FIELD       ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Review of Engineering qualification

 

National Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with strands in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Industrial Measurement and Control, and Telecommunications [Ref: 0846]

 

The ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation (ETITO) has completed the review of the qualification listed above.

 

Replacement qualification

 

National Diploma in Engineering (Electrotechnology) (Level 6) [Ref: 1313]

 

Date new version published                                                                      August 2007

 

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2012.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

Meetings involving ETITO, the National Electrotechnology Education Consortium (NETEC), a broad group industry representatives and associations were held between 2002 and 2006, to review the unit standards for the National Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with strands in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Industrial Measurement and Control, and Telecommunications [Ref: 0846], which was registered in May 2001.

 

The consultation resulted in a number of unit standards being revised, replaced, or set to expire.  Also, some new unit standards were developed.  As a result of the unit standard review, the above qualification has been replaced with the National Diploma in Engineering (Electrotechnology) (Level 6) [Ref: 1313] as the current qualification no longer meets industry needs.

 

The consultation groups were asked to consider the following.

·          The currency and appropriateness of the qualification.

·          The accuracy and appropriateness of the content in terms of coverage, assessability, qualification level, and credit value.

·          Current and future skill and knowledge requirements.

·          Qualification pathways and transitions.

 

The qualification was reviewed to take account of the substantial review of electrotechnology-related unit standards to bring the unit standards and the qualification into line with current and anticipated future skill and knowledge requirements of the electrotechnology industries.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Review category

C

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Summary of differences between the qualifications

·          Compulsory standards 16970 and 16972 have been removed.

·          Standards 16973, 16992, 22721, 22726, 22734-22736 have been added to the Compulsory section of the new qualification.

·          Core Electives 1-5 have been replaced with a new Elective 1, which allows candidates greater flexibility in study towards their chosen industry requirements.

·          Elective 2 has been added to the new qualification to provide candidates with further specialist flexibility.  It also allows for recognition of previous learning achievements in the electrotechnology industry whether through national qualifications framework qualifications or from other qualifications registered on The New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications in the field of electrotechnology engineering.

·          Strands in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Industrial Measurement and Control, and Telecommunications have been removed.

 

It is intended that programmes leading to the new qualification will be introduced from 2007.

 

The last date to meet the requirements of the National Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with strands in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Industrial Measurement and Control, and Telecommunications [Ref: 0846] is 31 December 2010.  Trainees may either complete the requirements of that qualification before 31 December 2010 or transfer to the new qualification with the exemptions listed below.

 

Industry and NZQA will continue to recognise the former qualification, and there should be no need to ‘upgrade’ by those who have already achieved the former qualification.

 

Industry and NZQA will also continue to recognise the NZCE, and there is no requirement for NZCE graduates to ‘upgrade’ to the NDE.

 

This qualification contains standards that replace or have been recognised as alternatives to 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 or alternative standards.

 

Credit for

Exempt from

9685

22735

11388, 11389

21773, 21774

11563

22743

11564

22724

11565

22723

11571

22728

11574

22745

11575

22745

11578

22725

11579

22729

11581

16981

11581

22730

11584

22720

16964, 16965, 16972

22721, 22722

16967

22726

16977

11566

16978

16981

16979, 16985

22715

16980

22718

16983

16981

16986

16981

16988

22712, 22717

16990

22713

 

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

 

It is not intended that anyone be disadvantaged by the above arrangements.  However, anyone who feels they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation (see details below).

 

ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation

PO Box 24 469

ROYAL OAK

Auckland 1030

 

Telephone         09 525 2590

Email                  connect@etito.co.nz

 

Key to Qualification Review Categories

 

Category A

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to SSB name, contact details or purpose statement

No change is made to title, rules or components of the qualification

No transition arrangements are required

Category B

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to title, rules or components

The new version of the qualification recognises a similar skill set to that recognised by the previous version

The SSB is confident that people awarded the new or previous version are comparable in terms of competence

Transition arrangements are required if candidates must gain additional/different credits for the new version

Category C

A new (replacement) qualification is published with new NQF ID

Significant changes are made to the qualification in terms of components, structure, type or level

The SSB views people with the replacement qualification as being significantly different in terms of competence from those with the replaced qualification

Transition arrangements are required

Transition may be limited to phase-out dates

Category D

Qualification will expire.

There is no replacement qualification

Qualification is no longer required by industry

The qualification is designated as expiring and a last date for meeting the qualification requirements is set