FIELD                 ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Review of Mechanical Engineering qualifications

 

National Certificate in Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (Level 4) [Ref: 0569]

National Certificate in Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (Testing) (Level 3) [Ref: 0862]

National Certificate in Fixed Fire Protection Systems (Level 4) [Ref: 0570]

National Certificate in Fixed Fire Protection Systems (Level 3) with strands in Installation, and Testing [Ref: 0863]

National Certificate in Fire Protection Systems Technology (Inspection and Testing) (Level 4) [Ref: 0864]

National Certificate in Hand Operated Fire Fighting Equipment (Level 3) [Ref: 0568]

 

Competenz has completed the review of the qualifications listed above.

 

Date new versions published                                                          September 2007

 

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

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

These qualifications were reviewed in conjunction with a major review of standards in the Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Fixed Fire Protection Systems, Fire Protection Systems Technology and Hand Operated Fire Fighting domains, during which off-job skills were separated from on-job skills to facilitate better delivery and assessment systems.

 

Recent industry developments, changes to the New Zealand Standards governing the fire protection industry and the Building Act 2004 necessitated changes to the contents of these qualifications.

 

The consultation process included representation from industry members, Fire Protection Association of New Zealand, and FireTech (training provider).

 

The new versions of the qualifications drawn up with guidance from the Qualifications Advisory Groups were endorsed by the Sector Advisory Group in March 2007.

 

All new trainees or apprentices from 2008 will be enrolled in the new versions of the qualifications.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

National Certificate in Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (Level 4) [Ref: 0569]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content:

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed standards have been updated;

·      credit total has increased from 203 to 217 credits;

·      the elective section has been removed, making all unit standards compulsory;

·      standards 56, 58, 1178, 1279, 1979, 2780, 3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 4432, 4433, 5925, 5929, 6626, 7123, 8489, 8490, 9362, 10782, 10790, 10791, 10933-10940, 12349, 15854, and 16415 have been removed from qualification;

·      standards 17718 and 17719 have been replaced by standard 23258;

·      standards 18435 and 18436 have been replaced by standard 23260;

·      standards 9386 and 9388 have been replaced by standard 23261;

·      standard 9398 has been replaced by standard 23267;

·      standards 497, 8191, 23259, and 23265 have been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 2 or 3 of this qualification may either complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to version 4 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 2 of this qualification is 31 December 2008.  The last date for assessment to take place for version 3 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

741, 742, 744, 746, 747, 756

15843

743, 745

15845

751

15846

1175,  5914

16407

1176, 5912

15847

1183

15848

5923

15849

1179

15851 and 15852

1210

15861

2026

15862

2018

15871

2029

15871

9386, 9387, 9388, 9389

23261

9398

23267

17718, 17719

23258

18435, 18436

23260

 

 

National Certificate in Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (Testing) (Level 3) [Ref: 0862]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content:

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed standards have been updated;

·      credit total has changed from 114 to 107 credits;

·      the elective section has been removed so that all standards are now compulsory;

·      standards 17717 and 17725 have been replaced by 23262;

·      standards 17718 and  17719 have been replaced by 23258;

·      standards 17721 and 17722 have been replaced by 23259;

·      standards 56, 58, 1178, 1279, 1979, 3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 7123, 8489, 8490, 10790, 10791, 10933-10940, 12349, 15848, 15849, 15854, and 15871 have been removed from the qualification;

·      standards 497, 2780, and 15851 have been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 2 of this qualification may either complete the requirements of that version, or transfer their results to version 3 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 2 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

741, 742, 744, 746, 747, 756

15843

743, 745

15845

1176, 5912

15847

1179

15851

17717, 17725

23262

17718, 17719

23258

17721, 17722

23259

 

National Certificate in Fixed Fire Protection Systems (Level 4) [Ref: 0570]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content:

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed standards have been updated;

·      credit total has changed from 188 credits to 174;

·      standard 2824 has been replaced by 21911 and 21912;

·      standards 9370 and 9371 have been replaced by 23587;

·      standards 56, 58, 1279, 1312, 1979, 3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 7123, 8489, 9362, 9366-9368, 9377, 10790, 10791, 12349, have been removed from the qualification;

·      standards 57, 3492 and 9372 have been retained from the elective section;

·      the Core Elective and the Testing strand elective sections have been removed, making all standards compulsory;

·      standards 497, 9375, 15848, 17734 and 23588 have been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 2 of this qualification may complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to version 3 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 2 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

1183

15848

2824

21911, 21912

9370, 9371

23587

 

National Certificate in Fixed Fire Protection Systems (Level 3) with strands in Installation, and Testing [Ref: 0863]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content:

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed unit standards have been updated;

·      credit total changed from 100 credits to 94 for the Installation strand and 66 for the Testing strand;

·      standard 2824 replaced by 21911 and 21912;

·      standards 56, 58, 750, 1178, 1277, 1279, 1979,  3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 7123, 8489, 10790, 10791, 10933-10940, 12349, 15843, 15845, 15847, 15849, 15854, 15871, and 17727 have been removed from the qualification;

·      standard 3492 has been moved from the Core Elective section to the Core Compulsory section;

·      standards 57 and 15848 have been moved from the Testing strand to the Compulsory section;

·      the Core Elective and the Testing strand elective sections have been removed;

·      standard 497 has been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 1 of this qualification may either complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to version 2 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 1 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

1183

15848

2824

21911, 21912

 

National Certificate in Fire Protection Systems Technology (Inspection and Testing) Level 4) [Ref: 0864]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content:

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed unit standards have been updated;

·      credit total has decreased from 224 credits to 202 credits;

·      the elective section has been removed, making all standards compulsory;

·      standards 56, 58, 1277, 1279, 1979, 3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 4432, 4433, 5929, 5932, 5934, 6625, 7123, 8489, 8490, 10790, 10791, 10933-10940, 12349, 15848, 15849, 15854, 16407, 17709, 17711, 17716, 17720, and 17727-17729 have been removed from qualification;

·      standards 21911 and 21912 has replaced unit standard 2824;

·      standard 23258 has replaced standards 17718 and 17719;

·      standard 23259 has replaced standards 17721 and 17722;

·      standard 23262 has replaced standards 17717 and 17725;

·      standards 497 and 23263 have been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 1 of this qualification may either complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to version 2 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 1 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

201, 202

2780

741, 742, 744, 746, 747, 756

15843

743, 745

15845

751

15846

1176, 5912

15847

1179

15851, 15852

1210

15861

1711, 2026

15862

2824

21911, 21912

9395

23263

17717, 17725

23262

17718, 17719

23258

17721, 17722

23259

 

National Certificate in Hand Operated Fire Fighting Equipment (Level 3) [Ref: 0568]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·      titles, levels, and credits of reviewed standards have been updated;

·      the elective section has been removed, making all standards compulsory;

·      standard 2824 has been replaced by 21911 and 21912;

·      standards 9014 and 9019 have been replaced by 23585;

·      standards 17737 and 17738 have been replaced by 23586;

·      standards 1279, 1312, 1979, 3488, 3490, 3491, 3501, 7123, 8489, 9017, 9018, 10790, 10791, and 12349 have been removed from the qualification;

·      standard 497 has been introduced to the qualification.

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards version 2 of this qualification may either complete the requirements of that version or transfer their results to version 3 of the qualification.

 

The last date for assessments to take place for version 2 of this qualification is 31 December 2010.

 

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

201, 202

2780

2824

21911, 21912

9014, 9019

23585

17737, 17738

23586

 

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