First Australian units of competency and first qualifications to include Australian units of competency registered on the Framework
Background
The Ministerial Declaration of Confidence on the Mutual Recognition of Vocational Education and Training Qualifications between Australia and New Zealand came into effect on 1 January 2000. This initiative highlighted the similarities of the outcomes of each country's vocational education and training and also aimed to reduce inefficient duplication in the equivalent standing of Australian and New Zealand vocational education and training qualifications.
The Ministers declared, 'full confidence in the validity of the quality assurance and other processes underpinning the vocational education and training (VET) qualifications of both countries'. This declaration was seen as the foundation for mutual recognition of VET qualifications with similar outcomes and the key to the realisation of a single trans-Tasman labour market.
The registration of Australian units of competency on the NQF is designed to support the objectives of the Ministerial Declaration of Confidence. It is aimed at eliminating inefficiencies in skill standard development and the production of associated training and assessment resources. It is also considered pivotal to the ongoing relevance and systematic uptake of the NQF to a number of industries in New Zealand who define and operate their businesses in a trans-Tasman environment.
Guidelines and criteria have been developed to assist SSBs to use Australian units of competency in the setting of national skill standards and the development of training resources for their industries. Part One of the Guidelines and Criteria covers the different ways that Australian units of competency may be used by SSBs in New Zealand. Part Two sets out the evaluation criteria for the registration of units of competency on the National Qualifications Framework.
| The Guidelines and Criteria are available to download: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Australian Units of Competency on the National Qualifications Framework: Guidelines and Criteria for Standard Setting Bodies |  |
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Australian units of competency and new national certificates in Competitive Manufacturing
Nine Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) cooperated in the registration of units of competency cover sheets and in the development of national certificates in Competitive Manufacturing.
The Competitive Manufacturing Consortium in New Zealand was established and is managed by the Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC).
The members of the Competitive Manufacturing Consortium in New Zealand are:
- Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC)
- New Zealand Industry Training Organisation (NZITO)
- Competenz
- Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation (ESITO)
- Furniture Industry Training Organisation (FITO)
- Plastics and Materials Processing Industry Training Organisation (PaMPITO)
- Printing and Allied Industries Training Council (PAITC)
- Seafood Industry Training Organisation (Seafood ITO)
- Apparel and Textile Industry Training Organisation (ATITO)
The Australian competency standards are part of the MCM04 Competitive Manufacturing training package and were developed by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Industry Training Advisory Body (MERSITAB). The competency standards have been adapted for registration on the National Qualifications Framework.
The standards can be downloaded from the competitive manufacturing domain.
Training in competitive manufacturing
The competitive manufacturing context is defined as one in which a range of systematic manufacturing practice concepts and approaches have been adopted. It covers but is not limited to: lean manufacturing; agile manufacturing; monitoring and data gathering systems such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems; Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP); proprietary systems and statistical process control systems; supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis; and other continuous improvement systems.
Training in competitive manufacturing will benefit the dairy, food and related products, electricity supply, furniture, plastics and materials, printing, seafood, wood manufacturing, forestry, apparel and textile, and general manufacturing sectors of the manufacturing industry in New Zealand.
The competitive manufacturing qualifications are designed to afford the maximum scope for career development within a range of processing industry disciplines that may include administration, production, and value chain support areas.
The National Certificate in Competitive Manufacturing with strands in Introductory Application, and Technical Application [NQF Ref: 1215 ] is for employees new to competitive manufacturing. The Technical Application strand of the qualification has been designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework Certificate III in Competitive Manufacturing.
The National Certificate in Competitive Manufacturing (Level 4) with an optional strand in Facilitation [NQF Ref: 1216] is for leaders in competitive manufacturing who require a level of competence to interact between members of their team and management. The qualification has been designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework Certificate IV in Competitive Manufacturing.
For more information on training in competitive manufacturing in New Zealand please contact:
Jost Siegfried
FITEC
PO Box 137067
PARNELL
Auckland
Telephone: 07 349 5608
Email: Jost.Siegfried@fitec.org.nz
Page updated: 21 March 2006