ENGINEERING
Why take on an apprentice?
To be competitive and prosper in a world that’s changing quickly, New Zealand’s mechanical engineering sector needs a strong base of skills. Taking on an apprentice is one of the best ways to build these skills.
Our customers regularly tell us that hiring and training an apprentice:
builds future talent for their business, and helps them train that talent to their specific needs;
helps them address skills shortages before they happen; is a cost-effective way to build skills;
is an investment that earns an increasing return as
apprentices gain skills and contribute more to their business; brings energy, enthusiasm, a fresh pair of eyes and new
ideas to their business.
There are benefits for emplyees too. By choosing an apprenticeship, trainees learn valuable, practical skills on-the-job. They also earn while they learn, which means they graduate without a student debt.
Our engineering
apprenticeships at a glance
A Competenz engineering apprenticeship is a programme of study made up mainly of on-the-job training, and supplemented by block courses and bookwork.
An apprenticeship takes three to four years to complete.
We develop apprenticeships to suit the needs of our industries. Our apprenticeships combine a broad base of mechanical engineering unit standards with specialised ‘strands’ of skills and knowledge.
All apprentices study towards a Level 4 National Certificate qualification designed to suit their chosen trade.
Anyone can do an apprenticeship. Employees already working in your industry without formal qualifications can have their skills formally recognised.
Learners can undertake their off-the-job study through Competenz eLearning, night classes or correspondence. Competenz receives government funding to keep the costs
of training and apprenticeships manageable.
We run a rigorous moderation programme which ensures assessments are valid, fair and consistent.
National qualifications in engineering
and related trades are available through
apprenticeships in:
Taking on an apprentice is a big commitment for any business. As your industry
training organisation, Competenz works with your industry to help businesses
understand the value of hiring an apprentice, create a pipeline of talented candidates,
and help learners build their skills.
Fabrication
HVAC
Metal Casting
Locksmithing
Engineering
General
Toolmaking
Maintenance
Engineering
Air Conditioning
Refrigeration &
Michael Abel –
Fonterra
National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Level 4 – Maintenance Engineering
Young adults contemplating life after school face a similar dilemma: go to university, get a degree, and potentially rack up a huge student loan. Or find a career path that lets you to earn while you learn.
At 23 years of age, Michael Abel is already convinced he made the right choice. “Uni’s good fun socially with your mates, but doing this was not only good fun. I’ve learnt heaps of life skills and I do seem to be getting ahead in life compared to the guys who went to uni. They’re still trying to catch up and get themselves sorted, while I’m miles ahead.”
Michael chose to take up a trade as soon as he left school, enrolling in
a National Certificate of Mechanical Engineering. His dedication and smarts caught the eye of dairy giant Fonterra which employed him as an engineering apprentice.
One advantage of learning a trade is the opportunities it presents nationally and globally – especially when working with a large multinational like Fonterra. But it’s not just the career prospects with the company that have Michael convinced he’s made the right decision. “I can go anywhere in the world with this qualification and pick up work. Opportunity-wise, it’s huge. I can essentially choose the place in the world I want to go, and go there.”
Making engineering
apprenticeships work for
your business
Our Competenz account managers support your apprentices and workplace training supervisors by:
helping your business develop a company-wide training plan which incorporates apprentice training and other training needs;
checking that your apprentices are meeting their learning targets and identifying areas for improvement to ensure they complete their training on time;
helping your apprentices match tasks completed to unit standards and complete the necessary paperwork; arranging and recording off-the-job training (e.g. block
courses, eLearning, night class);
arranging support for learners with literacy and numeracy issues.
Which apprenticeship option
is right for your business?
Signing up to an apprenticeship is a big deal – for employers and for apprentices. It’s a major investment in training and learning. We understand the challenges employers and learners face, and offer two options to help you manage your apprenticeships: ATNZ and Elev8.
ATNZ
Apprenticeship Training New Zealand (ATNZ) is a charitable trust and New Zealand’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices. Competenz works with ATNZ to second apprentices to your company and manage all aspects of their employment. Your company provides the training environment.
Under our ATNZ option, a Competenz account manager visits your workplace ten times a year to build your apprentice’s skills and check on the employment relationship.
ATNZ charges companies an hourly rate for each seconded apprentice.
Elev8
Many employers prefer to hire, train and develop their own apprentices. Under our Elev8 option, a Competenz account manager visits your workplace four times a year to support your apprentice’s learning and ensure they complete their qualifications on time.
Competenz charges companies a yearly enrolment fee for each apprentice, plus off-job learning costs (e.g. block courses and eLearning).
Machining
Mechanical
Engineering
Ashton Fleming –
Hayes International
National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Level 4 – Fitting and Machining
Ashton Fleming has a penchant for something that puts most people on edge – the sound of grinding metal. The young fitting and machining apprentice also has a passion for racing stock cars, working with steel, and almost anything to do with machines.
It may have been inevitable that twenty-four-year-old Ashton would take up a metal-related trade. “I’ve always been interested in metalwork and working with steel. Over the past two years I’ve learnt all sorts of skills. I know how to operate pretty much every manual machine in the machine shop.” Ashton’s apprenticeship at Hayes International, a manufacturer based in Rotorua, gives her the opportunity
to develop skills to further her other passion. The company builds quality machinery for the worldwide market. With a little innovation, Ashton can transfer her skills to stock car racing, using the expertise she’s gleaned to make her own mechanical parts. With her knowledge of fitting and machining expanding each day, Ashton has a lot of potential both on and off the race track. She shows no signs of growing weary of the world of machines. “When I look back at my decision to become an apprentice, I’m definitely happy I did it. It’s a lot of fun and really interesting work. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing.”
Activities involved in employing
and training your apprentice
Responsible
ATNZ
Elev8
Recruiting your apprentice ATNZ Your business
Pre-employment testing (including mechanical aptitude, literacy and
numeracy, drug testing) ATNZ Your business
Employing and paying your apprentice (including KiwiSaver and
ACC contributions) ATNZ Your business
Employment support and advice ATNZ Your business
Day-to-day supervision Your business Your business
Costs of qualifications Most met by ATNZ Met by your business
Visits per year by a Competenz account manager Ten, to build your apprentice’s skills and check on the employment relationship
Four, to build your apprentice’s skills
Block course and study costs (including night classes, eLearning or
correspondence) ATNZ Your business
Assessing your apprentice’s progress ATNZ Your business or Competenz
Providing tools and safety equipment ATNZ Your business
More information
www.atnz.org.nz
Cameron Grierson
– Stratford
Engineering
National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Level 4 – Fitting and Machining
It was never his intention growing up, but Cameron Grierson followed in his father’s footsteps. His dad runs the family business, Stratford Engineering, where Cameron now works. But it was Cameron’s enthusiasm for motorcycles that first piqued his interest in the industry.
And it just happened that his family’s traditional workshop was the perfect fit. The twenty-four-year-old has completed his National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering, after cleaning up at the Taranaki Engineering Apprentice of the Year Awards in 2013. Cameron won the top prize, Apprentice of the Year.
“I went to university for a year, but decided the hands-on approach for engineering was more for me. We’re an old style of shop. We do a lot of hands-on. We have no computerised machinery here. Every day is different. You never know what’s going to come in the door.”
The future looks bright for Cameron, not least due to his obvious ability and pride in producing quality work. “I get an enormous amount of satisfaction when I put something back together I’ve been working on for a while. Putting all the parts I’ve made together into something that works first time – that’s a good feeling.”
Helping apprentices
test their skills on the
world stage
To promote excellence in engineering, Competenz is an active member and supporter of WorldSkills New Zealand, a national skills competition for young people in vocational training. Every two years, many of the country’s skilled young tradespeople take part in the New Zealand nationals to win the chance to compete at WorldSkills International (also known as the Trade Olympics). This is a chance for these young people to test and build their skills on the national and international stage.
eLearning options for
apprentices
Our Competenz eLearning resources make it easy for apprentices to learn where and when they want to. These visual, web-based resources replace night classes and correspondence, and your apprentices learn at a pace that suits them.
For more information please visit:
www.competenz.org.nz/elearning
Post-apprenticeship
qualifications
Many learners relish the challenge of studying for and
completing higher qualifications. The advanced skills they gain make their jobs more satisfying, and make them more useful and versatile employees for your company.
Competenz offers two advanced learning programmes for mechanical engineering. Both let your employees expand their knowledge and skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification.
National Certificate in Mechanical
Engineering (Level 5)
This qualification covers skills and knowledge that are valuable for someone who wants a supervisory role in mechanical engineering or to learn more advanced trade theory. Learning combines off-the-job and on-the-job training, but there are no off-site block courses involved. The qualification offers a choice of compulsory and elective unit standards to suit learners’ needs and those of your business.
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering
Practice (NZDEP, Level 6)
The NZDEP is a structured, work-based qualification that is assessed on-the-job. It helps your employees develop their practical skills as engineering technicians, building on their academic knowledge, improving their prospects and increasing their value to your business.
This qualification lets learners become certified engineering technicians and gain Associate Membership of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ).
2,800
16,000+
engineering trades
apprenticeships nationally
with Competenz
Around
engineering apprentices have qualified
nationwide with Competenz support
since 1992
Competenz is a multi-sector industry
training organisation (ITO). We work with
3,500 businesses and over 20,000 learners
across New Zealand each year to grow skills,
careers and businesses and make it easy to
learn on-the-job.
For more information about Competenz engineering apprenticeships please contact us:
