Revision of Extractive Industries qualifications

FIELD Engineering and Technology

Revision of Extractive Industries qualifications

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Introductory Skills) (Level 2) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0247]

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 3) with strands in Coal Plant, Drilling Surface, Drilling Underground, Maintenance Operations, Metalliferous Processing, Mobile Plant Surface, Processing Plant, Surface Extraction, Underground Extraction [Ref: 1521]

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 4) with strands in Drilling Underground, Metalliferous Processing, Processing Plant, Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 1522]

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Supervision) (Level 5) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 1523]

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Weighbridge Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 1529]

The NZ Extractive Industries Training Organisation (EXITO) has completed the revision of the qualifications listed above.

Date new versions published June 2011

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2014.

Reason for the revision

The National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 4) with strands in Drilling Underground, Metalliferous Processing, Processing Plant, Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 1522], and the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Supervision) (Level 5) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 1523] were revised to amend the Requirements for Award.

In each case, version 1 of both qualifications required prior award of the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 3) with strands in Coal Plant, Drilling Surface, Drilling Underground, Maintenance Operations, Metalliferous Processing, Mobile Plant Surface, Processing Plant, Surface Extraction, Underground Extraction, and Water Treatment [Ref: 1521]. However, as that qualification is a replacement for the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) with strands in Lime Milling, Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0248], some trainees who had completed the replaced qualification could not have met the prerequisite qualification requirements for award of version 1 of either [Ref: 1522] or [Ref: 1523].

In consultation with the Extractives Sector Advisory Group (SAG), EXITO has amended the requirement to be a prerequisite for entry to study (stated in the Special Notes), rather than a requirement for award.

The National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Weighbridge Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 1529] was revised to ensure that its requirements were achievable for all weighbridge operators. Some of the unit standards listed in Elective 2 of the qualification and within the prerequisite qualification (the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Introductory Skills) (Level 2) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0247]) were not suitable to the role of a weighbridge operator. Prior award of the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Introductory Skills) (Level 2) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0247] has been removed as a requirement for award, and instead many of its unit standards have been listed within this qualification.

At the same time, the opportunity was taken to update and expand unit standard listings following reviews and additional registrations in the Metalliferous Mining subfield, the Surface Extraction domain (relating to heavy machinery), and the First Aid domain.

All changes have been endorsed by the SAG on behalf on industry.

Main changes resulting from the revision

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Introductory Skills) (Level 2) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0247]

Changes to structure and content:

· Standards 6400-6402 were replaced by standards 26551 and 26552 in the Core Compulsory.

· The requirements for Core Elective 1 were increased from a minimum of 5 credits at Level 2 or above to a minimum of 6 credits at Level 2 or above.

· The Occupational Health and Safety Practice domain was added to the Surface Extraction Strand Elective and the Underground Extraction Strand Elective.

· The overall credit requirement was decreased from 44 or 46 to 43 or 45.

Transition

All new trainees will be enrolled in programmes leading to the new version of the qualification.

People currently working towards version 4 or 5 of this qualification may either complete the requirements for that version or transfer their results to this version of the qualification. The last date for assessment of version 4 is 31 December 2011 (unchanged). The last date for assessment of version 5 is 31 December 2012.

This qualification contains standards that replace earlier standards. For the purposes of this qualification, people who have gained credit for the expiring standards are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the replacement standards - see table below.

Credit for	Exempt from
6400	26551, 26552
6401	26552
6402	26551

Changes to structure and content:

· Standards 8917 and 27238-27242 were added to the list of elective standards in the Maintenance Operations Strand.

· Standards 22343 and 22344 were removed from the list of elective standards in the Maintenance Operations Strand.

· The minimum requirements for the Metalliferous Processing Strand Elective were amended from ‘Of which a minimum of 27 credits at Level 3’ to ‘Of which a minimum of 27 credits at Level 3 or above’.

· Standards 6468 and 16158 were removed from the Metalliferous Processing Strand Elective, and standards 8917, 22341, 22342, 22345, 22346, and 27238-27242 were added in their place.

· Standards 24474-24476, 24478, 24480-24487 and 24490 (from the Surface Metalliferous Mining domain) were removed from the Metalliferous Processing Strand Elective and replaced by the Metalliferous Mining - Processing domain.

· Standards 27238-27242 were added to the Mobile Plant Surface Strand Elective 2.

· Standards 16158, 22343 and 22344 were removed from the Mobile Plant Surface Strand Elective 2.

· The minimum requirements for the Processing Plant Strand were amended from ‘Of which a minimum of 22 credits at Level 3’ to ‘Of which a minimum of 22 credits at Level 3 or above’.

· The Water Treatment Strand Compulsory credits increased from 29 to 34, increasing the total credits required for the strand from 71 to 76.

· The overall credit requirement was changed from 49-82 to 49-77.

· Standard details were updated to reflect changes made at review.

Transition

People currently working towards version 1 of this qualification may either complete the requirements for that version or transfer their results to this version of the qualification.

The last date for entry in to programmes of study leading to version 1 is December 2011. The last date for assessment is 31 December 2013.

Credit for	Exempt from
6468	27240
8908	25881, 25882, 25883, 25884
16158	27238
20732	25876

Changes to structure and content:

· The requirement for prior award of the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 1521] with at least one of its strands was removed. Instead a Special Note was added requiring either that qualification, or the replaced National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) [Ref: 0248] with either a strand in Surface Extraction or Underground Extraction, as a prerequisite for entry.

· Standards 26756-26759 were added to the Metalliferous Processing Strand Elective.

· Standard 24465 was replaced by standard 26550 in the Surface Extraction Strand Elective and the Underground Extraction Strand Elective.

· Expiring standard 8920 was removed from the qualification.

· Standard details were updated to reflect changes made at review.

Transition

All new trainees will be enrolled in programmes leading to the new version of the qualification.

It is recommended that people currently working towards version 1 of this qualification and who have already been awarded one of the prerequisite qualifications (or who can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills) transfer their results to this version of the qualification. People working towards version 1 of this qualification may complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to this version.

The last date for assessment for version 1 of this qualification is 31 December 2013.

Credit for	Exempt from
8908	25881, 25882, 25884
20732	25876
24465	26550

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Supervision) (Level 5) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 1523]

Changes to structure and content:

· The requirement for prior award of the National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 1521] with at least one of its strands was removed. Instead a Special Note was added requiring either that qualification, or the replaced National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Operations) [Ref: 0248] with either the Surface Extraction or Underground Extraction strand, as a prerequisite for entry.

· Standard details were updated to reflect changes made at review.

Transition

All new trainees will be enrolled in programmes leading to the new version of the qualification.

The last date for assessment for version 1 of this qualification is 31 December 2015.

National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Weighbridge Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 1529]

Changes to structure and content:

· The National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Introductory Skills) (Level 2) with strands in Surface Extraction, and Underground Extraction [Ref: 0247] was removed as a prerequisite qualification.

· Standards 497, 2401, 3271, 26551 and 26552 were added to the Compulsory.

· Standard 1277 was added to Elective 1.

· The minimum requirements for Elective 1 were changed from ‘A minimum of 15 credits of which a minimum of 10 credits at Level 3 or above’ to ‘A minimum of 1 standard’.

· The minimum requirements for Elective 2 were raised from 5 to 10 credits at Level 3 or above.

· The overall credit requirement was decreased from 62 to 61 credits.

· Standard details were updated to reflect changes made at review.

Transition

All new trainees will be enrolled in programmes leading to the new version of the qualification.

People currently working towards version 1 of this qualification may either complete the requirements for that version or transfer their results to this version.

The last date for assessment for version 1 of this qualification is 31 December 2012.

Credit for	Exempt from
6400	26551, 26552
6401	26552
6402	26551
20732	25876

It is not intended that anyone be disadvantaged by this revision, and the above arrangements have been designed for a smooth transition. However, anyone who feels they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the NZ Extractives Industries Training Organisation at the address below.

NZ Extractive Industries Training Organisation

PO Box 2623

Christchurch 8140

Telephone 03 964 4710

Email info@exito.org.nz

Website http://www.exito.org.nz/