NZDA Assessors Qualification Course
Words By: Ian Brabbs, North Canterbury
On the weekend of May 18th NZDA ran the NZQA unit standard 4098 Assessors Course.
This is a nationally recognized Level 4 unit Standard worth 6 Credits. In this standard successful candidates have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to become a capable assessor. This qualification is used by the NZDA to certify HUNTS Course provisional instructors and Range Officer trainees, but the successful assessors will also be able to validate NZQA level standards and operating procedures.
Candidates from throughout the South Island had been selected, and dialed in to the initial training with the Training Provider late November last year. This weekend was the culmination of the training including carrying out an actual Range Officers course and passing the provisional HUNTS Instructors. We are using the two HUNTS Instructor modules LCC30 “Carrying out a live firing exercise” and LCC32 “Instructing in shooting skills & Techniques during live fire”, to meet the qualification band required.
Cured NZ kindly donated some of their exquisite game sausages to sustain the assessor candidates, provisional trainees and observers. Cured is a Christchurch based small goods processor originating from a small local butchery at the hands of passionate butchers, the now famous range of salamis and sausages is enjoyed around New Zealand. They have been a longtime supporter of the North Canterbury Branch, including Game processing and boning nights and donating their delicious fare for meetings and training evenings. Your recent kill can be converted into sausages, patties, salamis or biersticks to impress your friends and whānau.
The weekend was held at the North Canterbury Branch Clubrooms and using their onsite Ranges. After a year of waiting North Canterbury NZDA has finally received Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority Shooting Range certification. The new Arms Legislation required all shooting ranges in NZ to be certified submitting their applications by 23rd June 2023. The North Canterbury branch was the first Range operator in New Zealand to forward an application nearly a year prior to the cutoff date, and it has just received certification this week. All Branches still awaiting certification never fear good things come to those who wait.
Candidates spent the weekend staying in the well appointed clubrooms while completing the course.
A big thanks to Mike Spray and the National team for their time and efforts to complete this training module which continues to highlight the NZDA as a competent, professional body able to reference its methods and members against recognised and respected standards.
We now have three new South Island Assessors, two Provisional HUNTS Instructors who have passed two more of their required modules, one new North Canterbury Range Officer, and an NZDA National HUNTS Program Manager who is in need of some time off.
Photo L-R: Jamie Slade Upper Clutha Provisional HUNTS Instructor, Alex Sharples Upper Clutha Provisional HUNTS instructor, Scott Gillam Upper Clutha Assessor, Mike Spray NZDA National Program Manager (HUNTS) course coordinator, Ian Brabbs North Canterbury Assessor, Frans Laas North Otago Assessor. (Not Shown) Darin Grenz North Canterbury Range Officer
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