NZ Certificate in Study and Employment Skills
Tirohanga whānui
Grow the skills and self-belief to take your next step in study or work
This programme covers the essential skills to help you:
Learn to study with confidence
Find, evaluate and use information
Access and reference a variety of content sources
Turn your thoughts into clear writing
Improve you communication skills
Build your digital capability
Practice problem-solving
Identify your strengths
Grow your confidence
With support from kaiako and your peers, you’ll set goals that fit your life, try out real-world tasks, and create a plan for what comes next.
He aha tāu ka whiwhi?
What you’ll gain from this programme
You’ll be able to:
Find, evaluate, and use information from a range of sources—on your own and in a team
Plan and present a well-researched argument using the right tools and media
Recognise your strengths and areas to grow and set goals you can act on
Map a study and/or employment pathway that suits your interests
Use digital, financial and problem-solving skills in study or workplace scenarios
Mā te mahi kao ako
Learn by doing
Take part in:
Applied projects
Practice research and writing
Practice your communication (including introductions, conflict resolution and negotiation)
Apply basic financial literacy to real-life situations.
You’ll get feedback you can use straight away.
Ngā ara e wātea ana
Where will this take me?
Use your skills:
Keep studying
Continue into Level 5+ programmes that build on your interests and goals or continue to a degree such as He Korowai Ākonga - Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching).
At work
Step into entry-level roles or strengthen your readiness for work in your chosen field.
Community involvement
Contribute to whānau, iwi or community projects using your research, communication and digital skills.
He meka
Quick facts
- Level 4 (Intermediate)
- 60 Credits
- 20 Weeks
- NZ Certificate in Study and Employment Skills Level 4
- No fees
- NZQA Accredited
Paearu whakauru
Entry criteria
You can enrol if you:
Are 16 years or older
Are a NZ citizen or resident (includes Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau) or Australian citizen/permanent resident
Currently reside in New Zealand
Your kaiako will have input into class selection based on your:
Commitment to completing the programme requirements
Interest and/or involvement in higher level study and/or enhancing employment prospects
Te wā
Time commitment
This programme is:
Full-time
60 credits
20 weeks long
Classroom-based, with online sessions
Kōnae ako
Learning modules
Ki hea, mō āhea hoki au ako ai?
Where and when can I learn?
No classes are currently open for application.
Kaupapa anamata
Upcoming events
Pitopito kōrero o te wā
Latest news
Finding a deeper sense of self through te ao Māori
Moving to Aotearoa from rural Australia as a teenager, Lily Warring found herself wanting to learn more about the culture and language of the place she now called home.
A journey shaped by whānau and a love of tamariki
Members of Tayla-Marie Takawe’s (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto) whānau were among the first tauira to graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Reconnecting to te ao Māori through raranga
Haylee Roussel (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne, Ngāti Maniapoto) was searching for a way to reconnect with te ao Māori when she enrolled in the Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art, Raranga, at the Waiwhero campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Creating the spark for business success
With plenty of experience as an electrician, Josh Verstraten was ready to branch out from employee to business owner, but he knew running a successful business would require a new set of skills.
From financial stress to financial freedom for Auckland whānau
For Augustine Kopa, studying the Certificate in Money Management at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was about creating a better future for her whānau.
Two generations, one reo Māori journey
When Melody Francis (Ngāti Kahungunu) saw the positive impact that studying te reo Māori had on her mum, she decided to jump on the waka and begin the journey alongside her.
Tikanga study boosts whānau presence on marae
Patrick and Donna Tobin (Ngāti Kahu) are a brother-and-sister duo studying tikanga alongside their wider whānau at Te Paatu Marae in Kaitaia, all working towards the betterment of their whānau, iwi, and marae.
A teacher’s path to understanding tikanga
Originally from South Africa, Franda Zondagh has called Aotearoa home since 2003, but it was through studying He Papa Tikanga with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that she began to feel a deeper connection to the place she lives and people she serves in her mahi.
Leading by example and learning te reo Māori
Liisa Wharepapa’s (Te Whānau ā Apanui) journey with te reo Māori wasn’t something that happened overnight, it was a goal waiting to be pursued until the moment she felt ready to take that step.
Returning home and reclaiming te reo Māori
After many years away building his professional career, Logan Bertram (Whakatōhea), returned home to Ōpōtiki with a clear goal of reconnecting with his whakapapa and creating a better future for his young whānau.
