Am I screwed?

[Chaz]

Completing the NZQA documents now. I have a completed trade (Electrician) and National Tech Certificate Level 5 (South Africa).

Ive just spent a month getting a written letter from my employer I left more than 5 years back for my work experience to allow my N5 to be rated.

NZQA had given me a pre qual score of Level 4 which is all Ive needed. I had received Level 3 previously on my trade (doesnt make sense, but nevermind).

So figured Id just apply with my N5 and get my Level 4, armed with letter from company.

They then ask what vocational experience I have, so I declare I have a trade. They want a copy of the certificate, which I have, but also an ORIGINAL contract. Those are documents 10 years old, long missing, in another country. I cant wait another month to get a copy of an original contract.

Added to this, I need to fill in my schooling and show an original certificate for this. These are also long gone. My N5 surpasses these and could not have been entered into or completed unless I had completed high school etc.

I need to start work in August, I have all other documents for my EOI, which, from today's faxing of a job offer, should be expedited.

Should I change my plans and go through the work permit option or can I risk just submitting my N5 and its related documents to NZQA?

I think the Level 4 is worth 50 points, however with a job offer (also 50?) I could offer no qualification and skip the NZQA mess? Im hoping to have a case officer assigned soonest so that I can discuss with them.

Argh!!

[Chaz]

Just reading through some more of the posts here - seems there might be a bit of leeway with earlier qualifications, as long as you can show the ones that count.

Something that might also bite me is that my N4 and N5 'certificates' are re-issued declarations that replaced ones that we lost years back. The declaration is original, on the department of education letterhead, stamped (signed) by the examination office and clearly says in the first line:

"This statement is issued in lieu of a certificate which has been lost or destroyed. Duplicates of certificates are not issued under any circumstances."

Will they likely accept this?

For the work experience section, page 15, do I need to list all my jobs prior, even the ones not related to my N5 qualification (such as now as I am in IT since 2001) and the N5 was completed back in 1995.

Thanks.

[dusk]

work experience - just list as much as you need to to get the points you want to claim, certainly don't list anything that isn't relevant to the industry you want recognised for work experience.

I'm slightly lost by the rest of your query I'm afraid, so I can't offer any suggestions...

the reissued certificate should be alright by the sounds of what you have described.

[Chaz]

Thanks Dusk.

Can anyone tell me if I need to send an identity document with this? I know, if I changed name, I do.

[PeteS]

If you are applying for electrical registration, why use the NZQA?

Both the overseas equivalents and local qualifications required for electrical registration are laid out in the legislation that the EWRB work under and is nothing to do with the NZQA..... When I came out here all I needed to show the Immigration service was Provisional Registration with the EWRB and and a job offer.

[Dave in NZ]

Hi,
I have found this chap very helpful. He gave me a lot of advice and I did not go on a course.Although he mentions UK he will be able to advise you the best route to take.
Nick Chandler
Chandler Consulting Limited Col 3:17
Address. 42a Royal Road, Massey 0614
Auckland, New Zealand
Phone / Fax. +64 9 832-2653
Mobile. + 64 21 770-278
Email. chandlerconsulting@xtra.co.nz





Note - regarding Residency / Work Permit / Work to Residency

If you are intending to apply for residency, you will need to have submitted your qualifications and work experience to the EWRB, found an employer and completed the safety tuition training course (see below) in order to apply for an electrical provisional licence. Having a provisional licence is one of NZIS requirements when applying for residency.

If however, you intend to come to NZ on a work permit, you do not need do the training in London (thereby saving you some money and time), you can do it in NZ after you arrive.

For those applying for a work to residency visa, you do not need do the training in London, BUT you must have received a letter (of reply) from the EWRB stating that your qualifications and work experience are acceptable and that a provisional licence will be issued once you have an employer and completed the “safety tuition” course.




The NZ electrician registration process is:-

1. Submit your City & Guilds (and/or other as applicable) qualifications and a VERY COMPREHENSIVE resume' of your work experience to the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB) The address is PO Box 10156 Wellington, New Zealand – attention Mr. Paul McGrail.
More details can be found at www.med.govt.nz/ewrb/ or at www.ewrb.govt.nz. References from employers (i.e. an electrical supervisor or manager) or electrical inspectors (if you are self employed) must be included, to verify your work experience.

If your qualifications are deemed appropriate you will be exempt the NZ (level 4) electrical theory exam. If not, you may complete the theory training in NZ, BUT this may affect your residency application from the UK.

Your work experience is needed to confirm you have sufficient experience to comply with the requirements for obtaining a NZ Electrician Practising Licence. NOTE - work experience is best documented covering similar information to that shown in Schedule 1 of the Electricity Regulations Compilation 2003 – (see attached document). Further information on the Regulations can be found at - www.ess.govt.nz (the Energy Safety Services) web site. The required information can be downloaded free of charge.

2. Complete a provisional licence application, which requires the following:-
- A prospective employer in NZ who can sign the Supervision guidelines section of the application
- "Safety tuition training": - a series of one-day courses will be available (in conjunction with NZIS - London) during the year.
- Obtain a copy of the Supervision Guidelines and sign a declaration stating you have read, understood and will comply with the requirements. (I provide this during the training courses)

3. Once 1 & 2 above are completed, and you are in NZ working under your provisional licence, you will need to complete the practical assessment (called stage 3 practical) and the NZ electrical regulations exam. The exams are run in June and November of each year. Course work, including the practical assessment can be done at night school (Polytech) or on block courses.

After all that, you can apply for Registration and a Practising Licence as an electrician. There a few "fish-hooks", such as the provisional licence is only valid for 12 months from the date of issue and it may take longer than that to arrange to move to NZ. The (very helpful) NZIS people and the EWRB can supply more information.

[Chaz]

If you are applying for electrical registration, why use the NZQA?

Both the overseas equivalents and local qualifications required for electrical registration are laid out in the legislation that the EWRB work under and is nothing to do with the NZQA..... When I came out here all I needed to show the Immigration service was Provisional Registration with the EWRB and and a job offer.

Im not applying for Electrical registration. Im simply using my N4 + N5 for Level 4 for EOI points. I dont work in Electrical field anymore, not since 2001. IT & Telecoms now.

[Chaz]

Well, sending this letter as it seems that the NZQA *might* look at this logically. I cannot have N5 without N5 without having completed N3,2,1 etc as well as completion of high school. Perhaps someone else can benefit from this or give me feedback if theres anything I should change or consider before I courier this off tomorrow morning.

Dear NZQA,

Please find attached my Application for Assessment of International Qualifications, in line with our EOI - ******.

I have included the following documents;

Completed application form, original and copy.
National N5 Certificate Statement, original and copy.
National N4 Certficate Statement, original and copy.
Electrician Trade Certificate, original and copy.
Letter from employer in line with my qualifications and trade certificate, original and copy.

I am aware that I need to include certificates for my high school qualifications, however due to the fact that we are resident in Ireland, and not physically in South Africa, these documents are impossible to get replacements off as these had been lost previously.

I have also completed my National N1, N2 and N3 certificates which allowed me entry to complete the attached N4 and N5 certificates which were also lost at the time of loosing my Standard 9 completion certificate.

At the time of getting re-issued my National N4 and N5 certificates, I had enquired about N1,N2 and N3 and told that these could not be reissued as they had been completed too long ago and that on the basis of the completed N4 and N5, these should not be asked for as they have been 'superceded'.

Richards Bay Minerals, which was my employer at the time of completion of my N4, N5 and Electrical Trade Certificate should have record of my N3 certification as this is the qualification that I would have applied for the apprenticeship at the time. The original letter from Richards Bay Minerals has their contact details for verification / enquiry if required.

I have submitted a job offer to NZIS London on Thursday, the 15th of May 2008 which allows our EOI to be expedited. I have included my credit card details for the required fees and fast tracking as I need to have my ITA submitted to allow a work commencement of August and therefore appreciate your review of my qualification assessment and the included documents that I have.

Best Regards,