The qualification fits into the national Growth and Innovation Framework and its development and delivery has therefore been partly government funded.

It will be offered initially by Massey University and the University of Canterbury in the first semester this year, and other tertiary education establishments may join them later in the year.

The consortium that developed the certificate included the Institution of Professional Engineers (IPENZ), the New Zealand Council of Engineering Deans (NZCED), Information Technology Association of New Zealand, New Zealand Software Association, New Zealand Computer Society, Telecom, EDS, Endeavour Capital, the HiGrowth Project, and Electrotechnology Industry Training Organisation (ETITO).