Certified vs. Competent: Why a Piece of Paper Isn’t Always Enough
In the construction and demolition industries, ensuring workers have the appropriate education, training, and practical skills is essential for safety, compliance, and efficiency.
However, many people—both inside and outside these industries—struggle to understand the differences between qualifications, technical trade certificates, and competencies. While all three play a crucial role in workforce development, they serve different purposes and should not be confused.
This article explains these distinctions in an easy-to-read format, using bullet points to make key points clear. Understanding these differences is vital for employers, training providers, and workers themselves when assessing skill levels and job readiness.
Qualifications
What are qualifications?
Qualifications are formal recognitions of learning and education levels.
They indicate an individual's ability to learn and apply knowledge within a structured framework.
Qualifications are assessed against unit standards, which set the expected learning outcomes.
They are permanently recorded on an individual's NZQA Record of Achievement (in New Zealand), meaning they are retained for life.
Levels of Qualifications
In New Zealand, qualifications range from Level 1 to Level 10:
Level 1–3: Basic certificates (e.g., school-level education, entry-level trades training).
Level 4–6: Advanced certificates and diplomas (e.g., trades qualifications, some technical training).
Level 7: Bachelor's degrees and advanced diplomas.
Level 8–10: Postgraduate qualifications (honours, master's, PhD).
Time Commitment and Requirements
Most qualifications require a certain number of days or hours of practical experience to complete.
Some qualifications take only a few months, while others—such as degrees—can take several years.
Why are qualifications important?
They demonstrate a structured learning process and ability to retain knowledge over time.
They are often required for regulatory compliance in some industries.
They provide a foundation for career advancement and further training.
Technical Trade Certificates
What are technical trade certificates?
Technical trade certificates provide task-specific training in a short timeframe.
Unlike formal qualifications, these focus on specific practical skills rather than broad education.
They relate to particular unit standards and are typically completed in 1–2 days.
How are they assessed?
Training usually includes theory-based learning, sometimes combined with a short practical observation.
At the end of the course, participants receive a certificate of currency.
This certificate confirms that they have been trained to meet current industry best practices.
Validity and Refresher Requirements
Many technical trade certificates must be refreshed every 2–3 years.
Some refresher courses can be completed in half a day or a full day, rather than repeating the full training.
First aid training is an exception—it expires after 2 years and 2 months, meaning a full course must be taken again to regain currency.
Examples of technical trade certificates
Working at Heights Certification (e.g., harness safety training).
Confined Spaces Entry Training.
SiteSafe and ConstructSafe courses (industry-specific safety training).
Asbestos Removal Training.
First Aid Certification.
Limitations of Trade Certificates
While they confirm that an individual has completed training, they do not assess long-term competency in a task.
A certificate only verifies that a person understood and performed tasks correctly on the training day.
Ongoing assessment on-site is still needed to confirm real-world proficiency.
Competencies
What is competency?
Competency refers to a worker's ability to consistently perform a task safely and effectively over time.
Unlike a training certificate, competency is not based on a one-off observation.
Instead, it is assessed through multiple observations over an extended period.
How is competency assessed?
Workers must demonstrate a combination of knowledge, skills, and experience.
Assessments usually involve:
Practical on-site observations over a set number of hours (e.g., 8+ hours of real-world task performance).
Feedback from supervisors and trainers.
Proof of independent task completion.
Competency can be assessed internally by a suitably competent supervisor or assessor.
Competency Levels
Many competency frameworks rank workers from incompetent to fully competent:
Incompetent – Unable to perform the task safely or effectively.
Requires Direct Supervision – Needs constant guidance and correction.
Requires Indirect Supervision – Can perform the task but still needs monitoring.
Able to Complete Tasks Unsupervised – Can work independently and safely.
Competent to Train Others – Has mastered the skill and can teach others.
Why is competency important?
It ensures that workers are applying their training correctly in real-life situations.
It reduces risk by confirming that workers can operate safely and efficiently.
Unlike trade certificates, competency assessments consider practical, ongoing performance rather than a single day of training.
Training and Competency Matrix or Register
Why do we need a training and competency matrix?
Many workplaces use a Training and Competency Matrix to track both:
Who has received training (e.g., those with technical trade certificates).
Who has proven they can perform tasks competently (e.g., those who have passed competency assessments).
This ensures a clear distinction between training and real-world capability.
How does it minimize risk?
Just because someone has attended training does not mean they are competent.
Without proper competency checks, workers might be putting themselves and others at risk.
A strong competency system ensures that only skilled and experienced workers perform critical tasks independently.
Final Words
Employers and industry professionals must recognize the distinctions between these categories when hiring, training, and assessing workers. Ensuring that employees are not only trained but also competent helps maintain safe worksites, high industry standards, and regulatory compliance.
By understanding and applying these concepts correctly, businesses can reduce risks, improve efficiency, and build a highly skilled workforce in the construction and demolition industries.
