Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Irrigation System Performance
Assessment (Level 4)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
4
Credits
40
NZSCED
039901
Engineering and Related Technologies > Other Engineering and
Related Technologies > Environmental Engineering
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2018
Approval date
January 2015
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the irrigation
industry with individuals who have attained the skills and
knowledge to carry out on-site evaluations of irrigation systems
to determine their efficiency, leading to an effective, efficient
and sustainable use of water, and ultimately more productive
operations.
The learner will benefit from having a qualification that
recognises the specialist skills required to evaluate irrigation
systems, as well as increased skills and knowledge to support
improved job performance.
Communities and the environment benefit through the
protection and efficient use of resources.
Graduate profile
Graduates of the qualification will be able:


Outcome Statement
Education pathway
assess irrigation system performance and record data
compare irrigation system performance against system
specifications, and interpret and report findings.
This is a stand-alone qualification. Learners may be school
leavers or adult learners seeking a career change.
Graduates can progress to the New Zealand Certificate in
Irrigation System Design (Level 5) [Ref: 2557] although this
qualification is not a prerequisite for the level five qualification.
Employment pathway
Qualification Reference 2555
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Graduates of this qualification may be employed as irrigation
system performance assessors either in a self-employed, or an
employed capacity.
Page 1 of 4
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of
the Industry Training Act and Apprenticeships Act1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation which has, under section 249 of the Education Act
1989, had a programme approved by the New Zealand
Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or which has been accredited,
under section 250, to provide an approved programme.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification will
display the NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or
logo of the awarding education organisation.
Arrangements 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.
New requirements for assuring consistency of graduate
outcomes are being developed. Please refer to the Guidelines for
approval of New Zealand qualifications for listing on the New
Zealand Qualifications Framework available at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/consistencyofgraduate-outcomes/
The purpose of the managing consistency event is to:

review evidence associated with achievement of
qualification outcomes at the level of the qualification.

identify issues or opportunities associated with outcome
achievement.
The review process may include:

comparison of similar evidence across education
organisations

consultation with graduates and employers (including visits)

consideration of internal qualityassurance processes and
external reviews.
Further information can be found on the NZQA website.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Education organisations 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 candidate prior to enrolment.
To facilitate credit transfer, education organisations must clearly
demonstrate the equivalency or comparability between each of
the outcomes in the graduate profile, and the assessment
components of their programmes.
Qualification Reference 2555
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 2 of 4
Minimum standard of
achievement and standards for
grade endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of
the qualification will be the achievement of all graduate
outcomes in the graduate profile through successful completion
of an NZQA approved programme.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
There are no mandatory prerequisites for this qualification.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
Nil
Conditions for programme
context
Nil
Other conditions
TEOs offering programmes leading to this qualification must
maintain currency with The New Zealand Piped Irrigation
Systems Design Code of Practice, The New Zealand Piped
Irrigation Systems Design Standard, and The New Zealand
Piped Irrigation System Evaluation Code of Practice as well as
amendments to, and replacements of, relevant legislation and
regulations.
Report produced as evidence of competency must be compliant
with the The New Zealand Piped Irrigation System Evaluation
Code of Practice.
All outcomes in this qualification require aspects of workplace
health and safety which should be considered as part of the
assessment process.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
1
Assess irrigation system
performance and record data.
Programmes should include the following:
Mandatory
Credits 10
 irrigation Evaluation Code of Practice
requirements
 identification and benchmarking of system
KPIs
 assessment of factors, other than KPIs, that
may affect irrigation system performance
 implications of property information
 seasonal efficiency and causes of excess
variation.
Qualification Reference 2555
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
 pre-test, planning, and inspections
Page 3 of 4
 potential cost savings of system
improvements.
2
Compare irrigation system
performance against system
specifications, and interpret
and report findings.
Credits 30
Programmes should include the following:
Mandatory
 water use efficiency and performance
indicators
 hydraulic parameters
 faults and blockages in irrigation systems
and components.
 effects of inadequate or over irrigation
 potential cost savings of system
improvements.
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaces the National Certificate in Irrigation (Evaluation)
(Level 4) [Ref: 1127]
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification may either complete the
requirements or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2016. The
last date for award of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2019 at which time it 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
Qualification Reference 2555
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 4 of 4