Muka Tangata launched the Forestry qualifications development project in May 2023 with a call for expressions of interest to industry and vocational education providers to participate in the project.
The qualifications development project will result in a fit for purpose, flexible, and future-proof suite of qualifications for the Forest industry group to ensure ākonga (learners) are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to succeed. As part of the review, we are looking to understand what the pathways for career development in Forestry look like and to ensure that qualifications are aligned with these.
Update – July 2024:
As part of ongoing industry engagement for the project, we have been working closely with the Forestry and Wood Processing Pan-Sector Collaboration Group to support the best outcomes for the Forestry industry.
Based on recent feedback from the group, and ongoing conversations with industry representatives, we are pausing current work to revise qualifications and develop new skill standards and micro-credentials at Level 3 and Level 4 in Forestry.
The Forestry and Wood Processing Pan-Sector Collaboration Group was established in April 2024 to engage on issues of common interest or concern for the national industry and act as a voice and point of contact for the industry with Government and other relevant bodies. The Group aims to provide a strategic vision and plan for standard setting (including qualification and micro-credential development) as well as implement industry-centred improvements to vocational education and training in the coming years.
The Forestry and Wood Processing Pan-Sector Collaboration Group will be organising the provision of industry oversight and leadership for the next phase of development which will be announced in due course.
We are committed to supporting the industry and will work collaboratively to plan the next steps for this development project.
Project Scope:
The review includes the entire suite of Forestry qualifications (Levels 2–6), including the development of micro-credentials in leadership (Level 5). View the current Forestry qualifications here: Forestry.
Muka Tangata will lead the consultation, design, and development of the Forestry educational components (qualifications, standards and micro-credentials), working alongside all partners (industry, iwi and Māori, and providers) across our regions to provide an equitable and extensive view. Muka Tangata will apply the principles of our A New Approach to Learner Pathways report during this review.
Key steps:
2023
2024
Milestones:
27 October 2023 – New Zealand Certificate in Forestry Leadership (Level 5) with strands in Operational Forestry Leadership, and Business Forestry Leadership approved by NZQA and published.
9 November 2023 – New Zealand Certificate in Forest Industry Foundations Skills with strands in Harvesting, Silviculture and Earthworks (Level 2) approved by NZQA and published. This new certificate replaces the New Zealand Certificate in Forest Industry Foundation Skills (Level 2).
13 November 2023 – Log scaling micro-credential approved by NZQA.
25 January 2024 – Earthworks micro-credentials at Level 3 approved by NZQA. Muka Tangata worked in collaboration with Waihanga Ara Rau on the development of these micro-credentials. This included working with industry to identify needs across both the forestry and construction/infrastructure sectors.
15 February 2024 – Forestry micro-credentials at Level 5 approved by NZQA.
9 April 2024 – Forestry Foundation Skills micro-credential at Level 2 approved by NZQA. Successful completion of this micro-credential will arm ākonga with foundational knowledge of requirements to work in the Forestry sector.
These micro-credentials are available on the NZQCF here. Search keyword ‘forestry’.
We have set the conditions for the development of a New Zealand Apprenticeship in Forest Silviculture Operations by Te Pūkenga.
Muka Tangata has now set the conditions for the development of a New Zealand Apprenticeship (NZA) in Forest Silviculture Operations (Level 4) by Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning Limited (WBL). Any programmes or NZA which lead to Forestry qualifications are required to be reviewed by Muka Tangata for endorsement prior to submission to New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The development of learning and assessment resources would also be the responsibility of Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning (WBL), with Muka Tangata responsible for pre-assessment moderation for all assessments.
To make this apprenticeship opportunity possible, we undertook consultation with forestry partners to discuss the necessary changes required to the Level 4 Forestry qualification – 2330 New Zealand Certificate in Forest Industry Operations (Planning and Monitoring) – Silviculture Strand to support technological advancements in the industry.
We have identified, proposed, and worked with forestry Subject Matter Experts (SME) to review Unit Standard 1224 Use prescription maps for forestry operations (Level 3, 5 credits), the unit standard directly impacted by technological advancements, and it was determined that an increase to a Level 4, 10 credits standard was necessary. The increase is supported by the addition of two new Graduate Profile Outcomes (GPO) that reflect changes and challenges of electronic prescription mapping in forestry. In turn, a change of the qualification credit value from 55 to 60 credits was warranted.
Muka Tangata will provide support to Te Pūkenga WBL on this work, but all aspects of resource development, including timeframes or input from SME, are outside the remit of the WDC.
We have revised three forestry line retrieval unit standards as part of ongoing efforts to improve health, safety and wellbeing in the industry.
We have revised three forestry line retrieval unit standards, to ensure line retrieval activities are appropriately taught and assessed in forestry workplace training. Approval for the changes was granted by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) on 19 October 2022. The new versions of the unit standards were published on the NZQA website in November 2022.
Following recommendations from an inquest by the Coroner into a fatality in a cable yarding operation in 2016, we convened a working group of industry experts, including representatives from Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa – Worksafe NZ. The group made recommendations to ensure line retrieval activities were appropriately taught and assessed in forestry workplace training.
These changes to forestry unit standards are designed to support ongoing efforts to improve health, safety and wellbeing in the industry.
The amended units are:
Consultation timeline:
31 October 2022: Muka Tangata received NZQA Outcome Letter that the application was granted.
16 September 2022: Muka Tangata submitted unit standards to NZQA for evaluation.
19 August 2022: Forestry Industry Contractors Assosciation (FICA) sent recommendations and final unit standards to Muka Tangata.
10 August 2022: Working group sent amended unit standards for wider industry feedback.
4 August 2022: Working group reviewed recommendations, considered several unit standards for amendment, narrowed focus to three unit standards and made the relevant unit standards for wider consultation.
26 July 2022: Muka Tangata met with Worksafe (Mark Preece, Engagement Lead) to discuss Coroner’s recommendations and establish a group of industry experts.
For a full list of Forestry qualifications, standards and micro-credentials that we are responsible for, see here: Forestry
