Competenz has no direct control over pre-employment courses, however we do work with polytechnics to help them deliver quality learning. Competenz makes its Level 2 qualifications available to polytechnics for free; most polytechnics’ pre-employment courses are based on these, and supplemented with their own materials.

We’re working on it now. We’ve just appointed Bill Sole as Industry Manager, to redevelop all Competenz Level 5 engineering qualifications to make them more closely aligned to industry’s needs, and easier for learners to fit around their work commitments. We’re also encouraging polytechnics to be more flexible with the off-job training component they deliver to our apprentices.     

The issue of block course length needs to balance the financial cost to the employer and the difficulties some employers experience in releasing their apprentices for block courses, and the need for the course to be long enough to provide apprentices with underpinning knowledge.  

Block course length is also determined by the level of government funding. We don’t anticipate an increase in government funding in the foreseeable future, and believe that increasing the length of block courses at employers’ expense would reduce the number of apprentices in training – exacerbating the shortage of qualified trades people.

Competenz account managers do a capacity check of the employer when they sign an apprentice into a training agreement. This identifies areas where an apprentice will need to gain skills and experience outside their employer’s workplace to achieve particular unit standards. At that stage the account manager works with the employer to address how this will be achieved. Typically it’s handled by informal relationships with other employers, where apprentices are seconded to another employer for a period in order to gain skills and experience they couldn’t gain in their employer’s workplace (these are often reciprocal arrangements). Where employers need help to arrange an apprentice placement at another employer, they should discuss this with their account manager.

Competenz has invested heavily in Tools4Work which provides secondary school students with an up to date, hands on learning experience in engineering and prepares them for careers in industry.  The Tools4Work programme provides pre-moderated teaching and learning resources including practical workshop projects for Level 1 and Level 2 unit standards.

The Tools4Work Level 1 resources enable students to achieve the Competenz Level 1 National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Technology (NCMET). The NCMET is an excellent preparation for Gateway programmes and engineering apprenticeships, and demonstrates to prospective employers that the student has the skills required to commence employment in their industry.

The Tools4Work Level 2 resources provide a range of foundation skills and knowledge for secondary school students interested in mechanical engineering and related trades. Credits from completed unit standards count towards the first stages of an apprenticeship and the Competenz Level 2 National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (NCME), and act as the basis for a polytechnic pre-trade course.

Tools4Work also provides professional development for engineering teachers and Gateway coordinators, and moderation of assessment outcomes.

Competenz can arrange training for your employees in lean manufacturing / CM. We can help you access reliable information and trustworthy advice, work with you to establish your company’s training needs, help you to develop selection criteria for and get in contact with consultants / training providers, and help you access training subsidies.

For more information about lean manufacturing / CM, contact your account manager or call Andrew Brownlee, Competenz Special Projects Manager on 09 583 2871 or email Andrew at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Competenz is contracting MIT to provide off job training on the North Shore. MIT began running night classes in 2008, and will also begin running block courses from 2010. We are also in initial discussions with Unitec, although they are primarily focused on automotive engineering rather than mechanical engineering.

Wherever possible, we try to match apprentices who’ve been made redundant with employers looking for part-qualified employees. If you’re looking to take on apprentices, please let your Competenz account manager know – or email Mary Hinsen, our South Island Area Manager, on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Competenz is also doing what we can to help apprentices who’ve been made redundant. The Tertiary Education Commission has recently announced that they will extend the ITO funding period for redundant trainees from 6 to 12 weeks. This means that apprentices who’ve been made redundant will have any block courses or night courses they were booked in for subsidised for that 12 week period. Competenz will now pay the employer contribution for these courses, ensuring that apprentices who’ve been made redundant are able to continue training during that period.

We’re working with training providers to schedule courses to better suit industry needs, although there are some constraints – in particular, polytechs and institutes of technology need to schedule a range of courses throughout the year to balance the load on their teaching staff, and their course schedules depend on when workshop facilities are available.