Business Micro-credentials Level 3

Online

Micro-credentialsLevel 315-20 weeks15 & 23 credits

Intakes: 19 Aug | 16 Sep | 21 Oct | 18 Nov

Turn the bookkeeping work you already do into a qualification.

Most professional bookkeepers learned their craft on the job, reconciling, filing, chasing, closing.
It's skilled, trusted work, yet for most of the profession there's been no formal way to prove it.

Our new Level 3 Business Micro-credentials change that. They validate what you already know, fill any gaps, and give you and your staff a credential that's formal, portable and recognised — studied fully online around client work, with a trainer guiding you the whole way.

Two credentials. One for every stage of the bookkeeping career.
Both are NZQA Level 3, fully online and trainer-led, with real bookkeeping scenarios framing the learning and assessment. What changes is the depth — start with the foundations, or go straight to the credential built for practising bookkeepers.

Micro-credential 1: Basic Accounting Principles and Software
5 credits | ~15 weeks | Online

A genuine entry point into a bookkeeping career pathway. Best suited to staff new to bookkeeping, virtual assistants, office administrators taking on financial tasks or anyone who has learned on the job and wants to formalise that knowledge.

You will cover:
Core accounting concepts: NZ financial reporting frameworks and the principles behind the numbers
Accounting software: Processing financial transactions hands-on in MYOB and Xero
Bank reconciliations: Accurate, consistent reconciliation practice
AP, AR & record keepingAccounts payable, accounts receivable and financial records done properly

Micro-credential 2: Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable & Taxation for SMEs
23 credits | ~20 weeks | Online

The credential built for the day-to-day work of an SME bookkeeper. Best suited to practising bookkeepers, accounts administrators, finance assistants, trades office managers, and small business owners managing their own books. It validates real-world experience with practical, applied assessments, not theoretical exams.

You will cover:
NZ taxation obligations: GST and PAYE, the compliance work your clients rely on
AP & AR systems: Managing accounts payable and receivable systems and processes
Credit & financial risk: Credit account management and financial risk
Financial compliance: Compliance within business operations, done to a verified standard

$0 enrolment for the first two intakes — standard fee $300 + GST thereafter.

Industry partnership

Developed in partnership with ICNZB

Skills Institute has worked directly with the Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers (ICNZB) to build these micro-credentials around the standards, scenarios and day-to-day realities of professional New Zealand bookkeeping. That partnership is why the learning outcomes map so closely to the work ICNZB's members actually do — and why we're proud to have launched them at BookkeepCon26.

Business Micro-credentials FAQs

Common questions about this course.

Is this a real qualification, or just a course certificate?

It's a real qualification. Each micro-credential is NZQA-recognised and sits on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework — a nationally recognised credential that validates your skills to clients and employers, and supports future study if you want to go further.

How are the programmes delivered?

Fully online and trainer-led. You'll join weekly online teaching sessions, have access to your trainers during business hours, collaborate with your cohort in WhatsApp class groups, and work through structured learning resources on our Learning Hive platform. Staff don't need to take time away from work.

What do the assessments look like?

Practical and applied — not theoretical exams. Real bookkeeping scenarios frame the learning and assessment, so everything maps directly to the day-to-day work of an SME bookkeeper.

Which micro-credential should I choose?

Micro-credential 1 (Basic Accounting Principles and Software) suits staff new to bookkeeping, virtual assistants, office administrators taking on financial tasks, and anyone formalising on-the-job knowledge. Micro-credential 2 (AP, AR & Taxation for SMEs) is built for practising bookkeepers, accounts administrators, finance assistants, trades office managers and small business owners managing their own books. Many practices put junior staff through 1 and experienced staff through 2.

What does it cost?

Enrolment is $0 for the first two intakes of each micro-credential — register your interest to secure a place. After that, standard fees are $300 + GST for Micro-credential 1 and $460 + GST for Micro-credential 2.

When are the intakes?

2026 intakes start on 19 August, 16 September, 21 October and 18 November. Registering your interest gets you priority notification before each intake fills.

Can I put my whole team through?

Yes — that's exactly what these programmes are designed for. A structured, nationally recognised training solution for your staff, delivered online with no downtime, building a consistent verified standard across your business. Register your interest and mention your team size — we'll be in touch about group options.