Qualifications are no longer just for lawyers, doctors and accountants. Today qualifications are required in almost every profession – from administrators to electricians to surveyors.
Despite this, a number of employers, employees and volunteers in the community are lacking qualifications to match their work experience.
Elevate – Wintec’s new online recognition of prior learning tool – aims to rectify this, allowing people to gain NZQA recognised qualifications inline with their industry experience.
Elevate is ideal for people wanting to gain formal recognition of their work experience so they can take the next step on their career ladder, or perhaps apply for a job that requires a NZQA recognised qualification. It’s also of benefit to those with a wealth of on-the-job experience but who haven’t had the time or financial means to study in order to gain a qualification.
Chubb’s regional operations manager Lynden Casey was the first person to complete the elevate process and now has a Diploma in Business Studies to back up his work history.
“Elevate was really easy to use, it’s been such a positive experience,” says Mr Casey, who now intends to build upon his elevate result by studying for a Graduate Diploma in Business Studies.
Mr Casey matched his skills to a relevant qualification at www.elevate.ac.nz and built an online portfolio of work-related evidence.
All candidates must submit a portfolio of evidence online which is reviewed by one of Wintec’s qualified assessors, who match experience to academic credits. A rigorous procedure is followed to ensure candidates’ work experience is equivalent to the appropriate NZQA recognised qualification.
Mr Casey is one of 75 people who are working their way through the elevate process for diplomas and certificates in the areas of electrical, architecture, construction, quantity surveying, business, office administration and education.
Courses are continually being added to elevate which will eventually include most Wintec qualifications.
Wintec’s chief executive Mark Flowers says Wintec is one of the first tertiary institutes in New Zealand to offer an online recognition of prior learning tool.
“By making it possible for people to gain formal qualifications using the skills and experience they’ve gained in the workplace, a more efficient labour market is created because they’re then able to get the jobs at the level or in the particular industry that fully matches their abilities.
“Elevate is essentially about enabling people to further their careers so that our region is continually building its capability. And we’re very pleased to be able to make that happen.”
To find out more go to www.elevate.ac.nz »