Construction Courses : FAQs
CIOB
1. Do I get an NVQ at the end of the programme?
No, but you take a large step in that direction. What you do get is the CIOB’s Certificate in Site Supervisory Studies (CSSS), which is a very prestigious and nationally recognised qualification. At the same time, that qualification has been designed so that what you learn provides you with the underpinning knowledge for the NVQ at level 3. The CSSS syllabus, which your tutor can give you or you can download from the CIOB website (www.ciob.org.uk ) shows you which parts of the programme link to which parts of the NVQ. If you note these references as you proceed through the programme, it will help you a lot if/when you do the NVQ.
2. What’s the difference between a learning programme like this and an NVQ?
Qualifications such as the CSSS and NVQs perform very different roles.
The CSSS is a qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute of Building. Like thousands of other qualifications in all subjects, it is essentially a programme of learning (new knowledge, new skills) and is designed to develop you – ie get you from where you are now to a higher level of knowledge and skills. It is assessed by assignments, not by performance in the workplace. However, those assignments are designed to be practical and to test whether you have become equipped to be more effective in the workplace. That is how we ensure that the learning that takes place has a practical pay-off.
An NVQ is a National Vocational Qualification. In Scotland the equivalent is a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ). S/NVQs are not programmes of learning; they are qualifications based on workplace assessment measured against standards of performance that are set by an organisation representing the industry. They are designed not so much to get you from one level of competence to another but rather to prove with evidence from the workplace that you are competent up to a prescribed level for a particular job role. A programme of acquiring new knowledge and skills may be added to this process in order to help you, but that is a matter for individual choice and is not required by the S/NVQ.
Some employers prefer the one, some the other, some like both. Each has features which can be seen as advantages and disadvantages.
Accredited learning programmes have the advantage of being designed to get you to move from where you are now to where you want to be. They are suitable both for people who are already in a particular job, and want to get better at that job (and gain a qualification to prove it), and people who are not currently in that particular job but aspire to be, and need the qualification both to equip them to do it and prove that they are equipped to do it However, while they are designed to be as practical as possible, the learning is assessed by assignments, not by actual performance in the workplace.
S/NVQs actually assess you by what you can do in the workplace. The process of proving that competence (by being observed doing something and by collecting evidence) can prove to be an educational experience in itself, though the object of the exercise is not development but workplace assessment. Some employers like them because they prove that people can do what they are supposed to be able to do in the workplace. On the other hand, other employers don’t like them because they believe that they rely too much on the collection of evidence that proves what you could already do before, rather than learning how to do new things, or the same things better than before. S/NVQs also have the disadvantage of only being available to people who are currently in work, and specifically in the job to which the NVQ directly relates.
The good thing about both routes these days is that they 'talk to' each other. The CSSS syllabus is linked quite clearly to the standards in the NVQ and, by doing the qualification you don’t just develop yourself but also give yourself a flying start if you or your employer also wishes you to have the S/NVQ.
3. What is MOL?
MOL is a longestablished provider of flexible learning programmes in supervisory studies, management and many other vocational subjects. It is a division of Manchester College of Arts and Technology (MANCAT) and delivers programmes all over the UK and overseas. Unlike conventional academic organisations, MOL is geared to the needs of industry, serving its corporate and individual clients wherever they are based, at times to suit them. All tutors are full- or part-time employees of the college with relevant up-to-date industrial experience.
4. What is the CIOB?
CIOB stands for Chartered Institute of Building. It is the international voice of the building professional and the leading professional body for managers in construction. It has a Royal Charter 'to promote the science and practice of construction for the public benefit' and has won recognition from Government, other professional bodies and the industry itself as a central voice in construction. For almost 170 years the CIOB has led the way in establishing, promoting and maintaining standards of excellence in the construction industry, and now sets the pace on a global scale for the education and professionalism of those who manage the construction of the built environment. The CIOB currently has over 42,000 members working in 94 countries. Its membership is drawn from the top ranks of building worldwide: skilled managers and professionals with a common commitment to achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards.
The right to use the initials MCIOB or FCIOB is recognised internationally as achievement of the premier professional qualification in construction management. Globally, it is the passport to a successful career. The CIOB is dedicated to raising standards throughout the world to the benefit of customers, clients, contractors and its members. The CIOB publishes a Customer Services Charter describing its commitment and standards of service to members.
5. Does the certificate qualify me for a CSCS card?
Gaining the Certificate is an important step toward gaining the CSCS card. Qualification for the card is explained in a Scheme Booklet that you can download from the CSCS website (www.cscs.uk.com ). In outline, the qualification criteria are as follows.
A trainee card is available for those who are registered for an NVQ or SVQ level 2 or 3 but who have not yet achieved the qualification. It is now extended to cover trainee supervisors and managers:
- by achieving an S/NVQ at any level
- by completing an indentured apprenticeship or employer-based apprenticeship and supplying appropriate documents
- by the experienced worker route
- by the experienced technical, supervisor or manager route
- by the professional membership route.
All applicants must pass the construction health and safety test a the appropriate level (operative, supervisor or manager) no more than two years before applying for the card. There are exemptions from this, which are explained in the Scheme Booklet.
Full details of each of the routes can be found in the Scheme Booklet.
6. Can I put any letters after my name when I get the certificate?
The CSSS certificate is the first step towards being a full member of CIOB. At your induction you enrolled as a ‘Student Member’ of CIOB. As a Student Member you are entitled to a number of benefits while studying, including:
- complete access to the CIOB’s Library and Information Service
- advice on technical and legislative issues
- information and updates through the members area of the CIOB website
- access to branch activities and networking opportunities
On successful completion of the CSSS you may then progress to the Certificate and Diploma in Site Management. If you choose to do that and get as far as achieving the Diploma, you will be able, and encouraged by CIOB, to elevate your membership status to ‘Associate Member’. At that point, and with the permission of the CIOB, you will be able to place ‘ACIOB’ after your name. Full professional status, ‘Corporate Member’ or MCIOB, is achieved on completion of an honours degree and professional level CIOB examination together with a final CIOB Assessment of Professional Competence.
7. I don’t find writing assignments easy. What help can I get?
Don’t worry, you are not alone! Your tutor and all MOL staff realise that this may well be the first learning programme you have been on for a long time, perhaps since school days. Writing assignments is probably not something you are used to or feel very confident about. You will find your tutor very helpful and sympathetic.
8. The materials cover responsibilities that I don’t have and situations that I am not familiar with. Is this really the course for me?
Don’t worry, it is.
The qualification is in 'Site Supervisory Studies', and the fact is that 'supervisory' responsibility can vary very widely in terms of level and type. Some people will have responsibility for large numbers of operatives and major budgets, while others will have only one or two people in their team and work on much smaller works. 'Construction' also is a word that covers a huge variety of work – from house extension and repair at one end of the scale to major national civil engineering projects at the other. Finally, it may be that you are not yet a supervisor, but wish to be one. This course is designed to cover all these possibilities.
The key principle of a nationally recognised qualification such as the CSSS is that it must set a common standard, no matter what your background or experience. In that way, employers know that you and all other learners on this programme have all been through the same process and have been assessed at the same level. The inevitable consequence of this is that every student will find some parts of the programme that they are familiar with and others that they are not. Learning about the industry in its wider sense and about the job of supervisors in contexts that are unfamiliar to you is all part of the development process.
9. Are there any other fees to pay?
The fee you or your employers are charged is inclusive of the minimum registration for Student Members of CIOB. This element of the fee is passed by MOL to CIOB. You do not need to contact CIOB yourself; all that is done for you by the programme tutor following your induction. The CIOB will provide written confirmation of your registration, together with your Site Supervision Record Book.
Further information on CIOB is also available from their website at www.ciob.org.uk.