Qualification Overview

Qualification Title National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 5) with strands in Engineering Fabrication, Fire Protection, General and Maintenance Engineering, Mechanical Services, and Precision Engineering
Qualification Type National Certificate
Level 5
Credits 78
Subject Area
  • Engineering and Related Technologies » Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Technology » Mechanical Engineering
  • Engineering and Technology » Mechanical Engineering
Strategic Purpose Statement
The National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 5) with strands in Engineering Fabrication, Fire Protection, General and Maintenance Engineering, Mechanical Services, and Precision Engineering is for qualified engineering tradespeople who wish to further develop their technical, business, and overall leadership knowledge and skills and gain a qualification at an advanced trade level.

This qualification prepares trainees for a wide range of roles in the mechanical engineering industry at management and/or advanced technical level, and comprises three sections.

The first section is compulsory and covers skills considered core to all mechanical engineering staff working at an advanced trade level.

The second is an elective section, which allows for a wide choice of applied study in the areas of mechanical engineering, business and management. Trainees can therefore select those standards most appropriate to a particular role, for example: foreman, leading hand, supervisor, technical expert or process champion.

The third section comprises five strands, which reflect the major sectors of work within the mechanical engineering industry. These strands provide flexibility through elective standards which can be chosen to match the range of work available in the trainee''s enterprise.

Typically, the qualification will be gained during the course of an eighteen month part-time training programme.

The qualification must be completed with at least one of the following strands:

The Engineering Fabrication strand is for those employed within the engineering fabrication industries who work with sheets, plates, sections, and pipes to produce a wide variety of metal products, machines, structures and other equipment, by cutting, forming, shaping and assembling components; or who are involved in the manufacture and installation of structural steel components for building and civil engineering projects.

The Fire Protection strand is for those employed within the fire protection industry, whose work may involve the design, installation, commissioning, testing, and servicing of fire protection systems.

The General and Maintenance Engineering strand is for those employed: on engineering maintenance work in enterprises where the emphasis is on maintaining reliable production, possibly in a lean (competitive) manufacturing environment; in contract maintenance work for such enterprises; or in a general engineering workshop.

The Mechanical Services strand is for those employed within the refrigeration, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning industries installing, commissioning, servicing and maintaining: commercial refrigeration and/or air conditioning equipment; industrial single or multi-stage refrigeration systems, or heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems for industrial and office buildings.

The Precision Engineering strand is for those working in the toolmaking and precision machining industries. Enterprises in these industries typically employ sophisticated CNC mills and lathes to produce engineering components to high degrees of measurement tolerance and finish.

This qualification is a progression from the Level 4 national certificates listed in the Special Notes below. The qualification has some credits in common with, and can lead to, the National Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with strands in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, and Mechanical Services, and with an optional strand in Practical Endorsement [Ref: 0534].
Employment pathways
nullTo find out more about employment opportunities click on the CareersNZ logo, then the provider who offers this qualification.
Entry Requirements
Minimum 12 credits at NCEA Level 2 in each of Maths and Physics and minimum 6 credits NCEA Level 1 English or equivalent and hold a National Certificate Level 4 relevant to chosen strand. Selection Criteria: must attend an interview. Internationals IELTS Score of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in the written band.
Developed By Te Pukenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
Quality Assured By New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Number 1545
Status Discontinued
Created April 2010
Last Reviewed July 2015
Last Date For Entry December 2018
Discontinued December 2020

Qualification Title

The qualification title names the overall focus of the qualification.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Te Reo Maori Title

Listed under Te Reo Maori title with English equivalent.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Matauranga Maori Qualification

A qualification quality assured and approved through the Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance approach.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Qualification Type

There are different types of qualifications including certificate, diploma, degree and post-graduate certificates and diplomas. Qualification types relate to NZQF levels.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Level

The NZQF has ten levels. Level one is least complex and is often entry-level, for example foundation certificates. Levels eight to ten are the most complex, and include post-graduate study.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Credits

The credit value relates to the size of the qualification. One credit equates to ten hours of learning. One year's full-time study at a provider is usually 120 credits, but if you are studying part-time or in the work place the credit value may vary.

+Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Subject Area

All qualifications are grouped into subject areas on the New Zealand Standard Classification of Education (NZSCED). The subject area is a keyword and can be used when searching for qualifications in an area of interest.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Strategic Purpose Statement

Strategic purpose statement explains the reason why the qualification has been developed. It identifies the target learners and for what roles the qualification prepares them.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Graduate profile

The Graduate profile explains the skills, knowledge and attributes a graduate will have attained on achieving the qualification. It describes what they can know and do and be.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Education pathways

Education pathways include other qualifications you can enrol into after completing this qualification.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Employment pathways

Employment pathways include the kinds of careers you can develop with this qualification.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Next Review

This is the date the qualification will expire and be reviewed or discontinued.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Last Date For Entry

The last date a learner can be enrolled in a programme leading to this qualification.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Entry Requirements

The level of education or training you need to have achieved before an education organisation will consider enrolling you for it or arranging the training. Each organisation may also have entry requirements for the programmes they run.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Education Organisation

This is the organisation that can help you achieve the qualification.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Developed By

Qualifications are developed by education organisations. These include standard setting bodies, like industry training organisations, and tertiary providers, such as universities, polytechnics and private training establishments.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Quality Assured By

All qualifications on the NZQF have been checked by the quality assurance bodies of NZQA, ITP Quality or NZVCC to ensure qualifications have meaningful outcomes.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Number

All qualifications have a unique number.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Status

The status shows if a qualification is current, expiring or discontinued. Only current qualifications have programmes at education organisations that are open to new enrolments.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Created

This is the date the qualification was listed on the NZQF.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Last Reviewed

Last date the qualification was formally reviewed.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Content

Information on how a qualification is structured.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]

Discontinued

This is the date the qualification was discontinued and no longer available.

Click anywhere in this window to close it, or press [Esc]