The range of prerequisite qualifications necessary to apply for Civil Trades certification has been broadened, giving experienced civil contractors who hold legacy qualifications the opportunity to gain the industry’s gold-standard mark of excellence.
The expansion adds a suite of National Certificates achieved under the NZQA’s previous framework to the list of eligible qualifications recognised under its current system and was approved by the Civil Contractors New Zealand Executive Board in March.
CCNZ Workforce Development Manager Rebecca Fox says it had become clear that experienced workers were being unfairly excluded from certification.
"We know of a significant number of veteran civil construction professionals holding relevant NZQA National Certificates who were unable to progress to Civil Trades certification despite having qualifications to prove their competency.
“Just because a qualification was earned before the contemporary NZQA framework came into being doesn't make it any less rigorous. These people proved the same skills required today, NZQA still recognises these qualifications as valid and they continue to represent industry expertise.”
Qualifications added to the list span key areas of civil infrastructure including water reticulation, pipeline construction, pavement surfacing, and civil works supervision – ranging from specialist trade skills to management capabilities.
The change reinforces Civil Trades certification’s status as recognition of expertise and experience in New Zealand’s civil infrastructure industry by making the programme accessible to the full range of qualified individuals.
"This update ensures fair access to Civil Trades certification for everyone who has dedicated themselves to their craft and put in the hard yards to gain their qualifications, regardless of when they earned them," Rebecca says.
The expansion doesn't alter any other certification requirements: applicants still need to demonstrate 8,000 hours of practical experience and meet all other standard assessment criteria.
"Recognising qualifications from previous NZQA frameworks supports our goal of lifting standards industry-wide while acknowledging the career contributions of civil construction professionals who have been building New Zealand's infrastructure for decades," Rebecca says.
New eligible qualifications
The eligibility criteria for Civil Trades certification has been expanded to include the following certifications. All of these pre-date the contemporary NZQA certification framework.
Water and pipeline
- National Certificate in Water Reticulation – Level 3 (all versions) [Ref: 0962]
- National Certificate in Water Reticulation (Supervisor) – Level 4 (all versions) [Ref: 1259]
- National Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Infrastructure Pipelaying Technician) (all versions) [Ref: 1282]
Civil industry and general supervision
- National Certificate in Infrastructure Works Supervision (all versions) – strands in Civil Plant Management, Civil Works, Pavement Surfacing, Roadmarking, Road Works, and Rural Contracting [Ref: 1659]
- National Certificate in Pavement Surfacing (Single Site Supervision) – Level 4 – strands in Asphalt and Chipseal [Ref: 1430]
- National Certificate in Infrastructure Works Supervision – optional strands in Asphalt Surfacing, Chipseal Surfacing, Civil Works and Utilities, Road Works, Water, and Wastewater [Ref: 1658]
- National Certificate in Civil Construction Works (Foreperson) – optional strands in Kerb and Channel, Concreting, High Capacity Highways, and Roading [Ref: 0208]
- National Certificate in Civil Construction Supervision – optional strands in Demolition, Drainage, Earthworks, Survey and Set Out, High Capacity Highways, Road Construction, Road Maintenance, Traffic, and Training [Ref: 0209]
- National Certificate in Civil Construction Supervision – Level 4 (all versions) [Ref: 1324]