Water Services: New Qualification Pathways Unveiled

Home Water Services Education Pathway

We are pleased to inform you about the development of new qualification pathways for the water services sector in New Zealand. These pathways will support the roles of drinking water, wastewater, and trade waste. These new pathways, endorsed by the Water Services Steering Group in August 2025, represent a significant change designed better to meet the needs of the sector and its workforce.

To ensure these pathways reflect industry needs and support workforce development, public consultation has commenced. This consultation invites input from water operators, employers, training providers, and stakeholders.

Key features of the proposed changes include:

A shift to a base qualification at Level 4 for drinking water treatment operations and wastewater plant operations that meets apprenticeship requirements.
The addition of treatment process-specific strands to increase flexibility in the Level 4 apprenticeship qualifications, allowing learners to tailor training to their specific treatment processes.
New direct-entry Level 4 micro-credentials aligning with the treatment process strands to facilitate upskilling in treatment-specific processes and technologies
New entry-level Level 3 qualification designed for entry-level learners or those beginning their water sector journey. This pre-trade qualification facilitates a pathway into the water services industry.
Updated Level 5 Diploma pathways for management and operational leadership roles across the water services industry.
A specific new Level 4 qualification supporting Trade Waste compliance management and the interface with wastewater operations.

We appreciate the ongoing support of the Water Services Strategic Reference Group, and we invite all sector participants to engage with this consultation to help shape the future of water services education in New Zealand.