Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Primary Products Food Processing (Level 4) with
strands in Laboratory Skills, Environmental Systems, and Product Quality
Auditing
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
4
Credits
45-60
NZSCED
030399
Engineering and Related Technologies > Process and
Resources Engineering > Process and Resources Engineering
not elsewhere classified
Qualification developer
Primary Industry Training Organisation
Next review
December 2020
Approval date
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the primary
products food processing sectors with competent employees who
have the skills and knowledge to carry out laboratory,
environmental, or quality assurance technical tasks in a primary
products food processing operation.
The qualification will support career opportunities for those
individuals who are working in experienced positions in either
laboratory operations, environmental systems, or product quality
auditing.
The qualification is stranded to recognise the specific skills and
knowledge to work in either laboratory operations, environmental
systems, or product quality auditing, and further reflect the
requirements of their specific job role.
The primary products food processing industries and the
community will benefit from the establishment of standards of
specialist technical performance for specific primary products
food processing operations, which will provide domestic and
international markets with confidence in a quality range of
primary food products.
Graduates will be capable of working in a self-managed capacity
and may have some responsibility for the performance of others.
Outcome
Statement
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2918
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

Plan and manage work priorities to provide workplace
information for a primary products food processing operation.

Monitor the implementation of health and safety practices
and quality requirements in a primary products food
processing operation.
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Graduates of the Laboratory Skills strand will also be able to:

Carry out a range of advanced laboratory activities related to
primary food products.
Graduates of the Environmental Systems Strand will also be able
to:

Carry out a range of environmental systems processes in a
primary products food processing operation.
Graduates of the Product Quality Auditing Strand will also be
able to:

Audit food products for certification in a primary products
food processing operation.
Education pathway
This qualification can lead on from the New Zealand Certificate in
Primary Products Food Processing (Level 3) with strands in
Laboratory Skills, Environmental Systems, and Product Quality
Implementation [Ref: 2917] and on to further study.
Employment pathway
This qualification may lead to employment as a laboratory
technician, environmental officer, or quality assurance person in
a primary products food processing operation, such as meat
processing, dairy processing, seafood processing, baking yeasts
manufacturing, or food and beverage manufacturing.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by any organisation with
NZQA programme approval and accreditation, or an NZQA
approved industry training programme, with which a
candidate is enrolled.
The certificate will display the title of the qualification, the
logo of the NZQF and the name and/or logo of the awarding
education organisation.
Evidence requirements for assuring
consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to
the qualification must engage with arrangements for
managing consistency, including covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:
Qualification Reference 2918
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015

Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the
training, and suggestions for improvements

Feedback from employers on the level of skills,
knowledge and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of
the qualification
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
Internal quality assurance systems

Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that
supports the consistency review.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of
the qualification is the achievement of all outcomes. There
are no grade endorsements for this qualification.
Other requirements for the
qualification (including regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
It is recommended that people complete the New Zealand
Certificate in Primary Products Food Processing (Level 3)
with strands in Laboratory Skills, Environmental Systems,
and Product Quality Implementation [Ref: 2917] prior to
undertaking this qualification.
General conditions for the programme leading to the qualification
General conditions for
programme
Candidates undertaking programmes leading to the award of this
qualification will be required to complete the generic graduate
outcomes and one of the strands.
TEOs arranging training or delivering programmes towards this
qualification must ensure that the training arranged and programmes
of learning are kept up-to-date with regard to amendments to, and
replacements of, Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs)
and General requirements for export (GREXs) outlined by the Ministry
for Primary Industries.
All tasks are to be carried out in accordance with the Health and
Safety in Employment (HSE) Act 1992, the Animal Products Act 1999,
and all company quality, environmental and hygiene requirements.
Conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
N/A
Plan and manage work priorities to provide
workplace information for a primary products
food processing operation
Credits 15
2
Monitor the implementation of health and
safety practices and quality requirements in a
primary products food processing operation
N/A
Credits 10
3
Laboratory Skills Strand:
Programmes may include the following topics:
Carry out a range of advanced laboratory

Qualification Reference 2918
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Microbiology
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4
activities related to primary food products

Chemistry
Credits 30

Sensory evaluation
Environmental Systems Strand:
Programmes may include the following topics:
Carry out a range of environmental systems
processes in a primary products food
processing operation

Environmental management requirements

Irrigation systems

Biological water treatment
Credits 35
5
Product Quality Auditing Strand:
N/A
Audit food products for certification in a
primary products food processing operation
Credits 20
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaces:

National Certificate in Dairy Manufacturing (Laboratory
Technology) (Level 4) with optional strands in Chemistry,
Microbiology and Sensory Evaluation [Ref: 0581].

National Certificate in Dairy Manufacturing (Environmental
Systems) (Level 3) [Ref: 1062].

National Certificate in Dairy Manufacturing (Environmental
Systems) (Level 3) [Ref: 1062], and the National Certificate in
Meat Processing (Halal) with strands in Halal Slaughter, and Halal
Audit (Level 3) [Ref: 1516].
Candidates currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualifications may either complete
the requirements as specified below, or transfer to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2016. The
last date for assessments take place for the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2018, when they will
be designated as discontinued.
It is the intention of Primary ITO that no existing trainee should be disadvantaged by these transition
arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the Primary ITO.
PO Box 10383
The Terrace
Wellington 6143
Ph: (04)801 9616
Email: standards@primaryito.ac.nz
Qualification Reference 2918
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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