

    Click here to complete the exemption form.

  • Active and Long-Service members who did not complete an SMC prior to 31st December will have a final opportunity to complete their SMC (a basic membership requirement) after which their membership status will be reviewed. Members will be contacted individually and options may include:

    • Membership Termination

    • Temporary increase in annual membership fee to Associate membership status

    Members who failed to complete their SMC prior to 31st December during the scheduled SMC sessions from Sept-Dec 2025 and were not granted a written exemption will need to complete a late SMC to maintain their membership status.

    Late SMCs will incur a $50 penalty fee paid on registration.

How to Register for an SMC Session

  • 1. Login to your SLS Hub

    Register for a session via the SLS Hub. We will also ask you to sign in for any session on a paper record sheet (for proof of attendance).

  • Four rescue workers in yellow and red uniforms providing medical aid on a sidewalk near the coast, with a blue ocean and a rescue flag nearby.

    2. Navigate to eLearning

    Click on Applications, and navigate to eLearning. This will redirect you to the SLS eLearning portal.

  • Two female surf rescue team members in yellow and red uniforms walking along the beach with a rescue board, near the ocean with ships in the background.

    3. Find a Course

    Click ‘Training Event’ on the left side menu to view the calendar of upcoming sessions. Hovering over the event will show you what will be covered that day.

  • 4. Enrol in your Course

    Click on the red arrows to move the calendar to the desired month.

    Click on the event highlighted in red (if “See all events” is displayed, which means there are a number of events scheduled on that day, click to expand).

  • Four rescue workers in yellow and red uniforms providing medical aid on a sidewalk near the coast, with a blue ocean and a rescue flag nearby.

    5. Confirm your Eligibility

    If the award pops up with an error, you cannot enroll using the SLS Hub. This usually happens if you don’t hold the current award that session is requalling i.e. you haven’t requalled for several years and your award has expired, or the session is full in which you’ll need to pick another session.

    Please email requal@ncslsc.com who will try to assist. You may be asked to log an SLSA IT support ticket.

  • Two female surf rescue team members in yellow and red uniforms walking along the beach with a rescue board, near the ocean with ships in the background.

    6. Complete your eLearning

    Navigate back to the eLearning page.

    Click on the “Training Library” tab and find the Skills Maintainence Check folder.

    Click on “enrol” for whichever award(s) you must complete an SMC for.

    Complete the SMC prelearning prior to attending the in-person session.