FIELD                        ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Review of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning qualification

 

National Certificate in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Level 4) [Ref: 0130]

 

Competenz has completed the review of the above qualification.

 

Date new version published                        February 2007

 

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

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

This qualification was reviewed in conjunction with a major review of unit standards in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning domain, during which off-job skills were separated from on-job skills to facilitate better delivery and assessment systems.

 

Recent industry developments also highlighted the need for rationalisation of the earlier categories of refrigeration equipment (ie residential, light commercial, commercial, light industrial, and industrial) into split system air conditioning (covered by the new National Certificate in Split System Air Conditioning (Level 3) [Ref: 1242]), commercial, and industrial.

 

The consultation process included representation from industry members, Institute of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers New Zealand (IRHACE New Zealand), Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Companies Association (RACCA), and training providers.  The new version of the National Certificate in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Level 4) [Ref: 0130] was approved at a meeting of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector Advisory Group on 16 November 2006.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

·        Credit has been reduced from 333-365 credits to 284 following more focussed selection of recently reviewed standards.

·        The Compulsory section has been reduced from 283 to 166 credits, using standards more appropriate to industry today.

·        The minimum credit total for Elective A has increased from 35 to 90.

·        Elective B, which was open to standards from anywhere on the National Qualifications Framework, has been tightened to a more focussed selection of standards and domains, and credit for this section was increased from 15 to 28.

·        Optional Elective C has been removed.  The electrical standards have been updated and moved to the compulsory section.

·        Many standards have been replaced with recently reviewed standards, particularly in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and in Mechanical Engineering.

·        The new National Certificate in Split System Air Conditioning (Level 3) [Ref: 1242] has been included in the pathway description.

 

Transition

 

All new trainees or apprentices from 2007 will be enrolled in version 4 of the qualification.

 

People currently working towards version 3 are encouraged to complete that version, and courses to enable them to do so are being planned for 2007 and 2008.  The last date for award of version 3 will be December 2011.

 

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.

 

Credit for	Exempt from
2670	21907
2824	21911 and 21912
3824	22705
3829	22706
3830	22706
3834 and 3839	22702
3835 and 3836	22707
3844 and 3849	22704
4795	20917
4796	20799

 

These exemptions will be available up to 31 December 2011.

 

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

 

Competenz

PO Box 26 349

EPSOM

Auckland 1344

 

Telephone                        0800 275 455

Email                        qualifications@competenz.org.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