QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Qualification Title
New Zealand Certificate in Print (Level 3)
Version
2
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
100
NZSCED
030103
Strategic purpose
statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the printing sector of the print
industry with individuals who have attained appropriate capabilities and
competencies to work in the role of a printer’s assistant, requiring some
supervision.
The qualification is designed to credential people who are working in the print
industry and who are engaged in a structured programme of learning in
general and specific production activities involving one of the areas of: sheetfed printing, reel-fed printing, screen printing, dry offset printing, pad printing,
or digital processes for print. These people work alongside printers and are
able to produce simple printed product to meet job and customer
requirements.
Knowledge and skills recognised by this qualification will support: competent
job performance, the future introduction of new technologies within the sector,
and further personal up-skilling in the printing workplace.
Graduates of this level three qualification may progress on to the New
Zealand Certificate in Print (Level 4) [Ref: 1823].
Outcome Statement
Graduate
profile
In the capacity of printing assistant in the printing sector of the print industry
graduates are able to, in one of the areas of sheet-fed printing, reel-fed
printing, screen printing, dry offset printing, pad printing, or digital processes
for print:

Maintain personal safety around machinery in the workplace.

Prepare job components and make ready, under limited supervision, the
machinery required to undertake production for simple print jobs as per
customer specifications.

Run, with limited supervision, the machinery required to produce simple
print jobs.

Take some responsibility for maintaining quality standards through
communication with colleagues, and undertake post production tasks to
meet customer and workplace requirements.

Carry out routine and preventive maintenance in the workplace,
according to the maintenance schedule, and including gauges and
instruments.

Implement a range of basic technical production skills to support print
production requirements, while embedding relevant industry knowledge
for terminology, machinery, equipment and production processes.

Apply workplace practices required of a printer’s assistant which may
include communication skills, teamwork and business skills.
Education
pathway
This is an entry level qualification that leads to the New Zealand Certificate in
Print (Level 4) [Ref: 1823].
Employment
pathway
Graduates may be employed as a printing assistant in one of the printing
production processes of sheet-fed, reel-fed, screen, pad, dry offset, or
digital processes for print.
Qualification Reference 1822
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012
Page
Qualification
Developer
Competenz
Qualification Specification
Qualification award
This qualification is awarded by Competenz. The formal certification
document will include the NZQF logo and the logo of Competenz and will be
issued by Competenz.
Review period
By September 2017
Evidence
requirements for
managing
consistency
All TEOs either arranging training or delivering programmes that lead to the
award of the qualification are required to participate in a consistency process
scheduled by NZQA.
This will involve reviewing evidence associated with graduate’s achievement
of outcomes, and agreeing acceptable thresholds for qualification outcome
achievement and areas for improvement.
To demonstrate how graduates are achieving the qualification graduate
profile outcomes, TEOs are required to produce their own evidence in a high
level report.
Evidence will include the following:

Employer surveys to determine if graduates of the qualification meet
the graduate profile outcomes.

Evidence of effective processes to ensure programmes continue to
meet current industry needs.

A range of workplace evidence demonstrating that graduates meet
the graduate profile outcomes.

Any other relevant evidence as appropriate.
Further information about the managing consistency process can be found on
the NZQA website.
Credit transfer and
recognition of prior
learning
arrangements
Competenz recognises prior learning achieved within both formal and
informal settings. For full details, contact Competenz, direct phone 09-539
9898, or by email to info@competenz.org.nz.
Processes may include:

recognition for people who have worked in industry for a period of time
who have not had any formal recognition of their skills

assisting people to upgrade previously gained qualifications

credit for learning achieved in previously gained qualifications that aligns
with outcomes in this qualification.
TEOs delivering programmes that lead to award of this qualification must
transfer credit and recognise prior learning in accordance with their own
credit recognition policies and procedures.
Credit transfer will be automatic where assessment standards are used for
assessment within programmes of study or training leading to this
qualification.
Minimum standard
of achievement and
standards for grade
endorsements
(where applicable)
Achieved
Qualification Reference 1822
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012
Page 2 of 5
Prerequisites to
meet regulatory
body or legislative
requirements
(where applicable)
Where legislative and health and safety requirements are associated with
this qualification, and related unit standards have been prescribed, the
programme provider or the ITO, must consult the explanatory notes section
of the unit standards.
Other conditions
for qualification
The machinery may include: sheet-fed presses, reel-fed presses, screen
printing machinery, and digital printing presses.
Skills should include some of:

printing spot/single colour, and variable data

digital printing of clients’ files

creating documents and digitally printing them

finishing for large format printing or digital printing
Candidates must produce a range of simple jobs which may include some
of the following depending on the workplace situation, production process
and job requirements:

brochures

books, newspapers and magazines

labels and packaging

stationery.
Conditions relating to specific outcomes
Qualification Outcomes (including
indicative credit values for each
outcome)
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
Maintain personal safety around machinery
in the workplace.
Assessment must include:
Mandatory
standard

Unit standard 340
(5 credits)
Prepare job components and make ready,
under limited supervision, the machinery
required to undertake production for simple
print jobs as per customer specifications.
(30 credits)
Recommended: Assessment may
include relevant unit standards in the
printing - sheet-fed, printing - reel-fed,
printing – screen, dry offset printing, pad
printing, or digital processes for print
domains at level three on the NZQF.
Optional
standards
Recommended unit standard 341
Optional
standard
Run, with limited supervision, the machinery
required to produce simple print jobs.
(30 credits)
Take some responsibility for maintaining
quality standards through communication
with colleagues, and undertake post
production tasks to meet customer and
workplace requirements.
(5 credits)
Carry out routine and preventive
maintenance in the workplace, according to
the maintenance schedule, and including
gauges and instruments.
(10 credits)
Qualification Reference 1822
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012
Page 3 of 5
Implement a range of basic technical
production skills to support print production
requirements, while embedding relevant
industry knowledge for terminology,
machinery, equipment and production
processes.
(15 credits)
Apply workplace practices required of a
printer’s assistant which may include
communication skills, teamwork and
business skills.
Recommended: Assessment may
include relevant unit standards in the
printing - sheet-fed, printing - reel-fed,
printing – screen, dry offset printing,
pad printing, digital processes for print
or printing production domains at level
three on the NZQF.
Optional
standards
Recommended: Assessment may
include relevant unit standards in the
Core Generic or Communications Skills
sub-fields.
Optional
standards
(5 credits)
Transition information
Replacement
information
This qualification replaced the following qualifications:
National Certificate in Printing (Printing – Sheet-Fed: Offset) (Level 3)
[Ref: 0043];
National Certificate in Printing (Printing – Dry Offset) (Level 3) [Ref: 0498];
National Certificate in Printing (Printing – Screen) (Level 3) with strands in
Flat Sheet, Fabric (Panel) and Formed Shapes [Ref: 0665];
National Certificate in Printing (Digital Processes for Print) (Level 3)
[Ref: 1280];
National Certificate in Printing (Pad Printing – Introductory) (Level 3) with an
optional strand in Advanced Production [Ref: 1449];
National Certificate in Printing (Printing – Reel-Fed) (Level 3) [Ref: 1609].
The last date for award of the replaced qualification National Certificate in Printing (Level 3) [Ref:
0498] is 31 December 2015. No further enrolments in this qualification will be accepted after
December 2013.
The remaining replaced qualifications last date for award is 31 December 2018 and their last date of
enrolment 31 December 2016.
People currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualifications may either complete
that qualification or transfer to the new qualification under the guidance of the Competenz.
Republication information
Version 2: This qualification has been reviewed and replaced by the New Zealand Certificate in Print
(Level 4) with strands in Digital Printing, Direct Marketing Production, Offset Printing, Reel Fed Printing
and Screen Printing (Level 4) [Ref: 3199].
People currently working towards the replaced qualifications may either complete the requirements for
those qualifications by 31 December 2020 or transfer their results to the replacement New Zealand
qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to this qualification is 31 December 2017.
The last date for assessment against this qualification is 31 December 2019.
It is anticipated that no existing candidates will be disadvantaged by these transition arrangements.
However, anyone who feels that they have been disadvantaged may appeal to Competenz at the
address below. Appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Competenz, PO Box 9005, Newmarket, Auckland 1149.
Qualification Reference 1822
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012
Page 4 of 5
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in April 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency.
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in November 2015 to extend the last date of enrolment
into programmes leading to the replaced qualifications from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016
and the last date for assessment extended from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2018. This
extension applies to all replaced qualifications apart from the National Certificate in Printing (Level 3)
[Ref: 0498].
Qualification Reference 1822
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012
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