Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Information Technology Essentials (Level 4)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
4
Credits
60
NZSCED
029999
Information Technology > Other Information Technology >
Information Technology not elsewhere classified
DAS classification
278
Computing and Information Technology > Computing
Qualification developer
Institute of IT Professionals New Zealand (IITP) and NZQA
National Qualifications Services
Next review
December 2019
Approval date
April 2015
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide Aotearoa New
Zealand with people who have the essential skills for further
study that will equip them to work in the field of Information
Technology (IT) as a profession. Some learners may use this
qualification as a pathway from the computing user qualifications
to the professional IT qualifications.
Graduates will have gained internationally relevant transferable
skills and knowledge across a range of disciplines within IT,
essential for working under broad guidance in a range of entry
level support roles which may include business support or retail
roles, and some roles in the IT profession. Graduates will also be
capable of communicating with relevant stakeholders in a
professional manner.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Graduates will be able to:
 Apply essential knowledge and concepts of computer
hardware, operating systems, applications, and networks to
provide support for hardware and software resources and a
foundation for the IT Profession
 Apply essential knowledge and concepts of business
analysis, database, and user experience to provide a
foundation for supporting organisational information
systems requirements.
 Contribute to user interface design using essential
knowledge and concepts of web design.
 Apply essential knowledge and concepts of software
development to provide a foundation for developing
applications.
 Apply project management and planning tools to meet the
requirements of specified briefs and provide a foundation
for the IT Profession.
 Apply appropriate professional, ethical and legal principles
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
Education pathway
and practices to comply with legal and organisational
requirements and provide a foundation for the IT
Profession.
Communicate clearly and professionally to maintain
relationships and achieve objectives in a range of contexts
within the IT industry.
The qualification provides a pathway into further study to become
an IT professional. Graduates may progress to:

New Zealand Certificate in Information Technology (Level 5)
[Ref: 2595]
 New Zealand Diploma in Information Technology Technical
Support (Level 5) [Ref: 2596]
 New Zealand Diploma in Information Systems (Level 5) [Ref:
2597]
 New Zealand Diploma in Web Development and Design
(Level 5) [Ref: 2598]
 New Zealand Diploma in Software Development (Level 6)
[Ref: 2604]
or similar qualifications.
This qualification may also equip learners to attempt optional
industry certifications at the appropriate level.
This qualification is designed as an open entry qualification, and
may also provide an education pathway from:
 NCEA Level 2
 New Zealand Certificate in Computing (User Fundamentals)
(Level 2) [Ref: 2591]
 New Zealand Certificate in Computing (Intermediate User)
(Level 3) [Ref: 2592]
 New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and
Technology) (Level 3) [Ref: 2452]
Employment pathway
The intention of this qualification is primarily to provide a pathway
to further IT study.
Graduates of this certificate will have the transferable skills and
knowledge to work in a range of entry level support roles in an
organisation, which may include business support or retail roles,
and some roles in the IT profession under broad guidance.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
This qualification may be awarded by any education
organisation with an approved programme towards this
qualification accredited under section 250 of the Education
Act 1989.
The graduate will be awarded the qualification by the
education organisation when the accredited and approved
programme has been successfully completed.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification
will display the full qualification title, date of award, the
NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or logo of
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the qualification developer or programme owner or other
awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for assuring
consistency
New Zealand qualifications can be obtained through
different programmes, pathways, and education
organisations. The process of ‘assuring national
consistency of graduate outcomes’ will be coordinated by
NZQA, with a focus on comparing graduates from different
programmes and education organisations in relation to the
qualification graduate outcomes.
All programme owners and education organisations
arranging training or delivering approved programmes
leading to the qualification must engage with arrangements
for assuring consistency, including participating in a
relevant consistency review event and covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
Detailed information regarding arrangements for managing
consistency will be published and updated via the NZQA
website. For more information, please visit:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/consistency-ofgraduate-outcomes/ and download the guidelines.
Evidence for consistency
Each education organisation is responsible for preparing a
summary self-assessment report which uses evidence to
demonstrate how well its graduates meet the graduate
profile outcomes at the appropriate threshold. Each
education organisation decides what specific evidence it
will provide.
The core evidence requirements for assuring consistency
must include:
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015

Effective internal and external moderation systems and
processes, including results relating to graduate
outcomes. This may also include evidence of meeting
requirements for external industry certifications and
associated consistency demands where appropriate
e.g. Certified/Authorised Partner Program (such as
Microsoft, CompTIA, etc.)

Results of end-user surveys and actions taken or
proposed from feedback. This includes consultation
with graduates and employers to obtain destination
information and end-user feedback specifically
assessing the graduates against the graduate profile
(e.g. employment, progression, further study)

Samples of assessment materials and learners
assessments/work (e.g. portfolios of work)

Relevant External Evaluation and Review (EER) data,
including programme/qualification completion data and
course results

Comparison of the application of credit transfer and
recognition of prior learning arrangements to graduate
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outcomes and/or qualifications

Documenting any action taken to improve quality and
consistency of assessment.
The core evidence requirements for assuring consistency
may include:
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements

Consultation with graduates and employers to obtain
destination information and end-user feedback (e.g.
employment, progression, further study)

Evidence of any benchmarking activities

Consideration of internal quality assurance processes
and external reviews, including relevant feedback from
programme developers (i.e. may include reviewing,
comparing, and evaluating the assessment process,
tools and evidence contributing judgements made by a
range of assessors against the same graduate
outcomes; evidence of appropriate skills and
knowledge of staff in relation to the teaching and
assessment)
Education providers must have policies and procedures in
place for managing credit transfer, and assessing
recognition of prior learning and recognition of current
competency. These policies and procedures, and
information about associated fees, must be available to the
learner prior to enrolment.
Information on and evidence of the application of the credit
transfer and recognition of prior learning arrangements by
accredited providers must be made available for
benchmarking as part of the evidence requirements for
assuring consistency.
Credit transfer will be automatic where assessment
standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards are
used within approved programmes of study or training
leading to this qualification.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for the
award of the qualification will be the achievement of all the
graduate outcomes in the graduate profile.
There are no grade endorsements for this qualification.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
There are no mandatory prerequisites for this qualification.
Learners enrolling are recommended to hold the New
Zealand Certificate in Computing (Intermediate User) (Level
3) [Ref; 2592], appropriate assessment standards in Digital
Technologies Level 2, or equivalent knowledge, skills or
experience.
International students must have an appropriate level of
English proficiency for the level at which they intend to
study. Details of English language entry requirements are
contained in the NZQF Programme Approval and
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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Accreditation Rules 2013 (Appendix 2). E.g. IELTS
Academic score of 5.5, with no band score lower than 5; or
the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (General,
Workplace, or Academic) (Level 4) [Ref: 1883].
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
Programmes are to be designed which will prepare learners for further
study in IT. It is strongly recommended that this involve experiential
learning to engage the learners in the field of IT.
Professional practice must be an integral part of the curriculum and
delivery. It is expected that all programmes have professionalism both
purposefully taught and integrated with technical content. Here,
professional practice includes the 'soft skills' of communication, team
work, interpersonal skills, and ethical principles.
Programmes must reflect industry best practice and maintain currency
with amendments to, and replacements of, relevant legislation,
regulations, Australia/New Zealand standards (AS/NZS), and security
responsibilities.
Conditions for programme
context

Current legislation and regulations can be accessed at
http://legislation.govt.nz

Current AS/NZS standards can be accessed at
http://standards.co.nz

The Information Technology Code of Practice - Guidelines of
good and acceptable practice for IT professionals and
organisations operating in New Zealand can be accessed at
http://iitp.nz/about/ethics, as can the Code of Professional
Conduct.
Programme design and delivery, and assessment, where applicable,
will be conducted in and for the context of real or realistic
organisations and/or settings; and be relevant to current and/or
emerging practice. A simulated approach (such as case study) is also
appropriate for this qualification.
Programmes leading to the award of this qualification must identify the
context, and must justify the allocation of credits to graduate profile
outcomes within the programme, in light of the requirements of the
context and conditions.
The graduate capabilities must clearly align with the definition of a
Level 4 graduate on the NZQF. See the NZQF level descriptors for
further information. All programmes are to be developed with level 4
descriptors in mind – broad operational and theoretical knowledge
and skills within a broad or specialised field of work or study.
Consideration should be given to bicultural, multicultural, and gender
issues when designing programmes, in relation to encouraging a
greater diversity within the professional IT workforce.
Programmes may be developed based on Māori principles and
values, and are intended to enable Wānanga to meet obligations
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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under the Education Act (1989, section 162(4)(b)(iv)).
Other conditions
Principles and practices of literacy and numeracy are inherent and are
recommended to be embedded within programmes leading to this
qualification.
Some programme content could also be aligned with industry
certifications.
There is a preference for including open and vendor neutral
standards, protocols and technologies where possible.
Students may complete projects which integrate several of the
outcomes in the graduate profile.
Examples of projects which would incorporate several outcomes:
 Create a database to inventory IT equipment for tracking
 Put together a computer system and load operating systems and
software
 Connect to a network
 Develop an app that will read barcodes on IT equipment
 Create a website and user training documentation
It is suggested that projects relate to small businesses or community
organisations or environments with up to ten users. Providers may
choose larger businesses, if that is appropriate to their context.
Glossary:

Command Line Interface (CLI) — is a basic computer software
interface which enables a user (most often a technician,
programmer, or administrator) to enter commands by typing text,
rather than via mouse interaction.

Content Management System (CMS) – provides procedures to
manage workflow in a collaborative environment; CMS is a
computer application that allows publishing, editing, modifying
content, organising, deleting and maintenance from a central
interface.

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) – is a programming
environment that has been packaged as a tool to facilitate
application development. It often comprises a syntax-aware text
editor, compiler/interpreter, run-time environment, and a
debugging tool.

Information Systems (IS) – is the discipline which studies or
informs the design, development, implementation, operation, and
maintenance of information systems. An information system is a
complementary collection of hardware and software that people
and organisations use to collect, filter, process, create and
distribute data, with the aim of supporting operations,
management and decision making.

Information Technology (IT) – the common term for the entire
spectrum of technologies for information processing and related
to computing technology, such as networking, hardware,
software, the internet or the people that work these technologies

Networking: a computer or data network; the study and
application of technical knowledge and skill to design, build,
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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support, and manage infrastructure to connect computing devices
which enables resource sharing and exchange of data

User experience (Ux) – the overall experience of a person using a
particular product, system or service such as a website or
computer application, especially in terms of how easy or pleasing
it is to use.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
Apply essential
knowledge and
concepts of computer
hardware, operating
systems, applications,
and networks to provide
support for hardware
and software resources
and a foundation for the
IT Profession.
Credits 10
Programmes must include experiential learning of basic Information
Technology knowledge and concepts including:
Apply essential
knowledge and
concepts of business
analysis, database, and
user experience to
provide a foundation for
supporting
organisational
information systems
requirements.
Credits 10
Programmes must include experiential learning of basic Information
Systems knowledge and concepts including:
Contribute to user
interface design using
essential knowledge
and concepts of web
design.
Credits 10
Programmes must include experiential learning of essential
knowledge and concepts of web design including:
2
3
4
Apply essential
knowledge and
concepts of software
development to provide
a foundation for
developing applications.
Credits 10

Hardware - standard computer components, maintenance,
assembly, disassembly;

Knowledge of a range of operating systems, with experience
using one operating system – installation, basic configuration,
standard command line utilities; installing device drivers;

Basic networking concepts, devices, and internet-based services;

Security concepts – end user level;

Concepts of local and remote storage technologies.

Business concepts; understanding of the business environment
and the cultural context of business;

Creating a simple database, queries, forms and reports;

User experience – interface that provides for user data entry,
validation, restricting information with drop down lists, usability by
others.

Multimedia – graphics, sound, video, text;

Interactivity, scripting and/or database content management
system (CMS)

Techniques and tools in media design;

Consideration of user experience (Ux), documentation and
accessibility.
Programmes must include experiential learning of essential
knowledge and concepts of software development including:

Programming fundamentals – concepts and tools (logic diagrams;
text editor - command line interface (CLI) or integrated
development environment (IDE); compilers; interpreters);

Developing applications including data models, databases and
programming, with attention to user experience, documentation
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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and coding standards;

5
6
Apply project
management and
planning tools to meet
the requirements of
specified briefs and
provide a foundation for
the IT Profession.
Credits 10
Apply appropriate
professional, ethical and
legal principles and
practices to comply with
legal and organisational
requirements and
provide a foundation for
the IT Profession.
Mathematics and logic concepts that underpin theory and practice
of software development.
Programmes must include:

Lifecycle methodology, including development, ongoing
maintenance, and security;

Awareness of project management methodologies and use of
planning tools;

Developing a project plan based on a brief, which includes enduser requirements, training and documentation; resource
management; key milestones, timelines, deliverables, work
schedule, testing;

Monitoring and reporting progress, documenting change, version
control, identification and management of risks.
Programmes must include:

Ethical and professional work practices;

Compliance with regulations, legislation, internal policies;

Confidentiality, privacy, standard professional conventions,
intellectual property, copyright;

Treaty of Waitangi /Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Credits 5
7
Communicate clearly
and professionally to
maintain relationships
and achieve objectives
in a range of contexts
within the IT industry.
Programmes must include:

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills, oral and visual presentations, structured
report writing.
Credits 5
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Computing (Level 4)
[Ref: 0236]
Learners currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced Ref: 0236 may either complete the
requirements by 31 December 2018 or either transfer to this qualification or the New Zealand Certificate
in Computing (Advanced User) (Level 4) [Ref: 2593].
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2017.
The last date to meet the requirements of the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2018, at which time
it will be designated as discontinued.
It is the intention of the qualification developer that no existing learner should be disadvantaged by these
transition arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may contact NZQA
National Qualifications Services.
Qualification Reference 2594
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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