FIELD                 Engineering and Technology

Review of Electricity Supply qualification

National Certificate in Electricity Supply (Power Technician) (Level 5) with an optional strand in Generation and Sustainable Energy [Ref: 1260].

The Infrastructure ITO (Connexis) has completed the review of the qualification above.

Replacement qualification

New Zealand Certificate in Electricity Supply (Power Technician) (Level 5) with optional strands in Communications Systems, Generation, Metering, and Transmission and Distribution [Ref: 3535].

Date replacement qualification listed                                            November 2016

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2021.

Summary of review and consultation process

The mandatory review of the Electricity Supply Industry qualifications occurred in 2012.  Due to the merger of the Electricity Supply ITO with the Infrastructure ITO in 2013, the development of some electrical qualifications was deferred until the merger was completed.

Stage two of the mandatory review of qualifications occurred between 2015 and 2016.  The review included broad consultation with industry and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the new qualification met current and future needs.

The review resulted in a recommendation that the national qualification above should be replaced by the New Zealand qualification in order to continue to meet stakeholder needs.

The replacement New Zealand qualification has been listed, and the national qualification has been reviewed, and will be discontinued.

Main changes resulting from the review

National Certificate in Electricity Supply (Power Technician) (Level 5) with an optional strand in Generation and Sustainable Energy [Ref: 1260]

replaced by

New Zealand Certificate in Electricity Supply (Power Technician) (Level 5) with optional strands in Communications Systems, Generation, Metering, and Transmission and Distribution [Ref: 3535]

Review category

C

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

Transition

The last date for entry into training programmes or courses leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2017.  The last date of assessment for the replaced qualification is 31 December 2019.

People currently working towards the replaced qualification must complete its requirements or transfer to a programme of study or training leading to the replacement qualification by 31 December 2019.

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 Connexis at the address below.  Appeals will be considered on a case by case basis.

Infrastructure ITO (Connexis)

PO Box 2759

Wellington 6140

Telephone     0800 486 626

Email              qualifications@connexis.org.nz

Website         www.connexis.org.nz

Key to Qualification Review Categories

Category A The qualification is published as a new version with the same NZQF 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 NZQF 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 NZQF 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