Course details

Summary

Gain a qualification that will make you stand out from the crowd in this rapidly growing industry!

If you’re already in the bicycle industry, this is a great opportunity to receive official recognition for your current knowledge and skills. This will be ideal if you’re keen to advance your career!

If you aren’t involved in the bicycle industry but already have some bicycle mechanical skill, this programme will enable you to fill the gaps in your knowledge so you are industry ready. It will allow you to make a start in the bicycle industry and to transfer from a home workshop to professional workshop environment.

The two, fortnightly practical block courses are held in our fully-equipped workshop classroom and our small class sizes provides an excellent and personalised learning environment. In addition, your work experience placement will provide a great, hands-on development opportunity.
Career opportunities

Senior bicycle store workshop and retail positions
Mechanic in unsupervised sole employee workshop
Specialist bicycle servicing providers (wheel building, suspension servicing)
Bicycle industry tourism providers (guides, workshop)
Bicycle mechanic on professional racing teams
Other areas of opportunity within the industry:

bicycle store ownership
bicycle import businesses
bicycle coaching and fitting
bicycle designing and building

This programme will also provide a great step towards other industry-related positions such as working in research, marketing, journalism or event management.
Your workload:

Online learning: 10-12 hours per week
Two, fortnight-long block courses held at Otago Polytechnic's Central Otago Campus (60 hours per fortnightly block course)
160 hours industry work experience (40 hours per week) at any suitable bicycle workshop location within New Zealand

Entry criteria

For applicants 20 years of age and over there are no minimum academic requirements.
If English is not your first language, you must demonstrate an IELTS overall band score (academic) of at least 5.5 issued within the last two years with no less than 5.0 in any band or equivalent. If you need to improve your English, we offer a range of English language programmes.
In exceptional circumstances, an applicant under the age of 20 years who does not meet the academic entry requirements may be granted entry to the programme where they supply evidence of their ability to succeed on the programme.