Top 3 Technical Writing Courses in New Zealand
In the present era where everything is interdependent on technology, the need for technical writing becomes very important that is communicated and conveyed proficiently more logically and technically. For this technical writing, professionals need to have a good command of the English language, and expertise in the preparation of reports, documentation, and presentations. The ability to communicate about a company’s product and its service to its customers decides the success of the company in the market. This article will provide you ample information to the aspirants about technical writing courses in New Zealand to become a skilled technical writers.
About Technical Writing
Technical writing is a writing discipline that simplifies the complex content for those who need to accomplish some task. It is not limited to writing manuals or documentation, but its range is wide because technical writing is present in almost every industry. Technical writing is a method used in technical or any other occupational field like engineering, aeronautics, robotics, IT, medical, finance, consumer electronics, biotechnology, and global supply chain.
This is performed by technical writers whose primary task is to communicate technical information to the client in the most effective manner. A technical writer needs to be skilled both in writing as well as with the knowledge of computers because a technical writer uses programs to create and edit illustrations, visual aids, etc.
Online help, manuals, project plans, white papers, and software test plans are some of the examples of information a technical writer provides. With the increasing demand for e-learning, there is also an increasing need for technical writers who are involved in creating online training materials.
The role of a writer depends on the company or the industry they are employed for. The basic task of a technical writer is to break the complicated subject matter into simpler and digestible content. Sometimes their responsibilities may extend beyond writing. They need to understand the entire concept of a project from high-level goals to the process of implementation.
Skills Required to Become a Technical Writer
You need to master a certain set of skills to become a proficient technical writer. Here are the most important skills required:
- Research – This skill requires you to collect the data from different sources like on-site data, interviews, libraries research databases and convert it into a valuable information
- Audience Perception– The technical data collected after research should be changed to non-technical data that should be audience-friendly.
- Communication Skills– As a proficient technical writer, you should have good communication skills to cater to a better understanding of your client. Your ability to listen, record, and communication is part of the communication with your audience.
- Technical Skills– You should also be skilled at technology to better understand the technical part that you are going to convert into a simpler format.
- Writing– Your writing skill is another important factor that makes your document free of grammatical errors and readable to the audience. Usage of proper format, tone, and style is also very important.
- Document Design– As document design is one of the key aspects of technical writing you should be well versed in document design like adding graphics like tables, graphs, and charts. This helps the reader to comprehend the information.
- Fluency with Digital Tools– Various tools are used during the technical writing process which includes creating graphics, annotating images, extracting data from excel, and many more. You as a technical writer should have a good knowledge of different digital tools used.
- User Research and Testing– Testing is very important to validate your document. The second set of eyes examines the document and provides you feedback about the areas that need to be improved.
Different Types of Technical Writing
Technical writing comes in different forms. There are three types of technical writing which we are going to brief you on. They are as follows:
- End-user Documentation– This document provides instructions for a particular product to the end-user. The instructions provided should be easily understood by the common audience.
For example, a user manual of a Tablet.
- Traditional Technical Writing– This type of technical writing is written by an audience for their audience with particular expertise. For example, FAQs for a company.
- Technical Marketing Communications– A technical writer contributes to marketing a product and needs to communicate well in a user-friendly language to the prospective customer to take interest in the product. An example of this kind is a chain email to promote a new product coming to the market.
Career as a Technical Writer
Over the past few years, the growth of technology and the work trend going online has increased the demand for the written word. A decline in face-to-face communication with colleagues, clients, and end-users has built a perfect platform for technical writers to build their careers.
Due to the continuous increase in scientific and technical products, employment growth in this field has increased. There is a great demand for technical writing courses in New Zealand. The following pointers show why technical writing as a career has a great demand in today’s world.
- Almost all the companies and organizations need properly documented policies for their employees
- Most computer software products and electronic products need documentation that is easily understandable by the audience.
- With the increase in intranet and internet, there are more job opportunities open for technical writers.
- People now a day’s recognize brief and clear information.
Technical writers are in high demand almost in every technical related field. This includes private companies, government agencies, IT sectors, and electronics and equipment manufacturers. Many choose to be self-employed and work as a freelancer.
Technical writers can also progress into other different areas and specialize in science, computing, engineering, information technology, e-learning development, content strategy, and user experience design. Hence there is an ample opportunity for a technical writer to prosper in various fields.
The technology sector of New Zealand makes a constant contribution to the country’s economy. It accounts for 8% of the country’s GDP. Due to the pandemic and border restrictions over the past couple of years, New Zealand has to depend on more digitalization to compete with the rest of the economies of the world. The technical writing courses in New Zealand provide great opportunities to the aspirants to build their careers in this field which is much in demand in the present scenario.
Recommended Read: Digital Marketing Courses in New Zealand
Lucrative pay-scale
The pay scale of a technical writer after pursuing any of the technical writing courses in New Zealand may depend and differ based on the skill sets, experience, and the company they are working for. According to Absolute IT, TechCommNZ and Hays below are the estimated pay of a technical writer:
- A fresher usually earns from$50,000 to$60,000 per annum.
- Experience with 1 to 4 years earns between $60,000 and $100,00.
- A well-experienced writer in a management position earns between $100,000 and $130,000.
A self-employed technical writer or a freelancer usually earns between $35 and $110 an hour. The aspirants in New Zealand who want to become proficient technical writers can opt for the technical writer courses in New Zealand offered by some renowned institutions. They run both in online and offline mode. Here are the top 3 picked institutions that provide technical courses in New Zealand.
Top 3 Technical Writing Courses in New Zealand
1. IIM SKills
Among the institutions that provide technical writing courses in New Zealand, IIM Skills is one of the best in the market that offers premium quality, unique courseware, articulately designed by experienced mentors. The course is designed based on industry standards to make individuals job-ready after the completion of the course.
Course Name – Technical Writing Course
Course Duration – 5 weeks of live online training and 60+ hours of practical assignments
Course Fee – 301.57 New Zealand Dollar
The Course Is Ideal for –
- Content Writers
- Marketing Executives
- Technical Documentation Engineer
- Configuration and Control Engineer
- Design/ Development Engineer
- Hardware and Software Engineers
- Existing Technical Writers
Learning Outcomes
After completion of the master’s course, you will be acquiring the following core skills –
- You will be able to create compelling written documents after completing the audience analysis.
- You will be able to identify various forms of technical communication.
- Develop the ability to select the most appropriate format to deliver the technical information.
- Develop an ability to explain a complex technical concept clearly and more simply so that a common man can understand.
- You will be able to polish your writing skill.
- You will be able to create documents that are visually appealing with the application of design elements and further enhance the experience of the reader.
- You will be able to follow documentation rules properly.
- You will also master the usage of tools for technical writing such as MS Visio, MS Project, Git, Scribus, Canva, and Powerpoint.
Eligibility Required – There are no pre-requisite rules required for pursuing the technical writing courses in New Zealand through IIM Skills. Anybody with a graduate and having a keen interest in the technical writing field can apply for the course. They should have a good command of English along with good communication skills. The candidates applying for the course should also have a basic knowledge of the Internet.
Curriculum – The curriculum is curated by IIM Skills to make the candidates proficient in technical writing so that they meet the demands of the market and be ready for the job once they complete the master’s course. The curriculum includes:
- Introduction
- How to Write
- Creating your content
- Technical Reports
- Journals/white paper
- DDLC and Versioning
- Conversational Writing
- Reviewing and Publishing
- API documentation using XML
- Datasheets, User Manuals, and application notes
- Effective Writing
- Medical Writing
- Case Study that includes Application notes from Texas
In simpler words, technical writing can be considered as a connecting bridge between technical people and the common people who use it. If you are the one who has logical thinking, takes interest in technology, and writes concisely or crisply that can be easily understood by a common audience, you can get yourself enrolled in IIM Skills Technical Writing Master Course.
For more info, you can visit: www.iimskills.com
Contact No. – 991183950
Other Courses
2. Auldhouse
If you are the one who is aspiring to pursue a technical writing course, Auldhouse is one of the best compared to other technical writing courses in New Zealand. It has been in the business of training a large number of candidates for over 30 years. The short-term course is delivered by experts in this field that makes you ready for the industry. It is delivered through both the formats i.e. On-site and classroom.
Duration of the course – 2 days
Course Name – Technical Writing
Course Fee – $1390 excluding GST
Prerequisite of the Course – Anyone interested in the technical writing courses in New Zealand can apply.
Learning Outcomes– After completion of the course, you will be able to acquire certain technical skills as a technical writer that will help to boost your career. The Learning outcome includes:
- You will be able to develop and use technical briefs such as audience profiling, success criteria, and defining the scope of a technical writing project.
- You will develop the ability to apply technical writing techniques to the documents like academic thesis, course manuals, and textbooks. You will also be able to find the similarities and differences between different documents.
- You will be able to use consistent styling to formulate an identifying brand. This includes content development, the use of consistent formatting, meaningful headings, and navigable structures.
- Ability to identify an appropriate grammatical structure that is suitable for the audience of technical documents.
- Identify the difference between print writing and web writing. You will be able to make your website content compelling, and navigable and structure it for your readers so that the readers can locate the information they need.
- You will be able to apply technical writing techniques to shorter documents. These include brochures, forms, checklists, etc.
Curriculum:
The course is designed on Two daily bases. The first day looks at the theatrical aspect of technical writing. The second day deals with the practical part to give hands-on experience to the candidates.
Day 1- The Theoretical Day
Module 1- Getting Started
Module 2- Structure and Style
Module 3- Grammar
Day 2 – The Practical Day
Module 4 – Writing for the web
Module 5 – Short document techniques
Module 6 – Long document techniques
For more details, you can visit
Email: www.auldhouse.co.nz
Phone: 0800 835 835
Recommended Read: Technical Writing Courses in France
3. Cherryleaf
Cherryleaf is another on the list that provides you with the best curriculum in technical writing courses in New Zealand. If you are the one who is looking to start a career as a technical author or a technical writer with a proper training program, Cherryleaf is the one for you. It offers an affordable online course that helps in developing your skill as a technical writer for IT and software user documentation.
Course Name – Technical Writing Online Training Course
Duration of the course – You have a period of 13 months to complete 15 Modules in total at your own pace.
Course Fee –
- 235 excluding VAT or 299 per delegate (with reviewed assessment, feedback, and certification)
- 185 per delegate excluding VAT (without external assessment)
The Course is Ideal for – Any graduate or an experienced technical writer who has never received any formal training.
Learning Outcomes – In this entire course, you will learn the process of creating technical documentation. You will also learn at the end of the course:
- Understand the need and the value of technical documentation.
- You will be learning the entire process of documentation starting from cover planning, writing, editing, and indexing to production.
- You will develop all the skills to become a technical communicator.
- You will also develop the skill to work efficiently without wasting time.
- You will be able to effectively design your information in a structured, usable, useful, and informed way.
Prerequisites for the Course: There are no such criteria. Anyone interested can opt for the course.
Curriculum – The course module includes:
- The purpose of technical documentation
- The different models for technical documentation
- What is a Technical Author/ Technical Writer
- Overview of the writing process
- Adopting a user-centered design approach
- Planning your content
- Researching the product and audience
- The Information Design stage
- Software tools
- Writing the topics (Overview)
- Writing the topics (How to write and present different types of information).
- Writing the topics ( Using images and videos)
- Writing the topics ( Index, Search, and Metadata)
- Hyperlinking
- Reviewing and editing
Cherryleaf is an ISTC accredited training Course that is the national professional body for technical communicators in the UK. It is also recognized by the Society of Technical Communication, the Australian Society for Technical Communication, and TECHCOM NZ Technical Communicators Association.
contact: www.cherryleaf.com
Science and Technology have become an inevitable part of our lives. We live in a global village where technology has made its mark on almost every field be it entertainment, communication, business, internet, medicine, and many more. Therefore, here comes the need for technical writers who play a vital role in breaking the technical information in a more precise, clear, and coherent manner.
They break the complex technical language into crisp writing that is easily comprehensible to a larger audience. Several technical Writing courses in New Zealand can train you and place you on a proper track where you can prosper as a successful technical writer. Out of which are the top three technical writing courses in New Zealand we have picked for you and discussed above.
FAQS
1. What is the application of technical writing in day-to-day life?
Technical writing is used in various fields like IT, biotechnology, chemistry, and Engineering. Some everyday examples of technical writing are user manuals, employee handbooks, and different kinds of web articles.
2. What is the scope of technical writing in New Zealand?
Technical Writing courses in New Zealand provide ample opportunity for the interested candidates to polish their niche through a curated curriculum designed by experts in the field. After completion of the course, the certified candidates can apply for a job in any sector like IT, Engineering, medicine, and many more where there is a requirement for technical writers.
3. What are the different components of good technical writing?
Good technical writing comprises 5 components:
- Accuracy
- Clarity
- Audience recognition
- Accessibility to document design
- Conciseness
Conclusion
The world is more reliant on technology and with the advancement of technology; there is an increasing need for service by technical writers by the companies and industries. To grab clients or customers the companies need a technical writer who will break the technical language into informative documents easy to understand. Here comes the need for skilled technical writers in the market. Being a certified technical writer makes you skilled and efficient enough to search for a job easily. The top 3 technical writing courses in New Zealand listed above will enable you to choose the right training program and this will further help enter you enter a promising career.