Driverless car engineering programme online

A self-driving car engineering programme delivered online by Udacity has been announced.

“It is fitting that the first micro-credential to be launched in New Zealand should be in the future focused area of autonomous cars,” tertiary education, skills and employment minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Our tertiary system should be as innovative as the wider economy.”

Micro-credentials, also known as badges and nanodegrees, allow for specific skills or components of learning to be recognised. They are not units of learning toward a full qualification, but are a recognition of specific skills, experience and knowledge.

Udacity’s Self-Driving Car Engineer Nanodegree is a micro-credential that has been assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as equivalent to a 60-credit package of learning at Level 9 (Masters level) on the New Zealand Qualification’s Framework.

The nine-month part time study programme covers deep learning, computer vision, sensor fusion, controllers, and related automotive hardware skills.

“NZQA’s launch of the three micro credential pilots follows the launch of the Government’s work programme in response to the Productivity Commission report on tertiary education,” Goldsmith says.

Examples of micro-credentials include short courses delivered online, in the workplace or at training institutions. Micro-credentials can be at any level of a qualifications framework and are typically between five and 60 credits.

Otago Polytechnic launched its micro-credential service EduBits on July 27. It recognises sets of skills and knowledge to enable just-in-time workforce upskilling and reskilling, developed in conjunction with industry. The final pilot enables high school students to be issued with a joint Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) and NZQA micro-credential.

About 3700 students participate in the scheme annually. The YES certificate currently contributes 24 credits at Level 2 and 3 on the NZQF that can be used toward NCEA.

“New Zealand’s qualification system will need to adapt if we are to meet our evolving skills needs, and micro-credentials are one way we can begin to do that,” Goldsmith says.

The three pilots will be evaluated by NZQA within six months to consider how best to support further development of a micro-credentials system.