ConstructionSkills on simplified qualifications

Construction industry streamline qualifications in response to demands from employers for a simpler and clearer training structure.

Nick Gooderson, Head of Standards and Qualifications at ConstructionSkills - the Sector Skills Council for the UK's construction industry - explains how the construction industry has streamlined its qualifications offering in response to demands from employers for a simpler and clearer training structure.

Over the last 18 months, ConstructionSkills has worked closely with industry employers, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Awarding Bodies in the construction sector to evaluate the 2,000+ qualifications it offers to the sector.

As a result, from August 2009, approximately 500 will remain, which are the best, most effective and relevant qualifications for the industry.

The process of rationalising sector qualifications is part of ConstructionSkills' drive to ensure that all qualifications are of a high quality and deliver the skills and knowledge the industry needs to remain competitive.

All Sector Skills Councils (SCCs) have produced sector qualifications strategies, akin to our Construction Qualifications Strategy (CQS), which inform the qualifications framework for their industry and require the qualifications on offer to be analysed and rationalised.

The CQS is based on industry feedback garnered through a series of consultations held in 2005 and it tells us what the sector requires in terms of education and training.

At the 2005 consultations employers told us that the qualifications landscape had become confusing and overly complicated, with multiple qualifications in seemingly similar disciplines.

We used this feedback to help decide which qualifications would remain under the rationalised framework.

ConstructionSkills recognises how vital it is to employers, and the success of their businesses, that they can quickly gauge the competence of new recruits and choose the most appropriate training for employees.

What employers and colleges both wanted to see was a clearer framework for qualifications and skills achievement, with straightforward progression and career development routes.

Streamlining our offer, through rationalising sector qualifications, has made the whole range of qualifications more visible and understandable.

We started the rationalisation process in August 2007, working with the LSC to put together a comprehensive picture of all the qualifications being funded at the time.

We then began the process of thoroughly examining each qualification, discussing its purpose and plans for its future with the relevant Awarding Body, and taking into account factors such as take-up numbers, delivery mechanisms and the geographical spread of demand and provision.

This process enabled us to identify the most fit-for-purpose qualifications, of which there are approximately 500, which we have advised the LSC it should continue to fund from August 2009.

Qualifications not continuing after the summer include:.

- Those with a history of very low take up numbers, such as the NVQ in Spatial Data Management.

- The Level 2 NVQ in Specialised Plant and Machinery Operations, due to the fast pace of change in the Plant sector updated qualifications were deemed better suited to equipping learners with the skills employers needed.

- Those which are not linked to NVQs and SVQs and therefore do not qualify learners for CSCS cards - the universally accepted licence to practice in the industry.

As well as making it easier for employers to find and allocate the right training for their employees, rationalising the qualifications on offer will ultimately mean a more appropriately skilled workforce across the industry.

Continuing only the best and most relevant qualifications ensures that resources are being allocated as efficiently, and adding as much value, as possible.

The rationalising does not mean that new, innovative qualifications will not continue to be developed when a significant need is identified.

But, where existing qualifications are found lacking, rather than creating a completely new qualification which is likely to involve duplicating work already done, the preference will be to review what exists and build on this to ensure any gaps in provision are filled.

A good example of this is the Apprenticeship framework which was broadened in 2008 in response to demands from employers for apprentices to have a wider knowledge of the industry.

With the economic downturn, the industry is currently facing challenging times.

The new rationalised qualifications system, training workers and ensuring new recruits are highly and appropriately skilled, will provide a much improved process for businesses.

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