FIELD                 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

 

Review of Forestry qualification

 

National Diploma in Forestry (Forest Management) (Level 6) [Ref: 0232]

 

The Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC) has completed the review of the qualification listed above.

 

Replacement qualification

 

National Diploma in Forestry (Operations Management) [Ref: 1532]

 

Date new versions published                                                          January 2010

 

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

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

Over the past two years, FITEC has carried out intensive industry consultation on the make-up of the National Diploma in Forestry.  This review was initiated by industry due to a declining number of students entering programmes of study leading to this qualification, and to ensure the qualification content aligned with the needs of the industry for operational managers.

 

Twelve industry advisory groups were established to bring together subject matter experts from forest owner companies, forest management companies, forestry consultants, the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, the Forest Industry Contractors Association and providers.  These groups were set up to detail the knowledge and skills to be included in the diploma level qualification.  As a result of this process a draft qualification was developed, circulated to industry, and endorsed.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

This qualification has been designated as expiring, and a replacement qualification has been registered.  The replacement qualification is at Level 5, and has simpler qualification requirements, consisting solely of compulsory standards, and fewer credits.

 

National Diploma in Forestry (Forest Management) (Level 6) [Ref: 0232]

Replaced by

National Diploma in Forestry (Operations Management) [Ref: 1532]

 

Review category

C

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

The main changes between the expiring and replacement qualifications are:

·      A number of practical based standards were removed from the qualification with the intention of practical experience being gained during the programme but not as part of the programme.  These included standards 1136, 1222, 1234, 1237, 1238, 1243, 1245, 1254, 6916, 6917, 6924, 6952, 6957, and 17766.

·      New areas of knowledge were identified by the advisory groups and these were included in the qualification.  These include leadership, forest operations supply chains, process analysis, and monitoring of production and quality.

·      The requirements to develop a full harvesting and roading plan were changed to demonstrating knowledge of harvest planning and evaluating an existing plan.

·      Leadership and business skills have been recognised by the inclusion of standards from the Humanities and Business Fields.

 

Transition

 

People currently enrolled in programmes of study leading towards the replaced qualification have until 31 December 2012 to complete the assessment requirements for that qualification and MUST gain credit for expiring standards 6923, 6949, 13108, and 13109 by 31 December 2011 or gain credit for the relevant replacement standards (see reverse transition for [Ref: 0232]).

 

Delivery of courses or programmes of study leading towards the National Diploma in Forestry (Operations Management) [Ref: 1532] may commence from February 2010.

 

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

 

Credit for

Exempt from

1138 or 1132

25753

1140

25754

1143 or 1144

25752

4291 or 4297

19030

4301

25747

5870

22131

 

Reverse Transition for [Ref: 0232]

 

This qualification contains standards that have been replaced by a later standard.  For the purposes of this qualification, people who have gained credit for the replacement standard are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the expiring standards - see table below.

 

Credit for

Exempt from

22994

13108, 13109

22998

6949

23000

6923

 

It is not expected that anyone will be disadvantaged by these transition arrangements.  However, any existing candidate who considers they have been disadvantaged can appeal to FITEC at the address below.

 

Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC)

PO Box 137067

Parnell

Auckland 1151

 

Telephone    09 356 7250

Email             info@fitec.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