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Nau mai ki te ‘Te Aro Taumata' - ngā pānui matua nā te Kāhui Aromātairua ki Waihanga Ara Rau!

Welcome to the second edition of Te Aro Taumata, our QA newsletter. This issue covers:

• An update on Assurance Projects and Webinars
• Our work on supporting good practices – the importance of comments
• Laisa's story - PTE Trainer & Assessor at MITA Consulting Ltd
• Interim Determinations – what they are and where to find them
• Concove Skill Standard Guidelines – upcoming webinars
• Schools – examples of good projects and a reminder of school cluster events
• Free 'Building Women' Workshops.

Assurance Projects & Webinars - Short Course Training Project

Public consultation on the Short Course Guidance Document is underway. We are now working to finalise the guidance and publish it in April. 

BCATS Skill Standard Pilot Project

We have partnered with BCITO to pilot ‘grading criteria’ for one BCATS Skill Standard. The pilot team consists of a group of schools and providers across the country.

BCATS-7 Create joints for a BCATS project or related tasks (Level 1, Credits 4) is the skill standard for the pilot, and a new assessment designed by BCITO will be used.  The pilot team will provide feedback about achieved, merit, and excellence grading and the supporting grade commentary for the BCATS skill standard.

Our timeline is that these pilots start and end in Term 2 – 2025. We will keep you updated on the findings.

Plumbing Gasfitting & Drainlaying and Scaffolding Delivery Projects

Planning is underway for on-site post-assessment moderation of Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying (PGD) and L3 to L5 Scaffolding block courses at various delivery sites across the motu (country).  The team is seeking to understand the current state of block course delivery and is recommending improvements to the delivery and assessment of these important infrastructure programmes.

Supporting good practice - the importance of comments

Do your Assessors ask:

1. What is the point of writing Assessor comments when ākonga provide verbal feedback and the assessments are filed away?
2. Are comments feedback for ākonga, or are they comments to justify the judgement?

Laisa Pickering, PTE Trainer/Assessor for MITA Consulting Ltd & Nikki Laby, Waihanga Ara Rau Assurance Specialist at the recent Line Mechanic Competition.

Meet Laisa - PTE Trainer & Assessor at MITA Consulting Ltd

We spoke to Laisa Pickering at the Line Mechanic Competition. This competition was part of the Annual Connection 2024 event in Te Awamutu. Laisa is a PTE Trainer/Assessor for MITA Consulting Limited, a nationwide operator specialising in cable jointing and line mechanics. Laisa is very knowledgeable about the line mechanic world.

Laisa is an excellent example of how women can succeed in construction and infrastructure. She inspires others, especially women, and demonstrates her determination and desire to succeed.

Interim Determinations

An interim determination is a decision made by Waihanga Ara Rau to fix an issue or error within a standard to allow for continued assessment until the standard can be reviewed, replaced or expired. 

As these are introduced, consent to assess holders will receive a notification email.

Good Practice Guides for Skill Standards ConCOVE Webinars

ConCOVE is running a free webinar in April on the Good Practice Guides for Skill Standards.  They’ll be looking at:

• Why understanding Skill Standards is essential – how they impact qualifications and assessment.
• The importance of the Good Practice Guides – why it was developed and how it supports good practice.
• What the Good Practice Guides cover and why they can be trusted – insights from research and sector collaboration.
• How to use them effectively – practical steps to integrate them into your work.

These guides have been developed and released by ConCOVE Tūhura, with support from Waihanga Ara Rau.  They are a key resource to help providers, Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), and industry navigate the transition to skill standards.

Schools

We are sharing a L3 BCATS project from Green Bay High School. This project, completed by a Year 13 ākonga, has suitable complexity. They have used various customised components and added their own flare.

Thank you to Green Bay High School for sharing this project with us.

School Cluster Moderation

We have held two cluster moderation events in Hamilton and would like to thank the participants for an engaging and valuable couple of days.

Here is our schedule for the remaining cluster events over the year:

• Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay 1 – Term 2, 10 June
• Hawke’s Bay 2 – Term 2, 11 June
• Auckland PTE Cluster – TBC.

More details will follow for those who are involved.

Free Building Women Workshops

To celebrate International Women’s Day, 8 March, BCITO launched a new initiative: Free Building Women Workshops. These eight workshops, one per month until October 2025, are designed to empower and equip women with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen trade.

Each workshop offers a deep-dive into different topics, all strictly related to the wellbeing of wāhine working in trades.

Employers and wāhine apprentices are particularly encouraged to join these sessions.

Spaces are limited, so book yours now.

Useful links
Ngā hononga ā-ipurangi

We are often asked where various templates, documents and websites can be found.  Here are some you might find helpful:

• Aromatawai and the Principles of Assessment
• Assurance - Waihanga Ara Rau
• Webinars and Workshops in 2025 - Waihanga Ara Rau
• Register new micro-credentials - Waihanga Ara Rau
• Search the NZQA micro-credential register
• Te Mata Raraunga – Workforce Skills Data and Insights
• Workforce Information Platform
• Workforce Development Plans
• Interim Determinations