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Creating an identity for the concrete industry and its professionals through accredited education, training and assessment
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Concrete is one of the most basic building blocks of modern life that most people take for granted. (Prof. Adam Neville, 1963)
Concrete is the most commonly used structural material in the world but often the most underestimated in terms of the science that lies behind it. Operatives, technicians, technologists and engineers alike, need to familiarise themselves with the constituent materials, properties, processes, testing and quality of concrete at all levels to ensure that it is used and applied safely and sustainably to its maximum benefit and effect.
The concrete sector represents one of the most important supply chains in the construction industry on which many projects depend. Architects, contractors, ready-mixed concrete suppliers, precast concrete manufactures, engineers and admixture suppliers are all significantly involved with concrete at various stages.
The continuous development in the science, technology, innovation and standards associated with concrete requires a high degree of knowledge, experience and competence to design, specify, handle and apply. As a consequence, the development of recognised occupational standards and qualifications for concrete technicians, concrete technologists and concrete engineers, will help to define the use of concrete as a specialism within materials science, construction and engineering.
Investment in knowledge and competence has become a necessity rather than a ‘nice to have.’ The problems associated with on site concrete use still happen and become worse in terms of lost project time and cost to rectify, and are likely to get worse as the regular educational institutes no longer offer specialized education due to decreasing student numbers and budget cuts. The students that graduate as civil engineers often have only a scant appreciation of concrete as a material and must undertake further education and training to gain the experience expected of concrete engineers.
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Why the need for an identity?
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Industry needs it
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The continuous development in the science, technology and innovation associated with concrete requires a high degree of knowledge, experience and competence to design, specify, handle and apply.
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The future of concrete as a discipline requires it
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The development of recognised and transferable occupational standards across Europe for concrete technicians, concrete technologists and concrete engineers, will help to define the use of concrete as a specialism within materials science, construction and engineering.
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The task ahead
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We are tasked with changing current working practices and making them better for all concerned.
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We are tasked with redefining the working image of concrete and making it an occupation that the construction industry takes seriously.
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We are tasked with defining concrete as a new, distinct discipline within the field of engineering.
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The evolving nature of qualifications in the UK and Europe
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There are significant changes happening in the world of vocational education in the UK and Europe. The Concrete Society intends to be a major contributor to the development of flexible, industry led qualifications based on the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) which will assist the EU’s efforts in enhancing cross-border recognition and transferability of qualifications and greater mobility of skilled labour.
The QCF is the new UK Government’s education framework which sets out how all vocational qualifications will be structured, regulated, titled and quality assured. It is replacing the existing National Qualifications Framework across England, Wales and
Northern Ireland – which is set to close for registrations at the end of 2010. The QCF is already up and running and being applied and it is expected that all existing qualifications will be reviewed and converted into a QCF format qualification by December 2010, although it is likely that this deadline will be extended due to the volume of existing qualifications that need converting.
How it equates to the current NVQ and higher education qualifications is outlined in table below.
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QCF Level
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NVQ & SVQ Level
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Traditional Academic Equivalents
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8
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PHD
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7
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5
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Masters
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6
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Honours Degree
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5
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4
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Ordinary Degree
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4
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HND, Dip HE
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3
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3
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HNC, 3 A Levels
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2
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2
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3 GCSE A-C
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1
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1
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3 GCSE D-F
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Entry 3
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Entry 2
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Entry
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Basic Skills
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Entry 1
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It provides more flexible routes to gaining full qualifications and enables progression to be achieved in smaller steps through the accumulation of credits. There will be a ‘mixed economy’ of both QCF and NVQ qualifications until December 2010 as existing qualifications are reviewed and redeveloped for the QCF.
Award = 1-12 credits
Certificate = 13 -36 credits
Diploma = 37 credits or more.
Following the Occupational Standards Working Group sessions held between October-December 2009, it is evident that there are different levels of concrete technician, technologist and engineer not only based on their functional role but also on their levels of responsibility for people, finance, materials and resources, strategy and policy. As a consequence, four categories of technician, two categories of technologist and two categories of engineer are likely to evolve out of this process.
The Concrete Society’s qualifications
Level 2 - Concrete and the Environment
This qualification has its roots in a paper written by the Society’s materials working group in 2001 and form the basis for a new knowledge based award. The topics on sustainability and the environment are still very topical today in the UK and even more so overseas. It is aimed at schools and colleges in the UK as a supplementary qualification for 4000+ students currently studying for the new Construction Diplomas as all students are expected to produce a project based on construction related best practice during their diploma study. This qualification sits within the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) and will be accredited through MPQC (Mineral Products Qualifications Council) as the awarding body.
Level 3 – Certificate: On-site Concrete Practice (18 credits)
This qualification has been created out of the existing series of 11 handbooks entitled “Concrete on Site”. It will be a knowledge based certificate primarily aimed at all concrete site-based technicians who supervise operatives, although it is expected that several units could be used equally effectively by non-site staff. This qualification sits within the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) and will be accredited through MPQC (Mineral Products Qualifications Council) as the awarding body. Its delivery will be through accredited Training Providers.
Level 3 – Diploma: On-site Concrete Practice (37 credits)
This qualification has been created out of the existing series of 11 handbooks entitled “Concrete on Site”. It will be a knowledge based diploma primarily aimed at all concrete site based technicians who supervise operatives, although it is expected that several units could be used equally effectively by non-site staff. It has optional units for specialisation in:
- Special concretes
- Extreme weather concreting
- Concrete repair principles
and with “Nuclear” and “Sprayed Concrete” being available soon.
This qualification sits within the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) and will be accredited through MPQC (Mineral Products Qualifications Council) as the awarding body. Its delivery will be through accredited Training Providers
Level 4 - Certificate Of Achievement: Concrete Technology (45 credits)
In partnership with Institute of Quarrying and University of Derby Corporate, The Concrete Society has become an integral developer and promoter of a new Level 4 - Certificate of Achievement: Concrete Technology for the start of the 2010 academic year. This is a distance learning qualification, delivered through three modules in one academic year. The modules are:
- Introduction
- Properties and Constituents
- Process and Quality
Exemption through APL (accredited prior learning) is available.
Level 7 – MSc: Concrete Engineering (180 credits)
In conjunction with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, The Concrete Society is developing an MSc distance learning degree in Concrete Engineering. The programme will be delivered online over a two year period and will be available from January 2011.
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