i paid between 5 and $7,000 on my apprientiship including accomodation everytime I went to wellington over 4 years and to finish and get my national cert in both plumbing and gasfitting was great but to pay $300 for a exam paper then to pay another $700 just to get the certificate is stupidity! ive only got plumbing so far and have to yet sit licenced gasfitting, drainlaying and and craftsman for all three! so i have to fork out another $5,000?  this is total bullshit!!! Is there anything we can do to get these costs lowered??? If we went to the board would they even listen to us???

Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/exam-policies-and-updates/63/examcertificate-prices-are-a-bloody-joke/1009/

Roberto - if these costs are a "barrier" to entry into the trade then I think you should write to the Hon Minister Williamson, and Mr Alan Bickers of the PGDB.  It is very hard getting them to justify the costs on the issuing of registration etc.  What they have done is lump the costs of assessing overseas tradespeople for registration into the same pot as apprentices who have completed and are seeing registration.  It doesn't seem right.  Most apprentices I have had anything to do with spend their money unwisely and have made no provision for these costs - however I also don't believe the costs are a true reflection.  You used to be able to choose whether you actually got the "certificate" - which cost an additional $50 - now I believe you have no choice but to pick up if - even if you don't want it to hang on your wall.  As to hourly rates for certifiers - depending on what part of the country you are in - I would have thought anywhere from $25 - $38 per hour would be about right - that is as a PAYE paying wage earner.  Many certifiers work as contractors and rates for that would vary widely I would imagine.

Robbo, employers will not be keen generally to pay licensing costs as this is a portable qualification - i.e. your employer could pay it today and you could resign tomorrow.  I think most employers pick up the costs of upskilling on a mutual basis with their employees i.e. perhaps they pay the costs of the course and the employee attends in his own time.  Employers are already facing huge increases in apprentice training costs (around 30%) - and it seems to me most employers are struggling to keep their heads above water at the moment - there have been increased costs in petrol, diesel, ACC levies, Kiwi Saver etc over the last few years - with an enviroment that does not accept price rises.

I dont expect my employer to pick up any costs of me retaning my license...i think its my license and its up to me to keep it!...my employer goes through the same thing as i do...its your license its up to you to keep it if you want to continue to work in this field...well thats how i view it anyways...and jax has a very good point about it being a portable license.

For $411 they could provide color pictures!