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How specialist training works

Part of your apprenticeship with Skills includes booking specialist courses through external training providers. This course cost is covered by Skills if it is booked within the first three months after you sign up to the apprenticeship. However, if you are needing to resit these courses due to non-completion/failure/non-attendance or need to complete a refresher course, you will need to pay for this yourself.

What you need to do:

  1. Check your Welcome Email from Skills. This will tell you what courses you need to book.
  2. Find your chosen training provider from the listed providers below and click the link if given or call to book your course.
  3. If calling, make sure you tell them you are a Skills apprentice. This means that Skills is billed for your course.
  4. Make sure you enter your NSN number correctly so your credits get loaded up to your record at NZQA.
  5. If you don’t attend a course you have booked, you will pay for the next one!

Before booking a course, check COVID-19 regulations

Please check the Provider requirements under the Covid Traffic Light System regarding proving your vaccination status. If you are not double vaxxed, only some providers allow vaccine exemptions and some don’t!

Please follow all the provider’s safety protocols, including wearing masks, distancing and following the procedures they ask you to do.

    First Aid

    Trades required to complete this course: 

    Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying, Roofing, and Scaffolding – Choose a First Aid Level 2 course with all three unit standards: 6401, 6402 and 6400. 

    Electrical – Choose a First Aid Level 1 course with just two units 6401 and 6402.

    If you do not hold a first aid certificate, or you hold one but it is expired, you must complete a First Aid course.

    If you have a current first aid certificate and the units are listed on your NZQA Record of Learning you are not required to do this course, but it is a great opportunity for you to update your first aid knowledge. In this event, your employer will decide if they want you to do the First Aid course or not.

    We recommend the apprentices complete the First Aid training before doing the Height Safety and Confined Spaces courses.

    Please do the First Aid course within the first three months of your apprenticeship.

    Book your First Aid training with one of the providers listed below.

    Red Cross (Nationwide)

    To book a course online, click here, then click REGISTER

    • On the next page, you MUST fill out all information required to lodge NZQA credits (Name, DOB, Address, Gender)
    • Follow the prompts to book your course online. The payment method is an invoice.
    • Upon attending the course, you MUST tick YES to claiming NZQA credits on the enrolment form.

    If you are an employer and need to book a number of apprentices, please first contact holly.gibbs@redcross.org.nz to be set up in the Red Cross system to do so.

    If you have already achieved US6402 and US6401 (Essential First Aid), and just need the additional 6400 unit standard, please contact 0800 RED CROSS or firstaid@redcross.org.nz to book.

    For more detailed instructions, click here.

    For courses cancelled by provider (that affect different level lockdowns), please reschedule by emailing firstaid@redcross.org.nz so Red Cross admin team can rebook them.

    Traffic light protocols:

    Orange areas: Bring facemask and adhere to hygiene and Health & Safety protocols. Some rented training sites may still require you to provide your vaccination pass.

    Red areas: You must wear a facemask, adhere to hygiene and Health & Safety protocols and keep a one-metre physical distance. Some rented training sites may still require your vaccination pass but it is not required at Red Cross training venues.

    For further questions;

    St John (Nationwide)

    Click here to book a discounted course online. In the booking you must:

    • Enter your NSN number where Employee ID is requested 
    • Tick the box “I want to receive NZQA units for this course”
    • Some of you just need 6400 unit standard. You can do this at St John only if you do it within 3 months of completing the St John First Aid Level One course. If you meet this criteria, please contact St John on:
    • Phone: 0800 785 646
    • Email: enquiries@stjohn.org.nz

    Make sure you have the right dates as we cannot get refunds from St John. You can only change your booking to another date. To change the date of your booking, please see how here. Please do not just make another booking.

    Cancelled courses due to Alert Level changes and lockdown

    If your course has been cancelled due to lockdowns, email info@stjohn.org.nz with your details with a new date you want to attend your First Aid course. St John will transfer your booking. Do not book a new course.

    Under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (Traffic Light) system, attendees need to wear a mask. Mask exemptions cannot be accepted. Requirements around contact tracing, mask wearing and social distancing may also apply depending on the Traffic Lights we are working under.

    Vertical Horizonz

    IMPORTANT

    These courses include a compulsory online component.  Candidate MUST complete the online assessment before attending the final face-to-face practical assessment and will need to provide the trainer with evidence in the format of a certificate (hard copy or electronic).

    Failure to do this mean you may need to pay for another course yourself.

    When you are ready to book a course please call Vertical Horizonz. Skills will be invoiced for this.

     

    Besafe Training

    C4 Group

    (Auckland)

    Please enter your NSN number for these bookings and select which trade you are doing.

    All trainees are required to be double vaccinated.

    Workplace First Aid Training

    (Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Southland)

    Please find a suitable course on www.wpfirstaid.co.nz and then:

    Call 03 454 3040 to book or

    or office@wpfirstaid.co.nz to book.

    Workplace First Aid is the 2 unit course

    Comprehensive First Aid is the 3 unit course

    Links Training

    (Manawatu/Wanganui, Wellington, Kapiti, Horowhenua and Wairarapa)

    You will need to present a vaccine passport or exemptions.

    Height Safety

    Trades required to complete this course: Roofing, Scaffolding

    If you do not hold the Height Safety units, you must complete a Height Safety course.

    If you already holds the Height Safety units (23229 and 15757) when you begin your apprenticeship, you are not required to do the training again. However, we encourage you to take this opportunity to update your height safety knowledge. In this event, your employer will decide if they want you to do the Height Safety course or not.

    Book your Height Safety training with one of the providers listed below.

    Tai Poutini Polytechnic

    Vertical Horizonz

    BeSafe Training Ltd

    Reduce time off-site with our interactive online course which you can start now. Click here to book. Complete the theory learning and assessment online then book in for a 4 hour practical session with one of our experienced tutors at Alert level 3, 2 and 1.

    Safety’n Action

    To make booking for Height Safety Advanced, email sales@safetynaction.co.nz

    Please refer to Safety’n Action’s COVID-19 protection policies here.

    See www.safetynaction.co.nz to view available dates

    Phone 0800 222 388 or 021 578 977

    Confined Spaces

    Trades required to complete this course: Plumbing, Gasfitting, and Drainlaying. You need to ensure you choose a Confined Spaces course with these two unit standards: 18426 and 17599.

    If you have these units are listed on your NZQA Record of Learning you are not required to do this course. We recommend the apprentices complete the First Aid training before doing the Height Safety and Confined Spaces courses.

    Book your Confined Spaces training with one of the providers listed below and say you are an apprentice from Skills and need unit standards 18426 and 17599.

    Vertical Horizonz

     

    Safety’n Action

    To make booking for Confined Space and Gas Detection, email sales@safetynaction.co.nz

    Please refer to Safety’n Action’s COVID-19 protection policies here.

    See www.safetynaction.co.nz to view available dates

    Phone 0800 222 388 or 021 578 977

    Besafe Training

    Available in-person or online. To reduce time off-site, use our interactive online course: click here to book.  Complete the theory learning and assessment online (in multiple sittings if that suits) then book in for a 2 hour practical session with one of our experienced tutors at all traffic light settings. The theory and assessment for Working in a Confined Space – Stage 2 will take approx 8 hours.