NQF level 5 credit discrepancy – occupational qualifications

[Lynel Farrell]

I absolutely love these discussions! The most significant Occupational Qualification that I have seen is the SAQA 102004: Occupational Certificate: Mechatronics Technician – NQF Level 5 with 923 Credits. Entry requirement: Level 1 mathematics.

How long will it take a learner to complete this qualification? Asking for a friend.

[Jenny Mamdoo]

It does help, thanks Reneé.

Really interested in the response to Lynel’s question :-).

[Renee’ McGibbon]

Hi Lynell,

An awfully long time 🙂

Please bear in mind that the Occupational Qualifications that are QA’d by the QCTO have a very different format to Historical qualifications.

Occupational Qualification under the QCTO are split into Knowledge Modules, Practical Skills Modules, and Work Experience Modules. Each module has an assigned credit value, meaning it would take the average learner the credit value of each of the various sections within these modules X 10 to become competent.
To achieve the full SAQA 102004: Occupational Certificate: Mechatronics Technician – NQF Level 5 with 923 Credits, the learner would have to complete nd be found competent in all the modules.
To attain this qualification, the learner would progress from an NQF Level 2 all the way to an NQF Level 5, so in effect it would take a minimum of
4 years to complete the entire qualification.

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[Lynel Farrell]

Thanks Renee, It is an awful long time to achieve a NQF Level 5 Certificate – 4 years. I doubt there will be much interest – it will be very specific, for a certain group of corporates. I have gone through the Curriculum Document and the Assessment Specification Document – still not sure why it is not loaded on the website. The combination of NQF Levels 2 – 5 into one Certificate are very interesting indeed. I noticed that immediately.

I am very grateful that I don’t have to work through Module 1: Workplace Fundamentals (90 hours) – I would go crazy. This is definitely for a Technician that have passion for mechatronics!

I can confirm, that this is the first time in my life, that I see a NQF Level 5 Certificate with 923 credits. In the old days, that number of credits would give you a degree!

[Renee’ McGibbon]

Hi Lynelle,

The qualification does not have Assessment Specifications listed on the QCTO’s site as yet, but I would imagine that it is a Trade Qualification because the vertical progression is to the National N Diploma: Engineering Studies, Level 6, (ID: 67043).

In effect, a learner can progress from an NQF Level 2 to an NQF Level 5. A learner may also apply for RPL assessment and anyone who has completed any of the components would not be required to formally redo them if Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) is permissable (which it should be.)

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