He Toki Electrical Trades Training
If you are Māori or Pasifika, are 16-40 years old, and want to learn and earn in a practical, hands-on environment, consider our He Toki pathway. With He Toki, you'll be supported to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory (Level 3) with a unique learning experience that has te reo, tikaka and mentorship at its heart.
Domestic
About the programme
Get the skills and support you need to succeed in the electrical industry in Te Waipounamu.
With He Toki, you'll be supported to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Pre-Trade (Level 3) – with a difference.
Talk to us if you:
- are Māori or Pasifika
- are 16-40 years old
- want to learn and earn in a practical, hands-on environment, and
- want a rewarding career in the electrical industry.
He Toki is more than study pathway – it's a journey with a support network
He Toki supports whānau to gain skills and qualifications, connect with iwi and explore industry opportunities, with the goal of securing wealth-enriching futures for Māori and Pasifika.
He Toki’s strengths are in building relationships and offering a personalised and encouraging approach to learning, to ensure that you have a sustainable study/life balance.
- It challenges mainstream teaching methodologies
- It arms people with practical and employable skills in a required trade
- It embeds te reo and tikaka into day-to-day operations
- It applies an ako/tuakana-teina approach to offer guidance and mentorship with a Māori-specific context.
Why you should join He Toki for your electrical training
He Toki aims to enrich electrical trades education to grow the Māori and Pasifika workforce. It brings together iwi, industry, educational institutions, community organisations and government agencies.
Since it was established in 2011, He Toki has prepared more than 1100 trainees for jobs in the trades sector.
Now is the time to start your career in the electrical industry.
This programme gives you the work-ready skills to enter the electrical trade as an apprentice electrician working under supervision.
During your studies, you'll enjoy hands-on training in our workshops and the chance to be involved in real-world, community-based building projects, which will lead to you gaining knowledge about domestic, industrial, and commercial installation.
What you’ll learn
During this hands-on programme, you’ll study topics such as Electrical Work Practices, Electrical Appliances and Circuit Design and Operation.
When you finish, you could enter an apprenticeship agreement with us and an employer so you can complete the Level 4 apprenticeship programme. This will give you the skills you need to work independently as an electrician.
Career opportunities include domestic, commercial, industrial or electricity supply electrician, appliance service worker, work within telecommunications industry, or self-employment.
What You Study
Courses
This programme provides the electrical industry with people who have introductory knowledge of safe electrical installation, testing, commissioning, and servicing of electrical installations and equipment. It provides pre-entry foundation knowledge of electrical engineering and is suitable for those who wish to enter the industry but do not yet have an electrical apprenticeship agreement.
Upon successful completion of this programme, you will have the operational and theoretical knowledge of electricity production, distribution, and utilisation, and will be able to carry out a limited range of prescribed electrical work safely and ethically under supervision in accordance with the Electricity Act 1992.
| Course name | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Workplace Practices | Learn how to keep yourself and others safe by identifying workplace hazards and managing them. Achieve your first aid certificate and gain the skills to practice with professionalism in an electrical context. | 15 |
| DC Fundamentals | Learn and apply important theories and principles of Direct Current (DC) circuits and systems. Discover the formulas, language, ideas and techniques required to build an electrical career, while undertaking practical training to apply these in real life. | 15 |
| AC Fundamentals | Understand the principles of magnetism and electromagnetism in Alternating Current (AC) theory and learn how to apply them in an electrical workplace, including the safe use of tools and equipment. | 15 |
| Cables, Fittings and Testing | Learn how to install, test and diagnose problems with electrical cords, cables, and equipment. You’ll gain understanding of a wide variety of electrical fittings and their applications, and the legal requirements for testing them safely. | 15 |
| Supply Systems | Build your knowledge of the New Zealand electricity supply system and learn how to work safely in high-voltage environments. Understand and apply the methods used to ensure the protection of users and installers. | 15 |
| Protection, Plans and Circuits | Learn how to design and construct power-switching circuits, use electrical drawing conventions to communicate your designs, and apply the principles and installation requirements of lighting systems. | 15 |
| Electrical Installations | Develop and apply your knowledge of cable and wiring systems commonly used in the electrical trade, including in damp situations. | 15 |
| Electrical Machines, Transformers and Isolation | Learn the key theories underpinning the operation of transformers, electrical machines, and isolation procedures, and how to apply them in real-life situations. | 15 |
| Final Capstone Test | Complete a final examination to demonstrate your knowledge of the theories and practices of electrical work in order to continue on your journey towards an electrical career. | 1 |
Workload
Your workload
You’ll need to complete 24 hours of face-to-face teaching time at the Polytechnic, up to 8 hours of additional self-directed study per week and 8 hours of work experience.
Usual timetable hours are:
- Monday - Wednesday: On campus classes (8.20am-3.00pm)
- Thursday: Work experience all day
- Friday: Self-directed study (8.20am-3.00pm)
Further study options
After you complete this certificate, you may choose to continue studying towards a higher qualification, such as:
Entry
Entry requirements
General admission
- You’ll need to be at least 16 on the day that your programme starts (or give us a completed Early Release Exemption Form).
- You’ll also need to meet or exceed the following academic requirements:
- NCEA Level 1 with Mathematics and English, or
- have equivalent knowledge and skills.
Special admission
You must:
- be 20, on or before the day that your programme starts, and
- provide sufficient evidence of your aptitude or appropriate work or other life experience to indicate that you can successfully complete this programme.
Discretionary admission
In exceptional cases, if you do not meet the general admission requirements and haven’t reached the age of 20 on the first day of your programme, you can apply for discretionary admission. When we assess whether to grant discretionary admission, our primary focus will be whether we feel you are prepared for study at the required level.
English Language Requirements
You must provide evidence that you have English Language proficiency equivalent to NCEA Level 1 English.
Domestic applicants
If English, Māori or New Zealand Sign is not your first language and you can’t provide evidence of the above, you’ll need to provide evidence using an equivalent described in the NZQA Rules.
Selection process
Criteria
When the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available, we’ll use the following selection criteria:
- if you have high levels of achievement in NCEA Level 1 English, Maths, and Physics or General Science, you’ll be a preferred candidate for entry
- if you have a lower level of achievement in NCEA Level 1 English, Maths, and Physics or General Science, we may work with you to identify any extra support you might need to enter the programme.
Process
Staff members will select applicants based on the information supplied during the application process. Sometimes, further information may be needed from an applicant to allow an enrolment decision to be made. This might involve an interview or assessment (face-to-face or electronic).
Don't meet the entry requirements?
If you don’t meet the entry requirements and feel like you might want to do other Polytechnic study to get you up to speed before you apply for this Level 3 programme, we have several options available:
Engineering Maths Summer School
This is the perfect option if you need to improve your engineering maths skills. It runs during January each year.
New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills (Level 2)
This is a great option if you want to re-engage with study or want to experience studying at a polytechnic. It will help you develop your reading, writing, maths and computing skills.
New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Level 2)
This Certificate is for speakers who can use basic English in everyday settings but want to improve their English for study or work.
Fees
Programme fees
Free!
Due to He Toki funding.
Additional costs
You will need the following items, but they may be covered by course-related costs through StudyLink:
- personal stationery
- a calculator
- safety footwear
- it would also be helpful to have a laptop to bring to class or have a PC available
- Electrical Wiring Practice and Electrical Principles for the Electrical Trades textbook, which can be purchased at the University Bookshop for approximately $300
- an electrical tool set, approximate cost $400. Your lecturer will provide further details in your first week.
Studylink
Domestic full-time students can apply for a student loan through Studylink.
Some support may be available for domestic part-time students if this programme offers a part-time study option.
Apply at the same time as you apply for your course (you can withdraw your application anytime).
Application
Need more info?
If you want more info or just a chat, please use the contact details below:
Visit hetoki.co.nz
Phone 0800 438 654
Email hetoki@op.ac.nz
