Making the right decisions at the beginning is crucial to successfully completing the qualification. It is also important to understand how the qualification aligns with professional registration within the various social services disciplines. 

For example, the Social Workers Registration Act 2003 introduced a requirement for registered social workers to hold a degree. This means trainees need to be aware of transition arrangements and the pathways available to move from a diploma to a degree.

Getting it right requires a three-way partnership between the ITO, the trainee, and the employer. Taking time to discuss all aspects of the programme, professional registration body requirements and how the training and assessment will occur sets the foundation for the future.

Before deciding what to study, you should check the summary of national qualifications that we are responsible for. Also check out the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) website for more information on the qualifications. 

Trainees can choose to enrol in a full national qualification or, in some cases, a limited credit programme (LCP). LCPs are usually developed to meet the specific needs of a large employer or sector group and consist of clusters of unit standards within a national qualification. For further information on LCPs, contact us. 

Acceptance into a work-based learning programme is subject to how well you meet the criteria in the application pack and on the availability of a registered assessor who has the appropriate qualifications and works reasonably close to you. 

When deciding what to study, you might like to consider the things that the ITO takes into account when we decide whether or not this is the right programme for you:

• your existing level of qualifications and the relevance to your work and to industry professional standards
• your existing skills and experience and the match to qualifications - there may be opportunities to recognise current skills and experience and award credit for them
• the content of the programme and what skills you will be learning - it is usually better to build your knowledge and skills in a logical and sequential way that enables you to integrate theory and practice into your daily working life
• the credits and levels of the programme, which will determine how long it will take to complete a qualification. As a guide, 120 credits is considered the equivalent of one year of full-time study. However, learning in the workplace is different than attending a training institution, and timeframes for completion will be different for each individual. These timeframes will be agreed to in a recommended assessment plan.
• the type of workplace, which has a significant impact on deciding what to study. The employer’s commitment to the training, and being realistic about what they can contribute, is crucial. For example, in some cases, the employer may not be able to provide training, in which case the ITO may be able to broker an arrangement for additional training. The plan may also need to take account of the size of the organisation and the impact of the training on staffing levels and workflow.

There is a Recommended Assessment Plan (RAP) in the application pack for most qualifications. The RAP groups unit standards together in terms of content and also in a way that facilitates logical and sequential learning. The RAP is a ‘recommended’ plan and can often be adjusted to suit individual needs. Trainees and employers can contact us at any time to discuss options and receive advice.