All Food and Fibre

Muka Tangata launched the Entry Level qualifications development project on 4 March 2024.

The focus of the Entry Level project is to review the two current Primary Industry entry level qualifications and explore developing additional or alternative qualifications and/or supporting micro-credentials and standards at Level 2 and Level 3 that will strengthen pathways into the people, food and fibre sector of Aotearoa.

The project aims to examine the current and future skills needs of our industries and to improve transferability of those skills between sectors, enabling a wide range of people, including school leavers, career changers, and mature workers to transition into the workforce.

Muka Tangata will work with key partners including industry, iwi Māori, schools, kura Māori, trades academies, and employers to strengthen pathways from senior secondary school into people, food and fibre employment and further training.

December 2025 update:

The NCEA reform, combined with a mismatch between industry and providers views and our disestablishment has led to the decision to pause the Entry Level project. The current qualifications can continue to be used.

The project will be handed over to the Food and Fibre Industry Skills Board to pick up in the new year. This will allow time to develop the subject pathways and work towards qualification structures that are viable for providers and have full industry support.

Related projects 

The Entry Level qualifications development projects will be supported by our New Approach to Learner Pathways project which is designing a multi-level Food and Fibre Skills Framework to bridge the formal / non-formal learning divide. The Entry Level qualifications development project will enable us to build the initial stages of this Framework.

Alongside the Entry Level project, the Agriculture project will ensure ease of transition between different levels of training and qualifications and improve transferability of skills for our agricultural workforce. 

These projects are also linked to Te Haumako, our Māori Workforce Development Plan which enacts our commitment to promoting Māori excellence in the people, food and fibre sector.

More detail about the project and how you can be involved can be found in the Initiation Document (linked below).

This project will review the New Zealand Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management (Level 5) to ensure that it is meeting the needs of our industries. We will consider its potential as a pan-sector qualification, how it fits into our existing career pathways across our industries and what other products, such as micro-credentials and skill standards, may be needed to support the qualification.

See here for more information: Info sheet.

Update – December 2025

We’ve worked with industry, providers, employers and Ringa Hora Workforce Development Council during this project.

Public consultation was completed in October 2025.

This review has resulted in one qualification, three micro-credentials at Level 5 and a micro-credential and skill standard at Level 4, which have been submitted for evaluation to NZQA and are due for publication in 2026.

Muka Tangata worked with representatives and leaders across the people, food and fibre sector, and from other Workforce Development Councils, to design a new formal leadership course for emerging leaders.

The micro-credential will support people moving into leadership roles to become more confident in themselves and what they’re doing, enabling them to be reflective, resilient and versatile.

The new micro-credential has been developed to replace an existing primary industries micro-credential and an informal leadership course that has been delivered in the horticultural sector over the last two years. The new leadership micro-credential is informed by Food and Fibre Centre for Vocational Excellence research and will support a leadership ecosystem for Aotearoa New Zealand’s people, food and fibre sector.

Key milestones:

16 February – March 2024: Public consultation.

12 April 2024: “Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre industries” micro-credential (Level 4, 15 credits) submitted to NZQA for approval to be listed on the NZQCF. Signed attestations from industry peak bodies, providers, rural leaders, and industry representatives supported this draft micro-credential.

May 2024: Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre industries micro-credential approved by NZQA and listed on the New Zealand Qualifications and Certificates Framework.