Revised Sign Making Unit Standards published in NZQA

The Unit Standards were revised in 2022 by a small working group led by the NZSDA and made up of large and small sign shops. The Hanga-Aro-Rau Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics Workforce Development Group developed a new sign-making qualification focusing on new processes and practices. 

While the changes have been approved and published, new programmes for the learners are still to be developed with Hanga-Aro-Rau Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics Workforce Development Group and Competenz.  The timeframe for the new standards to be made available to new apprentices is not yet confirmed but may be as early as 2023.  The current Unit Standards will remain until replaced and will not expire until 2025.

The NZSDA says the main change to the standards is the reduction in the Traditional Specialisation Strand of sign-making.  With no enrolments over the past 3-5 years for this strand of 400 hours (40 credits), this highlighted the need to refine how this unit is included.  It was clear that in many of today’s modern sign shops, it is difficult to teach as the opportunity to practice this work is not always available, especially for apprentices, and certainly not 400 hours’ worth. 

The group then looked at other aspects of sign-making which have developed over the past few years; installation was one aspect of sign-making that has become a specialised part of the industry; thus, a new strand for Installation of 400 hours (40 credits) was developed. 

The Traditional strand is reduced to 100 hours (10 credits) and absorbed into other standards throughout the sign qualification.  Many other changes were made throughout the unit standards, specifically, correcting the context around the questions asked in the unit standards, ensuring that they are fit for purpose for the scenario, the learner, and the outcomes.

The details of the specialisation units and the new installation unit can be viewed at: Sign Making – Specialisation (nzqa.govt.nz)