With 20 years management experience, Julie Purdy wanted a qualification to match. Using elevate – Wintec’s online recognition of prior learning tool – she was able to gain a Diploma in Business Management without setting foot in a classroom.
Julie, who is a Practice Manager at Visique Rose Optometrists in Hamilton, said: “As my management ability, experience and responsibility increased, I wanted a formal qualification to recognise this. Not only has the diploma given me a personal boost, it increases my career prospects. Experience and qualifications are two separate things; now I have both.”
For Julie, the main benefit of using elevate to gain a qualification was that it didn’t disrupt her work commitments. Because elevate is online and easily accessible, she could complete the process at times that suited her.
Julie matched her skills to a relevant qualification – in her case, a Diploma in Business Management – at www.elevate.ac.nz and built an online portfolio of work-related evidence.
“Submitting actual documents as evidence of my ability, instead of completing assignments which demonstrate those same abilities, made the elevate process extremely time efficient.”
Elevate is ideal for people like Julie who have extensive on-the-job experience, but don’t have an equivalent qualification. It’s also of benefit to those with a wealth of work experience but who haven’t had the time or financial means to study in order to gain a qualification.
All candidates must submit a portfolio of evidence online which is assessed 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.
Since it was launched in March last year, 32 people have gained qualifications using elevate with another 160 currently making their way through the process.
Diplomas and certificates are available in the areas of business, office administration, carpentry, science, education and electrical engineering.
Courses are continually being added to elevate which will eventually include most Wintec qualifications.
To find out more go to www.elevate.ac.nz