New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Trade) (Level 4)

Year One

Mechanical Engineering Principles 1 (15 credits) (50 practicum hours)
Gain elementary trade knowledge of engineering principles and skills. The course covers health and safety, communication, identification of materials, measurement, marking out, hand tools and skills, and power hand tools.

Mechanical Engineering Practices 1 (15 credits) (80 practicum hours)
Learn to perform defined engineering related tasks. The course covers identification of materials, trade sketching and drawing to NZ/AS1100, and trade related calculations.

Mechanical Engineering Processes 1 (15 credits) (100 practicum hours)
Develop an operational knowledge of engineering processes in the workplace. The course covers fasteners, fitting (including pipework), maintenance, basic heat treatment, welding, toolmaking principles, and writing of SOPs.

Strand Based Project or Task 1 (15 credits) (100 practicum hours)
Work with limited supervision to manufacture a chosen strand based project/task. During the course you'll learn applied mathematics, industry terminology, spatial skills, health and safety, and communication skills.

Year Two

Mechanical Engineering Principles 2 (15 credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain an operational understanding of engineering principles. The course covers:

• Composition of common engineering metals and their uses
  
• Maintenance and fitting
  
• Machining processes - lathe, mill (horizontal and vertical), drill presses, and precision grinders
  
• Power transmission systems and bearings
  
• Basic fluid power
  

Mechanical Engineering Princples 3 (15 credits) (60 practicum hours) (Fitting and Machining Strand)
Learn to draw and design components manually and with computer assistance. The course covers:

Mechanical Engineering Princples 3 (15 credits) (30 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Develop an applied knowledge of mechanical engineering principles. The course covers:

Mechanical Engineering Skills (15 credits) (60 practicum hours)
Gain an applied operational knowledge of technical workshop practice skills. The course covers mechanical fitting, machinery and tools, servicing machinery, seals, brazing (including hard and soft soldering), operating CNC machinery, and intermediate measuring and quality control, with introduction to toleranced projects.

Strand Based Project or Task 2 (15 credits) (100 practicum hours)
Manufacture a chosen strand based project and/or task. 

Precision Machining 1 (15 credits) (Fitting and Machining Strand) (50 practicum hours)
Gain an applied operational knowledge of precision machining. The course covers:

• Manual machining
  
• Modern machinery
  
• Cutting tool technology
  
• Heat treatment processes involved in the manufacture of a single cavity die
  
• CNC machinery and communication with/from
  
• Mensuration and QA
  
• Practical costing, reporting and communicating with others
  
• Sustainability and minimising waste
  

Maintenance and Welding Skills 1 (15 credits) (60 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Gain an operational knowledge of fitting and maintenance. The course covers:

Year Three

Mechanical Engineering Principles 3 (15 credits) (30 practicum hours)
See above. 

Advanced Maintenance (15 credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain advanced skills to maintain plant and machinery. The course covers:

Strand Based Project Planning (15 credits) (100 practicum hours)
Learn to plan for a chosen strand based project and/or task.

Strand Based Project (30 credits) (200 practicum hours)
Apply advanced operational knowledge of engineering principles in the workplace.

Year Four

Management Practice (10 credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain a fundamental understanding of engineering management practice.

Strand Based Positional Welding (15 credits) (100 practicum hours)
Learn to demonstrate a broad operational knowledge of positional welding with emphasis on distortion control and quality assurance engineering standards associated with welding and fabrication relevant to the chosen certificate strand.

Advanced Machining and Measurement (15 credits) (50 practicum hours) (Fitting and Machining Strand)
Learn advanced manual high precision machining and measurement strategies of high precision applications.

Advanced Fluid Power (15 credits) (30 practicum hours)
Gain an advanced knowledge of fluid power installations and preventable maintenance technologies.

Strand Based Project or Task 3 (15 credits) (100 practicum hours) (General Engineering Strand)
Learn to operate under very limited supervision to produce a chosen strand based project/task.

Elective Course (15 credits)
Fitting and Machining strand options:

• Strand Based Project or Task 3
  
• Strand Based Mechanical Engineering Processes 6
  
• Pressure Valves and Pipework
  
• Site Installation
  

General Engineering strand options:

• Pressure Valves and Pipework
  
• Site Installation
  

NCEA Level 2

OR 
equivalent academic achievement

OR
on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean

Not applicable.

UCOL's New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Trade) (Level 4) comprises 280 - 300 credits.

Work experience
To successfully complete this programme of study, candidates must be employed in the mechanical engineering  (general engineering or fitting and machining) industry at time of study. Candidates must enter into a 3-way training agreement between the candidate, employer and UCOL. You'll complete the practical learning in your place of employment, or at a site agreed to by yourself and your employer. You'll be visited on a regular basis by engineering lecturers from UCOL.