FIELD                 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

 

Review of Aquaculture qualification

 

National Certificate in Aquaculture (Level 2) [Ref: 1063]

 

The Seafood Industry Training Organisation has completed the review of the qualification above.

 

Date new version published                                                             March 2011

 

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

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

The Aquaculture advisory group (consisting of industry experts, workplace assessors, and education provider assessors) met in August 2010 to discuss the credit size, flexibility, fitness for purpose, industry endorsement, use and completion of the qualification.

 

To allow for the different aquaculture sectors to engage in this entry level qualification, and in light of the recent review of other Level 3 and 4 Aquaculture qualifications this qualification's credit size was reduced and the requirements made more flexible and better fit for purpose.  These changes should better facilitate industry endorsement, use, and completion of the qualification.

 

The final reviewed version was endorsed by the advisory group as being fit for purpose and meeting the requirements of the industry.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

National Certificate in Aquaculture (Level 2) [Ref: 1063]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·      Structure was updated from a compulsory and elective section to two elective sections.

·      Overall the credit total reduced from 62 to 40 credits.

·      Compulsory standard 497 was moved to Elective Two.

·      Expiring first aid standards 6400, 6401 and 6402 were replaced by standards 26551 and 26552 and the subsequent exemptions were included.

·      Standards 1754, 10851 and 10852 were added to Elective Two.

·      Standards 6213, 16340, 16337, 16672, 16673, 17253, 17254, 19851, and 19852 while no longer specified in the qualification can still be used to meet the elective requirements.

 

Transition

 

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

 

People currently enrolled in programmes leading to version 1 or version 2 may either complete that version or, transfer their results to version 3.  The last date of assessment for version 1 and version 2 is 31 December 2013.

 

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, 6401, 6402	26551, 26552

 

Reverse Transition has been included for these exemptions in versions 1 and 2 of this qualification.

 

It is not intended that any existing candidate be disadvantaged by this review.  However, anyone who feels disadvantaged should contact the standard setter at the address below.

 

Seafood Industry Training Organisation

Private Bag 24901

Manners Street

Wellington 6142

 

Telephone       04 385 4005

Email                admin@seafood.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