Bexybell22

Hi.
I'm a professional female from the UK. With two lots of separate qualifications under my belt. I am a UK qualified paramedic, with plenty of experience, as well a fully qualified and experienced Early childcare educator. I've paid ridiculous amounts of money getting both sets of qualifications assessed by NZQA. (Not to mention the hours of gathering all the crazy information they expect you to have, to meet their crazy demands!!). I've been subjected to all sorts of racist comments and other down heartening experiences also since arriving here a few months ago, which as I'm sure you imagine has also left me somewhat upset as I all I wanted was a job. (And I was under the impression that both careers are on the skills shortage list, which made it that much easier for me to get my work visa).
Today I have received my long overdue results from NZQA just to be told that they have been dumbed down to a standard far below that of a Kiwi's?! I along with a kiwi have been through the standards and compared them and in the case of my paramedic qualifications, I more than exceed the requirements, and I am also more than equal to those of the ECE qualifications.


It is so frustrating to have to be so massively misjudged. Has anyone else had similar problems? I am considering contesting the results, but at the detriment of paying another $270 on top of the ridiculous amount that I have already paid.

Madmaxdeux

I am starting to think and feel that the whole NZQA system is getting bogged down by an expectation to have an NZQA in anything. At the detrement of qualifications like what you have possibly being mishandled.

My partners qualifications when they were assessed by NZQA many of them were not recognised at the time yet one we noticed now is. But in saying that the reverse would be true in returning to the UK that many of the NZQA qualifications would not be recognised.

Last week I was given a rather large ring binder of stuff to be assessed to NZQA standards which I am expected to complete in the next month. It relates to my volunteer rolls yet in the same breath most those standards have been done for the other voluntery roll but not entered in the NZQA system.

A example of some of the stuff is Heavy Tansport Licence because I converted a UK licence it is not assessed to NZQA standards yet if I sat a HT in this country I would get the standard.
When I got a passenger endorsement for my work I had to show I had twp unit standards one for filling out a logbook and another to demonstrate a knowledge of driver licence requirements for Passenger Transport. Both of these skills by filling in an open workbook! Neither would be recognised in the UK.

Some of the stuff is BS to be polite because they are assesed annually and I must be competant in those areas. Yet I got a piece of paper that says I can do theses things and it does not expire.

I can see your frustration and you are not alone.

One thing I did read in your post was referance to Racist comments? Can you explain that please?

Bexybell22

Good to know that I'm not alone. Thanks for that. It's just taking a bit of getting used to. It's so easy just take things for granted I guess, when some things (e.g. language) are so similar. Think I just needed to vent after that news, (plus my partners not home to vent too) :-).
With regards to the racist comments, I was taken aside after an "informal meeting" to discuss future vacancies and was told "We don't like pom's in our organisation, in fact we can't stand them, if I was you I would find work elsewhere". Amongst other comments. I by no means think that this is the way every kiwi thinks, and I certainly don't mean to sound like a whinging "Pom" (I've grown to hate that word), but it just shocked me and upset me. Hey ho, I'm sure it's all happening for a reason.

Kija

Transient

Which organisation? You're leaving it open to the inference that this was a comment from within NZQA as that's the only organisation you've menetioned, and I don't believe that is what you're intending.

HelenTD

Hi, I just remembered talking a while ago to a German migrant to Australia. There was no procedure for her German qualifications to recognised here, so she went around the brick wall and got them recognised in the UK, which did have a system to recognise them in Australia, then got them OKd here. I know that Australia doesn't recognise some qualifications, though, as others have found. I was just wondering if you can get your qualifications recognised by the Australians 1st, as they have various agreements with NZ. I don't know whether I'd want to work in that place you mentioned, though .

Bexybell22

No thats not what I mean at all, it was not NZQA.
Thank you for the info about going round the houses to get my qualifications recognised, might be worth a try.

Madmaxdeux

Obviously they dont like the high standards that you would be bringing to the organisation.

Personally I would take there advice and look for work somewhere else then slap a complaint to the Employment Relations Authority or Human Rights Commision and maybe contact a union of which is probably run by us poms anyway.

I wonder if this idiot who made those remarks was not scared of losing there job to someone who was better qualified than them?

Bexybell22

Ah thank you, that made me smile :-) Good idea too

mudblood21

NZQA did assess my qualifications. I found the process really long and complicated too.

I did get them validated, but they took one grade off everything, so instead of two level eight quals i have two level sevens. presumably this will affect my wages if I make it across there.