New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) with strands in Construction Management and Quantity Surveying

The qualification will provide employers and consumers with the confidence that construction and building projects are being effectively planned and organised with sound financial management that meets the requirements of New Zealand legislation, Codes of Practice, and New Zealand and Australian Standards.

Graduates can pursue further tertiary education in construction management or quantity surveying or enter the workforce directly.

Flexible Online Learning with Local Support

This programme offers the best of both worlds; the flexibility of online study through Open Polytechnic combined with the benefits of local campus access at WITT. You'll study online, from anywhere around the region and as a WITT learner, you'll also have the option to:

• Utilise local campus facilities, like the library, computers, and gym.
• Optional in-person support available for additional help.

 To ensure a smooth online learning experience, you'll need:

• A laptop or desktop computer (smartphones and tablets aren't suitable for this programme).
• Reliable broadband internet access.
• A data plan that can handle online learning tasks like streaming videos, downloading materials, and submitting assessments.

Unsure if your current setup meets these requirements? Contact us before you enrol - we're here to help you prepare for your studies.

You will learn how to:

• Apply knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders to administer and manage a construction contract.
• Operate within the legislative and regulatory frameworks as they apply to the New Zealand building and construction industry.
• Evaluate and select materials and finishes for building projects, giving consideration to environmental impacts of the design and construction techniques to be used.
• Apply knowledge of structure and structural principles to manage construction for foundations, substructure, the building envelope, and the interior for small, medium and large buildings, and fire protection systems for medium and large buildings.
• Plan, and monitor construction contracts including evaluation of tender submissions, measurement for and preparation of schedules of quantities, management of variations and expenditure control during construction.
• Analyse, select and administer construction contracts including the preparation of a tender submission from trade sections and other financial components, and value building works up to and including final account statements.
• Communicate effectively with parties to a construction contract using organisational principles, digital technologies and industry best practice.

Graduates of the "Construction Management" strand will also be able to:

• Manage construction site logistics, resource allocation and construction activity for small, medium and large construction programmes.
• Manage site establishment and provision of site services for short and long duration construction projects. Create technical sketches to communicate information relevant to the construction project.
• Apply leadership principles to manage construction site teams and support physical and mental wellbeing of a diverse construction site workforce.

Graduates of the "Quantity Surveying" strand will also be able to:

• Analyse and present feasibility information and preliminary estimates to clients.
• Assemble quantity surveying documentation relevant to specialist and specific trade sections, measure quantities and prepare a schedule of quantities for small and medium building projects of an individual trade section including services.
• Collate all priced components into a tender submission for small, medium and large buildings using tender process knowledge.

Entry Requirements

General admission

To be admitted to this programme, applicants must hold one of the following: 

• NCEA Level 2 including mathematics and NCEA Level 1 including literacy; OR 

• A relevant qualification at NZQF Level 4 or above; OR

• A recognised equivalent. 

English language requirements

Candidates who have English as a second languge are required to have an academic international English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.0 (general or academic) with no individual band score lower than 5.5, or equivalent.

Special admission

Any ākonga who is 20 years of age or older and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme is eligible for Special Admission. WITT works with the ākonga to ensure they are prepared for their intended programme.  

Discretionary admission

Any ākonga who is not yet 20 years of age and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme may be eligible for Discretionary Admission. In assessing whether to grant Discretionary Admission, the delegated authority focuses on the applicant’s level of preparedness for their intended programme. 

Education Pathways

Graduates of this programme will be eligible to continue their educational journey via a pathway into the third year of Unitech’s Bachelor of Construction (Construction Economics) (level 7) or Bachelor of Construction (Construction management) (Level 7).

This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trades Supervision (Level 5) with strands in Residential Building, Commercial Construction, Construction Related Trades, and Construction Related Manufacturing [Ref: 4237]. This qualification may lead to higher level qualifications in the fields of Construction Management or Quantity
Surveying.

Employment, Cultural, Community Pathways

• Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) Construction Management strand will be able to work in roles such as:
• Construction site manager
• Construction management assistant
• Construction project management assistant.

Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) Quantity Surveying strand will be able to work as a Quantity Surveyor.

Additional Course Related Costs

Laptop:

• The exact system requirements should be based on the heaviest software you will need to run the programmes listed below:
  • Construction Management strand - MS Project
  • Quantity Surveying strand - CostX 

Computer retailers will be able to advise a suitable device for these requirements.