Moving on

The Qualifications Authority is working with Skill New Zealand on three projects that should make the Framework more user friendly in the workplace. The Authority will report on all projects in May 1999.

Problems with collecting evidence in the workplace can arise from moderation requirements, assessment practices, the unit standards themselves, or a combination of all three.

Moderation within large enterprises

Framework moderation can be a problem for organisations using a mix of unit standards from a number of industry areas. Some companies deal with as many as fifteen moderation systems. The problem has been apparent for some time and now that assessors and moderators are experienced at dealing with unit standards, NZQA and Skill NZ are looking for solutions. This project involves Foodstuffs NZ as a trial company that uses standards as diverse as food processing, mechanical engineering, warehousing and management. It explores systems that will reduce compliance costs through a co-ordinated approach to moderation.

Assessment in the workplace

Traditional approaches to collecting evidence for assessment don’t always work well in the workplace, especially where production can not be interrupted or where the evidence is not easily retained or recorded. This project, focusing on trials with Datacom, P and O, TranzRail and Dominion Breweries, aims to develop resource material to assist assessment against generic competencies in the workplace.

Front Line Management standards

Experience has shown that some of the unit standards in Front Line Management do not lend themselves to on-job assessment. This project looks at reviewing the business administration unit standards to make them more workplace friendly.