Canvas is accessible only within New Zealand and Australia.
Reimbursement of training fees can only be applied for by learners, via IRD, upon completion of an eligible qualification and certificate issued. TEC have yet to determine the reimbursement process, but evidence of fee payment is highly likely.
Any queries about the fund should be directed to the TEC (Tertiary Education Commission).
Learners who accessed first-year Fees Free will not be eligible for final-year Fees Free, even if they did not use their whole entitlement.
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
The final 24 months of work-based training costs may be reimbursed to the learner if the eligibility criteria are met. The eligible learners will now make the claim for reimbursement via IRD on completion of their qualification.
We will endeavour to keep the FAQs on this webpage as current as possible. The Fees Free website is a good resource for learners. The TEC website is continuously updated and is a good resource for employers.
For employers, information and forms can be found here.
If you are a forestry employer or assessor, information and forms can be found here.
Not sure if you are eligible to claim reimbursement? Use this form to find out.
For learners continuing the same qualification:
Fees Free covers fees up to the end of 2025 or until entitlement is exhausted.
For work-based programmes continuing beyond 2025:
Fees incurred after 31 December 2025 will not be covered, and learners must arrange payment.
Make sure your 2024 learners are checking their Fees Free eligibility sooner rather than later, to ensure eligible learners don’t miss out on their first-year entitlement in 2024. For more information click here.
Learners should use the NSN checker tool at FeesFree.govt.nz. After entering their NSN, study type, and intended study year, the tool will return one of four statuses:
Eligibility depends on specific residency, prior study, and training criteria for work-based learning. Check the full eligibility criteria on the Fees Free website. Learners can use their NSN with the TEC’s tool to check eligibility.
Check the learner and programme eligibility criteria for work-based learning.
Download the Fees Free assessor spreadsheet template
For any questions about the Fees Free training reimbursement process, please email us.
Download the Fees Free employer claim guide and declaration
Download the Fees Free claim spreadsheet template
Not sure if you are eligible to claim reimbursement? Use this form to find out.
Employers can find information and claim forms here. Forestry employers and assessors can find their specific forms here. If you're unsure about your eligibility to claim reimbursement, use this form to check.
Download the Fees Free claim guide and declaration
You are eligible to claim reimbursement of your provider’s invoice for a Competenz learner directly from us if:
To be eligible the apprentice must be actively training towards a TEC approved New Zealand Apprenticeship or a TEC approved Managed Apprenticeship. The apprentice must have completed no more than 24 months of apprenticeship training that is the same or similar. Apprenticeships are the ‘same or similar’ if they create transferable technical skills relevant to an occupation.
If your apprentice has been previously enrolled in any other TEC approved apprenticeship with a same or similar content, this will be counted towards the number of months of training the apprentice has completed.
For more information on apprentice eligibility please visit Apprenticeship Boost - Work and Income.
The Apprenticeship Boost is now available until the end of December 2024. If you've already applied, you don't need to re-apply. Payments will continue for a maximum of 24 months per apprentice, or until the initiative ends in December 2024.
The Apprenticeship Boost is a payment available through the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to support employers of apprentices in their first or second year of training. Employers can receive up to 24 months of support. Payment is currently $500 per month for all apprentices, regardless of whether they are in their first or second year of training (excluding GST).
For more information visit Apprenticeship Boost - Work and Income.
Learners who accessed first-year Fees Free will not be eligible for final-year Fees Free. The last opportunity to report adjustments for first-year Fees Free is during the 2025 wash-up process in early 2026.
For learners continuing the same qualification: Fees Free covers fees up to the end of 2025 or until entitlement is exhausted. For work-based programmes continuing beyond 2025: Fees incurred after 31 December 2025 will not be covered, and learners must arrange payment. Make sure your 2024 learners are checking their Fees Free eligibility sooner rather than later, to ensure eligible learners don’t miss out on their first-year entitlement in 2024. For more information, go to FeesFree.govt.nz.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) also has a tool available for learners to check their eligibility using their NSN.
We will send you correspondence regarding an update on your learner’s eligibility when it is available. If you believe the information we have regarding your learner’s eligibility is incorrect contact TEC.
Our schools’ team are always keen to be involved in as many opportunities as possible. We love introducing learners to new ideas and vocational pathways. Email us on schools@competenz.org.nz to see if we have availability.
No, projects your students undertake in school are the evidence and learning they develop and use towards the assessment of the standards. A project is deemed acceptable so long as the project meets the learning intentions of the unit standard.
Workforce Development Councils (WCD) manage the Consent to Assess process.
Hanga-Ara-Rau is the WDC for Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics.
If you have a query about national external moderation, consent to assess, consent and moderation requirements (CMR), reach out to moderation@hangaarorau.nz
No, your learners may complete any project, as long as it shows they meet the assessment criteria.
We don’t have new examples in the works at the moment but we welcome ideas or you sharing current projects that we haven't presented within the project exemplars.
To see these please login to our resources site here.
Yes, please ensure you check the unit standard expiry date and version. You can do this via NZQA.
Please note: It is preferred that schools use the new unit standards. They have been created specifically for use in schools. Industry and teacher input, and collaboration was sought regarding skills and knowledge required for school leavers.
Follow the link competenz.org.nz/schools/resources/resources/apparel. Schools have base scope to Level 2, but you will need to check that you have CTA for Level 3.
Alternatively, National Moderator for Textiles and Apparel Pippa Lawlor, is contactable via this email mintednz@gmail.com.
Level 2 has a theory component and a practical assessment. For the practical assessment please read the first 1-4 pages of the Assessment Guide in each unit standard.
Yes, they can be used individually, or together and in any order.
Head to competenz.org.nz/schools/resources/resources/engineering-industry
1. Go to https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/explore/index.do and enter your school name
2. Click on your school name, and under Consent to Assess click the link 'these standards and groups of standards':
To register, go to competenz.org.nz/schools/register
If you have forgotten your password (or you are having issues signing in), go to schools.competenz.org.nz/Security/lostpassword and follow the instructions.
We also have a step-by-step video tutorials on how to register and login.
Our Gateway programme is currently being reviewed in preparation for successful programmes in the future. However, we are currently offering work experience placements, please contact schools@competenz.org.nz to discuss. Gateway is not available for 2025.
Pricing varies depending on your industry and the apprenticeship/traineeship model selected.
Call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz and we can arrange for someone to visit your workplace to discuss your training needs.
The first step is to call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz. We will arrange for someone to visit your workplace to discuss your training needs.
Competenz offers a free digital self-service job board makes it easy to create and post your job advert with our step-by-step job ad builder, helping you reach the right candidates.
All customers who have a balance on their account with Competenz at the end of the month will receive a statement detailing any unpaid invoices.
Alternatively, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 and select option 1 for accounts receivable and payable, and one of our Finance team will be happy to help you.
Competenz prefers payment by Direct Credit deposit to our bank account.
When making payment it is important that you include your Competenz Account Number as a reference – this is an eight character number beginning with ‘CC’ and can be found on your invoice or statement.
Our bank account number is also shown on our invoices and statements.
We are now offering the option of quarterly payments of annual fees (for Elev8 and Canvas). Please contact ar@competenz.org.nz for more information.
The best way to view the progress of your learner(s) is through Competenz Central.
Competenz Central allows you to see the training plan details of your learner(s) through the tile called eServices.
Click into eServices:
Click on the name of the learner you want more information on:
Click on Training Plan Detail, then click the Unit Standards drop down and change the selection to Show All.
If a unit standard is complete then a date will show in the Date Assessed column.
Please be aware that it can take between 1 – 3 months for unit standard results to be entered into our database.
See the Competenz Central help section for more information about how to access Competenz Central.
Are you logging in on the correct page?
Have you successfully logged in before?
Can't remember your username/email?
Can’t remember your password?
Still can’t login?
Receive the welcome email or text message
If you have requested a login for Competenz Central, or your Competenz contact has advised that a login is on its way, then expect a welcome email like this:
If you cannot find the email, please check your junk mail folder.
Sometimes email filters prevent Competenz emails from being received. If this is the case, our Customer Services Team can send you a text message instead of an email.
Call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz and let us know your name, date of birth, company/employer, and your cell phone number. We will then send you a welcome text message like the below:
Enter your date of birth
Once you click the link sent to you in the email or text message you will then need to enter your date of birth. This helps us check we’ve sent the link to the correct person.
Make sure you enter your date of birth in this format: dd/mm/yyyy
For example:
If your date of birth does not match with the information held in our database, you will need to contact our Customer Services Team.
Create your login details
Once you have entered your date of birth, you can then create your login by entering an email address for your username and a password.
Your password must be at least eight characters long, and contain an uppercase, lowercase and number.
Please send an email to your training advisor or account manager for support.
If you are an assessor, please specify which company or companies you assess at/for so we can make sure we give you visibility of these companies.We will need to verify your access with your Competenz contact first, so please be aware that your request may take some time.
If you are not a New Zealand citizen, you need a valid visa or work permit. Non domestic students have fees and are not funded.Your visa or work permit must cover the time it will take to complete your qualification.For example, if you want to enrol in a qualification that will take six months to complete, then you must have a visa or work permit that is valid for at least six months from the day you start your qualification.You must also have a job in an industry that we work with.Either:
Generally, employers pay the cost of an apprenticeship or traineeship.
To find out how much an apprenticeship or traineeship will cost, please get your employer to call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz and we can arrange for someone to visit your workplace to discuss your training needs.
If you are not a New Zealand citizen then you need a valid visa or work permit.
Your visa or work permit must cover the time it will take to complete your qualification.
For example, if you want to enrol in a qualification that will take six months to complete, then you must have a visa or work permit that is valid for at least six months from the day you start your qualification.
You must be 16 years of age or older to enrol into any Competenz qualifications, unless you have an early leaving exemption certificate from the Ministry of Education.
Apprenticeships are three to four years long.
Traineeships can be anywhere between six and 18 months long.
You're on the right track to becoming an apprentice or trainee with Competenz!
The first thing to do is double-check that you meet the following criteria:
If this sounds like you, then the next step is to talk to your employer. Tell them about the training you want to do. They need to be onboard. Being a Competenz learner is a three-way agreement between us (Competenz), you (the learner) and your employer.
Then call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz and we can arrange for someone to visit your workplace to discuss your training needs.
To do an apprenticeship or traineeship with Competenz, you need to have a job in an industry that we work with.
Either:
No experience is needed to do an apprenticeship or traineeship. You just need to have a job in an industry that we work with, and have a positive attitude!
To become a trainee, in simple terms you need to; be 16 or older and be legally allowed to work in New Zealand.
Here are some more details:
To become an apprentice you must be 16 or older, legally allowed to work in New Zealand, and have a job in the industry your apprenticeship is in.
Apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a pathway to a lifelong career. You learn on-the-job in your workplace, get paid and become qualified for your chosen trade.
Watch the video below to learn more about apprenticeships.
Traineeship
Traineeships are shorter than apprenticeships – typically 6-18 months – and range from entry level to advanced. They are formal arrangements between an employer, learner and Competenz. Traineeships lead to a nationally recognised New Zealand qualification.
Competenz does not offer automotive engineering qualifications. If you are interested in training to be an automotive engineer, please contact MITO: www.mito.org.nz
Competenz does not have a campus - all learning for our qualifications is done on-the-job or with a training provider like a polytechnic.
We have 13 offices nationwide which you can view on our Contact us page.
Competenz partners with employers, apprentices, schools, training providers and assessors across the country to help Kiwis build skills, careers and businesses. We work with more than 3,500 companies and 26,000 learners in 36 industries around New Zealand each year. Most learning takes place on-the-job. Watch the video below to learn more:
Ambassadors are nominated by Competenz account managers and training advisors. Talk to your Competenz contact if you think you would make a great ambassador.
Competenz ambassadors are apprentices and trainees who have been selected to represent their trade because they are passionate about what they do. Ambassadors help us to promote Competenz through school visits, marketing campaigns, media appearances and industry events.
If you’re looking to jump into another qualification, it’s best to first talk to your Competenz contact about what you want to do. They can advise you of the next steps.
You can also find out about all the different industries and qualifications we manage here.
If it’s a level 5 or Diploma qualification that you’re interested in, then check out our FAQ on scholarships.
How much you are paid can vary between the different types of training and different employers. But remember, with an apprenticeship, you earn while you learn - there's no student loan!
Because your employer is investing a lot of time and money into your training, you may be paid a training wage. Find out more about the different wage rates on the Employment New Zealand website.
You should receive four visits per year from your Competenz contact. Visits are usually spaced evenly throughout the year.
Your Competenz contact may advise you while at a current visit of a specific date for the next visit, or they may advise which month they will be back and then contact you closer to the time to arrange a date.
If you are not sure when your Competenz contact will visit you next, please get in touch with them.
If you have access to Competenz Central you can see their mobile number and email address:
Otherwise, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz and we can put you in touch with your Competenz contact.
You will be given a printed certificate by your Competenz contact when you complete your qualification. OR, your certificate will be couriered to your workplace.
We are only able to re-print your certificate if it is LOST or DAMAGED. If you would like us to reprint your certificate for you, there is a cost of $35+GST.
Please send an email to support@competenz.org.nz.
Let us know the following:
Once payment has been received and confirmed we will then courier your certificate to your nominated address.
We can only print certificates for qualifications achieved after August 2012. If you completed your qualification prior to August 2012 you will need to contact NZQA.
When you finish your apprenticeship/traineeship you will be completed in our database once your last unit standard result is entered.
Once this is done you will be given a printed certificate by your Competenz contact. Or, your certificate will be couriered to your workplace.
If you have access to Competenz Central you can see your training plan by logging in to Competenz Central. This will show your ‘To-do’ unit standards and your ‘Achieved’ unit standards.
If you do not have access to Competenz Central you can ask your Competenz contact to run a qualification check to see what unit standards are outstanding to complete your qualification.
Only some unit standards are available online.
Check the Canvas online learning help section for more information and a list of all the online unit standards.
It is best to seek help from your assessor for your unit standard.
Your assessor could be:
If you are unsure who will be assessing your work or a particular unit standard, then contact your Competenz contact.
Alternatively, you could try asking a colleague at work for help if they have experience in the unit standard you are working on.
Your assessor should have provided feedback or direction as to where you have gone wrong in your assessment.
In Canvas online learning the assessor should have written a note against the specific question that is wrong. And if your assessment is paper-based then your assessor should have hand-written a note on your assessment which you can see when the assessment is returned to you.
It can take between 1 – 3 months for unit standard results to be entered into our database. It all depends how quickly your assessor is able to enter your result if they have access to do this, or how quickly we are able to enter the result once the assessor has informed us.
If it has been over 3 months and the result has still not appeared on your training plan and/or your record of achievement then please talk to your Competenz contact.
If you have access to Competenz Central you can see your training plan and your record of achievement by logging in to Competenz Central. Click on the tab Training Plan and Achievement.
Both your training plan and your record of achievement will show you which unit standards you have or have not yet achieved. Though it can take between 1 – 3 months for unit standard results to be entered into our database.
If you do not have access to Competenz Central you can visit the NZQA website and login to NZQA learner log-in to see your record of achievement. OR, talk to your Competenz contact to get a copy of your training plan.
If you still have difficulty, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz. We can send you a copy of your record of achievement.
If you have access to Competenz Central you can see your record of achievement by logging in to Competenz Central. Click on the Achievement tab.
If you do not have access to Competenz Central you can visit the NZQA website and login to the NZQA learner log-in.
Your Competenz contact should have given you a paper copy of your training plan when you first signed up. If you have lost this copy, talk to your Competenz contact to get a new copy.
You can only do one course per year.
If you need to do more than one course in a year then you will require special dispensation from one of our National Manager. Talk to your Competenz contact if you need to do more than one course in a year.
Block course training providers have 30 days from the last day of the block course to register your unit standards.
If your unit standards are not appearing as completed on your record of achievement and it has been over 30 days, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 and ask to speak to our Course Management Team.
Your employer will be sent and email six to eight weeks prior to the start date inviting you to the first available block course for your preferred provider. If there are none available in your region you will be given options to a provider close to you.
Once your attendance is confirmed, the block course training provider will send you an email with the course information two weeks prior to the block course starting.
You will only be allocated to a block course if you have met the prerequisites. Talk to your Competenz contact about prerequisites if you are unsure.
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Android
*Android default browser varies per mobile device.
The ‘Welcome to Canvas’ course and user guide can be found by clicking on the ‘Help’ tab in Canvas on the left-hand side.
OR, the user guide may already be loaded to your dashboard.
The Canvas online learning button is located in the top right-hand corner of Competenz Central.
If you cannot see the Canvas online learning button, and are meant to be completing online learning, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz.
Access to Canvas online learning is through Competenz Central.
To login to Competenz Central click the link ‘Login Competenz Central’ in the top right-hand corner of this website.
If you require further assistance, please call our Customer Services Team on 0800 526 1800 or email support@competenz.org.nz.
Once you are logged in, click the Canvas online learning button.
Canvas online learning is exactly what the name says; it’s our online learning platform!
Instead of completing your learning using paper-based workbooks and assessment guides, you may be able to do this online through Canvas.
Canvas online learning is not available for all unit standards, but we are constantly building more and more unit standards into Canvas.
If a unit standard on your training plan can be completed through Canvas online learning, your Competenz contact should have let you know about this option.
To login to Competenz Central click the link ‘Canvas login’ in the top right-hand corner our website.
We will need to verify your access with your Competenz contact first, so please be aware that your request may take some time.
Competenz Central is an online platform for learners, employers and assessors to access relevant information to support them on their journey with Competenz.
Learners can access their training plan, record of achievement, Competenz key contact details, and Canvas online learning.
Employers can access training plan and progress details of their learner(s).
Assessors can access all companies they assess at and all training plan and progress details of the learners at these companies. Assessors can also access Canvas online learning if required.
