VHNZ congratulate the 30 KiwiRail National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4) 2013 graduates on their successes this year.

Each candidate has conducted an efficiency improvement project, improving a piece of equipment, process or service, and creating a change to meet a need they had the experience to spot but needed the knowledge and skills to finance, resource and/or implement in their workplace.

The VHNZ National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4) programme was designed to provide mature supervisors and team leaders with the tools to apply their experience and knowledge for the benefit of their work and workplace. Outcomes for this years programme included:

• Applied leadership through positive example, accepting responsibility and accountability for work;
• The appropriate application of situational leadership tools to take the initiative and act with confidence;
• A selection and use of management skills to plan, resource and execute an ‘efficiency improvement project’
• Business communication skills to report on the planned and completed 'efficiency improvement project’

VHNZ thank KiwiRail and InfraTrain New Zealand for their faith in VHNZ to plan and run the programme that they felt best met the needs of the candidates. We too are delighted with the result.

Currently directors in New Zealand do not owe positive duties in relation to ensuring the health and safety of workers in their organisation. This is set to change with the Government’s commitment to enacting new health and safety laws modelled on Australian Model Law (AML).

This commitment is seen in 'Working Safer: A blueprint for health & safety at work' which is the Government’s (partial) response to the recommendations of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety.

A key difference between the AML and New Zealand’s current Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSEA) is that AML places a positive duty on directors to exercise “due diligence” whereas in New Zealand no such positive duty exists.

New Zealand’s new statute is expected to be introduced into the House in December 2013 and to come into effect in December 2014.

Read more here

VHNZ can now offer GWO Wind Turbine training to industry.

This qualification acknowledges the skill sets and expertise required for training organisations to be able to deliver this international qualification within the wind turbine sector.

The members of GWO accept that the GWO standard fulfills the need for Basic Safety Training. All members of GWO accept training done by a training provider that can prove compliance with the "Criteria for a Training Provider" Standard, by holding a certificate for this, issued by a Certification body in accordance with "Criteria for Certification Body" standard. All members of GWO acknowledge that beside national legal requirements, companies can set extra requirements to those outlined in the GWO Basic Safety Training.

For more information on this qualification, please click here.

On Friday 6th December 2013, we had our end of year Christmas Party at the "Prime Productions" Mafia Murder Mystery show.

Jess Willis and Charli Crocker were nominated for 'Best Dressed Female' and Darach Cassidy took out the title of 'Best Dressed Male'. VHNZ also won the prize for 'Most Chips Won' with over $30,000 in (fake) chips from the fun casino games available.

The night was filled with comedy, drama and mystery in true 1920's style.  A fun night had by all.