If you want to get into the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry and work on domestic and commercial equipment, then the New Zealand Certificate in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Trade Assistant) Level 3 is for you. This pre-apprenticeship qualification will prepare you for the industry and teach you all the fundamentals that you will need to know.
One year full-time (three days per week class time, two days per week work experience)
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
750 Demonstrate knowledge of electrical test instruments and take measurements
6401 Provide first aid
6402 Provide basic life support
2395 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the selection, use, and care of engineering hand tools
2396 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the selection, use, and care of portable hand-held engineering power tools
15852 Isolate and test low-voltage electrical subcircuits
19666 Demonstrate knowledge of refrigerants and their effect on the environment
21911 Demonstrate knowledge of safety on engineering worksites
21912 Apply safe working practices on an engineering worksite
21913 Lift loads in engineering installation, maintenance, and fabrication work
25070 Explain the properties of conductors, insulators, and semiconductors and their effect on electrical circuits
25071 Demonstrate knowledge of electromotive force (e.m.f.) production
25072 Apply electromagnetic theory to a range of problems
28952 Demonstrate knowledge of refrigerants and their management
28959 Demonstrate knowledge of installation and commissioning procedures for commercial RAC equipment
28960 Demonstrate knowledge of commercial RAC system maintenance and servicing
28970 Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of refrigeration and air conditioning
29465 Apply knowledge of electrical safety and safe working practices for electrical workers
29549 Demonstrate basic knowledge of the mechanical properties and selection of engineering materials
29550 Demonstrate basic knowledge of common engineering metals
29652 Demonstrate knowledge of safety, health, risk assessment, and hazard ID and control on an engineering worksite
29653 Manually produce third angle orthographic drawings of simple engineering objects incorporating plane geometric shapes
29655 Manually produce engineering sketches
29674 Demonstrate knowledge of mechanical fasteners used in mechanical engineering
29675 Demonstrate knowledge of safety when lifting loads in engineering installation, maintenance, and fabrication work
30080 Join ferrous and non-ferrous metal components by torch brazing
31809 Fabricate and assemble components for refrigeration or air conditioning systems under supervision
31810 Install refrigeration and/or air conditioning system components under supervision
At the successful completion of this programme, students will have the required competencies to function successfully and effectively at operational levels within the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning sector. Graduates could go on to become:
School Leavers
Mature ApplicantsApplicants over the age of 20 years at time of enrolment will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in a programme. Examples of demonstration of ability to succeed are the provision of evidence of successful completion of a programme of study at Level 1 or above in a related discipline, and/or employment in the related sector for one or more years. They may be admitted subject to programme regulations approved by the Head of Faculty in consultation with the Programme Manager as appropriate.
Personal commitment and a belief in one’s own ability to succeed are important personal traits and will always be taken into consideration during the selection process.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A¬ level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English, or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or
Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of a Bachelor ‘s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment:
IELTS test - General or Academic score of 5 with no band score lower than 5
TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - where the test was carried out prior to 1 October 2017 - Score of 500 (with an essay score of 4 TWE)
TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 35 (with a writing score of 14)
Cambridge English Examination – B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 154. No less than 154 in each skill.
OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL - a) Expiring Level, b) Current: a) Level 3 (General) or (Workplace), b) Level 3 (General)
Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PTE (Academic) score of 36 with no band score lower than 36
Language Cert - B1 Achiever International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS
Trinity ISE - ISE I with no less than distinction in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
To satisfactorily complete New Zealand Certificate in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Trade Assistant) (Level 3) and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve:
(Please note; students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement)
Three days per week class time: Mon, Tues, Wed, 8.00am-4.30pm
Two days work experience