Certificate A

To complete your (Australian) Certificate "A", you need to complete the following (correct at 16 Jun 2013):

From the APF Operational Regulations:

4.2.1 Certificate ‘A’ Applicants for a Certificate ‘A’ must: (a) Have made at least ten (10) stable freefalls; and(b) Have made at least ten (10) descents landing within twenty-five (25) metres of the target centre unassisted by a TA; and (c) Have completed the Student Parachutist Training Descent Table required by Part 13 Division 3 of these regulations to the satisfaction of a Chief Instructor; and (d) Have the approval of the Chief Instructor to pack a main parachute for the use of the applicant or a certified parachutist; and (e) Pass a written examination (all the answers can be found here), set and conducted under the supervision of a Chief Instructor, which tests the applicant’s knowledge of parachuting regulations and the theory of parachuting

Certificate "A" requirements differ around the world, although a certificate issued under the auspices of the FAI is deemed to be of a common standard. At this point, you are usually considered capable of making judgements that lead to safe solo skydives.