Your training
Apprentice training involves a mix of practical, hands-on learning and formal, academic study [including exams].

Practical learning
The practical learning takes place ‘on-the-job’ as you carry out everyday tasks in the workplace alongside your qualified workmates.

Each day, you keep a record of your work, in a diary or on job sheets. When you feel competent in the tasks outlined in the Workplace Logbook, you need to approach your workplace assessor to assess you.

Your skills and knowledge are assessed against ‘unit standards’, which describe the skills and knowledge you need in order to achieve the qualification. Each unit standard has a credit value and once you’re assessed as being competent in a particular unit standard, you gain credits.

Off-job learning
Off-job learning is a key part of your apprenticeship and provides the underpinning knowledge required to complete the on-job component of your apprenticeship. This form of training typically takes place in group settings [with the exception of distance learning] and is usually assessed in the form of a test or assignment. Your off-job training may include a combination of block courses, night classes, day release and distance learning.

Block courses
Most block courses are two week long intensive training sessions that are held at a training provider. A block course is usually made up of hands-on practical learning with an element of theory.

Night classes
Night classes are tutorial sessions that apprentices will attend on a weekly [sometimes twice weekly] basis, with the exception of school holidays. Most night classes are held in the early evening.

Day release
Day release training is when an apprentice spends one full day a fortnight completing off-job learning at a training provider. Day release replaces the need to attend a block course.

Distance learning
This form of off-job training allows apprentices to complete the learning in their own time and own environment. Apprentices complete distance learning by working through course books and complete assignments in order to achieve the off-job component of the qualification. Distance learning may also require attendance on a block course.

As block courses, night classes and day release programmes are all delivered in group training situations, they can also be a great place to connect with other apprentices and share training tips and advice. Those apprentices who complete their off-job training by distance learning may like to join an apprentice study group in order to benefit in the same way.

Recording your work
During your normal daily work, you will keep a record of the jobs you do in a work diary or on job sheets. A Workplace Logbook or other assessment tool is used to record workplace assessments. You need to understand your Workplace Logbook so that you can use it effectively! And the best way to do that – is to READ IT! If you have any questions, your local training manager will be pleased to answer them for you.

A Workplace Logbook lists a range of everyday tasks that you complete on the job and covers the on-job unit standards in the National Certificate. These can be assessed in any order, depending on the nature of the work you are doing.

When you feel competent in the tasks outlined in the Workplace Logbook or other assessment tool, you must ask to be assessed.

Workplace assessors
The Electrotechnology industry believes the employer, a supervisor or an experienced tradesperson is the best person to carry out assessment.

Workplace assessors must:

• Hold the relevant trade qualifications and have a minimum of three year’s supervisory experience
• Be trained and registered with ETITO as an assessor

Once the workplace assessor is sure that you can do the task, they must sign off the work sheets and give them to you. It’s then your job to send the signed off work place sheets back to ETITO [retaining a copy for your own records].

These assessments are matched with the on-job units in the National Certificate. When all the on-job and off-job unit standards are completed and the required number of credits gained, you can request your National Certificate from ETITO.

How to apply for your national qualification
Once you have completed all the on-job and off-job units that make-up your qualification, ETITO will liaise with NZQA to check that your NZQA Record of Learning is correct and complete. When this has been verified, ETITO will send you your National Certificate.

How to apply for electrical registration
Once you have completed all of the on-job and off-job units required for the National Certificate in Electrical Engineering [Electrician for Registration] [Level 4] and your certificate has been issued by NZQA, you may apply to the Electrical Workers Registration Board [EWRB] for electrical registration. ETITO will provide you with a form to send to the EWRB along with details of their application fee, which will also be required from you.