Development of Engineering Qualifications in New Zealand: A Brief History

Abstract

Post 1840, New Zealand’s early engineers had mainly trained in Britain prior to emigrating. The need for educating and training young engineers was soon recognised. This was initially done by means of a young engineer working under the close supervision of an older, experienced engineer, usually in a cadetship arrangement. Correspondence courses from the British engineering institutions became available from 1897. Several technical colleges in New Zealand implemented night classes to assist students who were preparing for the associated examinations. The first School of Engineering was established at Canterbury University College in 1887. Teaching of engineering, initially within a School of Mines, commenced at Auckland University College in 1906. Engineering degrees did not become available from other universities in New Zealand until the late 1960s. The New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (NZCE) was introduced as a lower level of engineering qualification in the late 1950s and was replaced by a variety of two-year Diploma in Engineering qualifications from 2000, now consolidated together and known as the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE) and taught at fifteen institutions throughout New Zealand from 2011. At an intermediate level, the three-year Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree qualification (BEngTech) was also introduced from 2000 and is now taught at seven institutes of technology and polytechnics, and the Auckland University of Technology.