Field                   Engineering and Technology

 

Review of Telecommunications Qualification

 

National Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 4) with strands in Bearer and Switch; Building and Data Cabling; Customer Access Network; Customer Premises Equipment; Information and Communications Technology; and Radio [Ref: 1002]

 

The Skills Organisation has completed the review of the qualification above.

 

Replacement qualification

 

New Zealand Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 4) with strands in Access Network Technologies; Core Network Technologies; Radio/Wireless Technologies; Signals and Communications; Telecommunications Design; and Telecommunications Technical Service Desk [Ref: 2200]

 

Date new version published                                                             January 2014

 

The review of the New Zealand qualification is planned to take place by 31 December 2017.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

During 2011 and 2012, a mandatory sector review of qualifications in the Telecommunications sector occurred.  The review encompassed broad consultation with industry and training provider stakeholders to ensure that the new qualification meets current and future needs.  The review resulted in the recommendation that the national qualification listed above should be replaced by a New Zealand Level 4 qualification.  The replacement New Zealand qualification has now been registered, and the national qualification will therefore be phased out.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

National Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 4) with strands in Bearer and Switch; Building and Data Cabling; Customer Access Network; Customer Premises Equipment; Information and Communications Technology; and Radio [Ref: 1002]

replaced by

New Zealand Certificate in Telecommunications (Level 4) with strands in Access Network Technologies; Core Network Technologies; Radio/Wireless Technologies; Signals and Communications; Telecommunications Design; and Telecommunications Technical Service Desk [Ref: 2200]

 

Review category

C

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Transition

 

The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2014.

 

The last date to meet the requirements of the replaced qualifications will be 31 December 2017 when the qualification will be discontinued.  From that date no results can be reported against the qualification.

 

People currently working towards the replaced qualification may either complete the requirements by 31 December 2017 or transfer their results to the replacement qualification.

 

This qualification contains an expiring unit standard for which a replacement unit standard has now been registered.  For the purposes of this qualification, people who have gained credit for the replacement unit standard are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the expiring unit standard.

 

Credit for

Exempt from

27911

17490

 

It is anticipated that no existing candidates will be disadvantaged by these transition arrangements.  However, anyone who feels that they have been disadvantaged may appeal to The Skills Organisation at the address below:

 

The Skills Organisation

FREEPOST 5164

PO Box 24469

Royal Oak

Auckland 1345

 

Telephone         09 525 2590

Email                  reviewcomments@skills.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