Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Irrigation System Design (Level 5)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
5
Credits
100
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 design efficient irrigation systems to enable
improved production for commercial agriculture or horticulture
operations or sports turf and public grounds. The learner will
benefit from having a qualification that recognises the specialist
skills required to design technically efficient and
environmentally sustainable irrigation systems within regulatory
demands for efficient and sustainable use of New Zealand’s
water resources.
Increased skills and knowledge will enable improved job
performance and ultimately more productive operations.
Communities and the environment benefit through the
protection and efficient use of shared resources.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Education pathway
Qualification Reference 2557
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 20X14
Graduates of the qualification will be able to:

design and plan an irrigation system for an agricultural or
horticultural property, sports turf surface, or public grounds

develop a plan for installation and commissioning, and
prepare a design drawing and as-built records, for an
irrigation system and components

develop an operations and maintenance manual for
irrigation system operation.
This is a stand-alone qualification for irrigation system
designers working in the irrigation industry
Learners may be school leavers with an appropriate science or
maths background or adult learners seeking a career change
who have the ability to study at tertiary level.
Learners may have completed the New Zealand Certificate in
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Irrigation System Performance Assessment (Level 4) [Ref:
2555] or the New Zealand Certificate in Irrigation System
Management (Level 4) [Ref: 2556] however; is the level four
qualifications are not a requirement for entry to this
qualification.
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification will be qualified to work as
designers of irrigation systems for commercial agriculture,
horticulture operations, sports turf surface or public grounds
either in a self-employed capacity or employed by irrigation
companies who may supply both irrigation equipment and
irrigation design services.
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 who has, under section 249 of the Education Act
1989, had a programme approved by the New Zealand
Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or who 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:
Qualification Reference 2557
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 20X14

comparison of similar evidence across education
organisations

consultation with graduates and employers (including visits)

consideration of internal qualityassurance processes and
external reviews.
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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.
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 Standards, and The New Zealand
Piped Irrigation Systems Installation Code of Practice, all
issued by Irrigation New Zealand, as well as amendments to,
and replacements of, relevant legislation, and regulations.
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
Assessment must consider compliance with
regulatory requirements and consistency with
irrigation codes of practice and industry
Mandatory
Design and plan an irrigation
system for an agricultural or
horticultural property, sports
turf surface, or public
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 20X14
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grounds.
standards.
Credits 85
The plan and design may be for a new system
or an upgrade of an existing system.
The system may be for the irrigation of water,
and/or effluent.
Programmes should include the following:

local and regional council regulations, and
consent requirements.

irrigation requirements

implications of environmental, soil, crop ,
drainage and seasonal factors in the design
energy and water use efficiency and
performance indicators
water delivery specifications and hydraulic
calculations
pump and motor combinations, irrigator
options, and system hydraulics required to
meet system demand
electrical and mechanical componentry
system control electronics and mechanics
inclusion of chemicals, grey water and/or
effluent, and implications for componentry.






2
Prepare and complete the
documentation for the design
and delivery of an irrigation
system.
Credits 10
3
Develop anoperations and
maintenance manualfor
irrigation system operation.
Credits 5
Programmes should include the following:







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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 20X14
design report quote and contract
installation plan
commissioning plan
as built drawings.
Programmes should include the following:



Mandatory
Mandatory
health and Safety
risk mitigation
schedules and procedures to operate and
maintain system components and equipment
recording and reporting templates
KPI log, value ranges and frequency for
review
asset management schedules.
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Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaces the National Certificate in Irrigation (Design)
(Level 5) [Ref: 1467]
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
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