Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Dairy Processing (Level 5)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
5
Credits
70
NZSCED
030307
Engineering and Related Technologies > Process and
Resources Engineering > Food (excluding Seafood) Processing
Technology
DAS classification
245
Manufacturing > Dairy Manufacturing
Qualification developer
Primary Industry Training Organisation
Next review
December 2019
Approval date
October 2014
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is:
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2564
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014

To provide competent employees for the dairy processing
sector who are able to work as highly skilled senior
operators, undertaking advanced dairy processing operations
with minimal supervision in a cheese making, cream
products, milk powder, milk protein, or milk treatment
department, in a dairy processing operation.

To support career opportunities for those individuals who are
working as experienced operators in a dairy processing
operation.

To establish standards of specialist technical performance for
specific dairy processing operations that can provide
domestic and international markets with confidence in a
quality range of dairy products.
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

Coordinate compliance for product quality in a dairy
processing operation.

Coordinate health and safety, and environmental practices in
a dairy processing operation.

Coordinate the product safety programme in a dairy
processing operation.

Coordinate plant operations in a dairy processing operation.

Coordinate cross training to improve the competence of staff
in a dairy processing operation.

Carry out a range of advanced dairy processing operations.
Page 1 of 5
Education pathway
This qualification leads on from the New Zealand Certificate in
Dairy Processing (Level 4) with strands in Cheese Making,
Cream Products, Milk Powder, Milk Protein, Milk Treatment, and
Milk Collection [Ref: 2563] and on to the New Zealand Diploma in
Dairy Processing (Level 6) [Ref: 2270].
Employment pathway
This qualification leads to employment as a highly skilled senior
operator in a cheese making, cream products, milk powder, milk
protein or milk treatment department, in a dairy processing
operation.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification shall be awarded by the organisation with
which the candidate is enrolled and which has either, an
NZQA programme approval and accreditation or an NZQA
approved industry training programme.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification
will display the full title of the qualification, the date of award,
the logo of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
(NZQF) and the name and/or logo of the awarding tertiary
education organisation (TEO).
Evidence requirements for managing
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:
• 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
• Evidence of effective 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.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Organisations seeking approval to award the qualification
are expected to have recognition of current competency
Qualification Reference 2564
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 2 of 5
(RCC) or recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessment
processes in place. 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
Achievement of all outcomes. There are no grade
endorsements for this qualification.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
It is recommended that candidates hold the New Zealand
Certificate in Dairy Processing (Level 4) with strands in
Cheese Making, Cream Products, Milk Powder, Milk Protein,
Milk Treatment, and Milk Collection [Ref: 2563].
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
None.
Conditions for programme
context
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.
Other conditions
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 company quality, environmental and hygiene requirements.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
N/A
Coordinate compliance for product
quality in a dairy processing
operation.
Mandatory
or Optional
Credits 10
2
Coordinate health and safety, and
environmental practices in a dairy
processing operation.
N/A
Credits 10
3
Coordinate the product safety
programme in a dairy processing
operation.
N/A
Credits 10
Qualification Reference 2564
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 3 of 5
4
Coordinate plant operations in a
dairy processing operation.
N/A
Credits 10
5
Coordinate cross training to improve
the competence of staff in a dairy
processing operation.
N/A
Credits 10
6
Carry out a range of advanced dairy
processing operations.
Programmes may include the following
topics:
Credits 20

pasteurization

clean-in-place programming

dairy microbiology and food safety
trace-back process

dairy engineering and fault finding

dairy automation

hazard analysis and critical control
points pest control (HACCP)

development

specialty cheese making

cream product processing systems

milk powder processing systems

milk protein processing systems

milk treatment systems.
Optional
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the following National Certificate:

National Certificate in Dairy Manufacturing (Technology) (Level 4) [Ref:
0001].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification may either complete the
requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2017. The
last date for award of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2019 at which time it will be designated
as discontinued.
It is recommended that candidates currently enrolled in the replaced National Certificates who will be
unable to complete the qualifications by the 31 December 2019 transfer to the New Zealand Certificate
listed above.
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. Email standards@primaryito.ac.nz.
Qualification Reference 2564
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 4 of 5
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished In February 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in December 2015 to extend the last date of enrolment into
programmes leading to the replaced qualification from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2017 the last
date of assessment from 31 December 2017 to 31 December 2019.
Qualification Reference 2564
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Page 5 of 5