The construction industry has had for many years a traditional apprenticeship programme covering the craft occupations. This framework will help to attract, retain and develop talent into a range of craft occupations, providing progression into the advanced apprenticeship level and onto opportunities within supervisory and management levels. Craft occupations for bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, shop fitting and maintenance are carried out in either workshops or construction sites, within domestic or commercial premises.
An apprenticeship in construction follows a pattern of vocational training to meet the requirements of a Construction Skills’ approved framework. This enables you to develop skills and knowledge which you can then demonstrate and evidence in a real construction environment.
This framework includes the following occupations at intermediate level:
Maintenance operation apprentices may work in roles as a maintenance operative covering work within domestic and commercial premises to given specifications repairing or renewing wood products, plumbing, wall and floor tiling, decorating, bricklaying and plastering depending on the route taken on this qualification.
Trowel occupation apprentices, may work in roles as a bricklayer working on construction sites to given specifications, setting out basic structures, building brick and block walling, laying domestic drainage, place and finish concrete and render surfaces.
Wood occupation apprentices, may work in a job role such as a site carpenter working on a construction site, domestic and commercial premises to given specifications. Carrying out site carpentry to first and second fixing (door frames, hanging doors, boxing pipes, window frames and floor joists).
Or alternatively as a bench joiner working within a joiners shop to given specifications producing wood products for use by the site carpenter such as doors, window frames and stair cases. The use of machinery in the production of products plays an important part within a joiners shop.
WHAT WILL I DO
Each framework will include the main aim which will be either; Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Maintenance Operations, (Maintenance Operations pathway), Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Trowel Occupations, (Trowel Occupations pathway) or Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Wood Occupations, (Wood Occupations pathway).
Alongside this you will need to achieve the knowledge based qualification for the relevant pathway: Level 2 Diploma in Maintenance Operations, Level 2 Diploma in Bricklaying or Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry or Level 2 Diploma in Bench Joinery.
All of the frameworks will include functional skills in Maths and English, Employee Rights and Responsibilities and Personal Learning and Thinking Skills.
Functional Skills are practical skills in English, Mathematics and ICT that enables everyone to work confidently, effectively and independently in life and at work.
A Functional Skill qualification in English @ Level 2 will show that you are competent in writing documents on complex subjects, making presentations, reading and summarising information as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar, in Mathematics @ Level 1 will show you can understand practical problems, select & apply maths in an organised way and use checking procedures, in ICT @ Level 1 or 2 will prove you can use ICT systems, find & select information, develop, present & communicate information. Functional Skills have been produced as a response to calls from employers for more people to have these skills and they therefore form an integral part of an apprenticeship framework. They are the key to success that will open doors to learning and work. Delivery of Functional Skills within the framework can happen in two ways: a) an apprentice attends day release, their functional skills will be delivered at college on that day. b) an apprentice does not attend college for their main qualification, they will need to attend college for a block week for each Functional Skill required for their framework. Dates of these block weeks will be discussed with the apprentice and their employer at sign up and they will be booked in advance.
It is estimated that each of the intermediate apprenticeship will take 24 months to complete. Within each framework there must be a minimum of 100 Guided Learning hours in each year of delivery completed “off the Job”. This could be at College on a day release basis or away from the apprentices work station within the employer premises, all within the contracted hours of employment.
One GCSE at grade C and two GCSEs at grade D or above in English, Maths and Science or equivalent qualifications are required. Apprentices have to be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week including their College day; employment must be within a relevant environment. Employers must be willing to sign up to the training agreement and be prepared for an assessor to visit the workplace every 8 – 12 weeks for assessments and training reviews.
If you are up for the challenge and are ready to learn, successful completion of this course could enhance employment opportunities and gain you a widely recognised qualification.
There are opportunities to progress to an advanced apprenticeship in Bricklaying, Carpentry and Joinery. After gaining work experience in the chosen occupational area there are also opportunities to progress into occupational work supervision, management or technical support areas.
Apprenticeships are fully funded for 16 -18 year old and employers may be expected to pay an employer contribution for those 19 years or over.
For all apprentices within their first year of training the employer is required to pay the apprenticeship minimum wage of £2.50 per hour. Within the second and subsequent years of an apprenticeship programme the following applies:
16 – 18 year olds – the apprenticeship minimum wage
19+ - the required national minimum wage for the relevant age group.
A high level of attendance is expected at College for the apprentices as they are only attending one day per week where very intensive training takes place.
You can apply for this course by applying online, by filling out an application form from the College prospectus or by contacting the Information Officer on 01205 313218 for further information.
The Information on this Course Information Sheet is correct at time of print, but can be subject to change at anytime.
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