Fabrication qualification offers diverse training

Fabrication qualification review offers more diverse training options

Changes to the National Certificate in Engineering - Fabrication (Level 4) should be good news to workers in the fabrication industries, particularly trades traditionally referred to as fabricators, sheet metal workers, boiler makers, steel construction and fitters and welders.

Following a review of new Version 5 qualification will offer additional unit standards to cover a new strand in Steel Construction in addition to strands in Heavy Fabrication and Light Fabrication.

“The qualification was reviewed and updated to ensure it was fit for purpose and met industry needs,” said Competenz Industry Manager, Wolfgang Marshall.

The Heavy Fabrication strand is mainly for people working with heavier gauge plate, sections, and pipes to produce a wide variety of products including pressure vessels.

The Light Fabrication strand deals with sheet metals and lighter gauge plate, sections, and pipes to produce a large variety of products.

The Steel Construction strand is specifically for fabricators who manufacture and install steel components for buildings and civil engineering projects.

The key changes as a result of the review include:
• The removal of the previous welding strand, with a new set of qualifications for welders being developed;

• All strands include unit standards on basic CNC principles, pressure vessels, pipes and pipes and the building of jigs;

• Greater attention to development of fabrication patterns;

• The rationalization of unit standards to minimise the amount of workplace assessment needed.

The new version should be more user friendly, and Competenz has developed supporting materials for students and tutors.

The qualification will continue to be achieved through an apprenticeship lasting typically four years with apprentices attending night school or correspondence school. All off-job unit standards will be assessed by the training provider, while on-job unit standards will be assessed in the workplace by a registered assessor.

Competenz says workers who have completed a pre-trade course may have already achieved some or all unit standards for Year 1. Apprentices who have started training on the previous version will have until 2014 to complete that version. The previous versions will continue to be recognized in industry, and there is no need to upgrade or transfer.

Effective immediately, all newly registered apprentices will be signed into the National Certificate in Engineering – Fabrication (Level 4, Version 5).

Competenz is the ITO for the New Zealand engineering and manufacturing industries.

ENDS

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