Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:

Change report for the review of Horticulture National Qualifications

Reviewed qualifications

[Ref]	Version	Qualification title	Level	Credits
1014	10	National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) with optional strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production	4	140
1015	10	National Certificate in Horticulture (Advanced) (Level 4) with strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Production Horticulture, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production	4	210
1471	2	National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) with an optional strand in Cemetery	3	105
1534	3	National Certificate in Horticulture (Arboriculture) (Level 4) with an optional strand in Advanced	4	150

Review information

Qualification Developer	Primary ITO
Reason for the review	Extend last date for assessment
Review date	N/A
Outcome date	August 2020
Next review date	N/A

Summary of review and consultation process

Due to a three-month period during Covid lockdown (March to May) Training Advisors were unable to carry out any active assessing of trainees in the workplace.  As well, tutors were not able to carry out any off-job training and assessment.  It was not possible at the time to redevelop any on job or off job training and assessment for delivery online due to time constraints and lack of lead in time.

For some sectors, in particular horticulture production, workplace activities that were normally carried out during the lockdown period that enabled relevant unit standards to be assessed, for example harvest and post-harvest, had passed and the next window for opportunity for assessment of these activities and associated unit standards will be early 2021.

Trainees were therefore disadvantaged due to training and assessment being disrupted by lockdown.

Primary ITO are now actively encouraging those trainees that require units to be completed for achievement of National Certificates to present themselves for assessment as soon as possible.  

Primary ITO are also identifying those units that can be completed in 2020 which aren’t affected by season to be prioritised for completion, and those units that have seasonal constraints that cannot be completed in 2020 to be carried over for assessment into early in 2021.

Main changes resulting from the review

Last date for assessment changed from 31 December 2020 to 31 December 2021.

Review outcome

Reference	Version	Reviewed qualification	Outcome category	New qualification details/version (if applicable)
1014	10	National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) with optional strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production	A-No change to qualification, new review date	N/A
1015	10	National Certificate in Horticulture (Advanced) (Level 4) with strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Production Horticulture, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production	A-No change to qualification, new review date	N/A
1471	2	National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) with an optional strand in Cemetery	A-No change to qualification, new review date	N/A
1534	3	National Certificate in Horticulture (Arboriculture) (Level 4) with an optional strand in Advanced	A-No change to qualification, new review date	N/A

Qualification review outcome categories

Outcome	Result	Category
No changes are identified to the qualification	Qualification version number and NZQF ID remain the same. New review date is required.	A
Minor changes are identified to the qualification	New version of qualification is required (NZQF ID remains the same). New review date is required.	B
Significant changes are required to the qualification	New replacement qualification is required with a new NZQF ID. The existing qualification will expire.	C
The qualification is no longer required by industry	The qualification will expire with no replacement.	D