As we approach the winter break in FE colleges up and down the land, it’s a fitting time to reflect on The ABC Assessment Centre’s bricklayer training programme that completes the first term of its second year in the coming week.
And what a year-and-a-bit it’s been for the Centre. Its dedicated Brickwork Trainers have delivered 16 short duration training courses in modern masonry to well over 500 students at no less than 14 colleges from Havering to Hartlepool and Crewe to Canterbury.
What is The ABC Assessment Centre’s Bricklayer Training Programme?
The concept of the CITB-funded project is simple: to provide supplementary training on the latest innovations in the world of brickwork sub-contracting to college students in order to upskill, increase retention of talent and provide off-the-job training to those who most desperately need it.
As well as apprentices looking to hone their skills for local employers, there is a particular focus on full-time diploma students, who traditionally struggle to receive the same level of practical training on the competences they’ll need when they enter the world of construction as improver bricklayers.
East Kent College (Canterbury) full-time diploma students at their Training Certificate Ceremony in June 2022
By increasing engagement from this group of students, The ABC Assessment Centre’s bricklayer training programme aims to close the gap between mandatory education and industry; thereby highlighting the routes into construction and ample opportunities open to young bricklayers.
In the process, participating colleges receive delivery of the most relevant and up-to-date bricklayer competences and certification for their students upon completion, as well as access to FOC materials and training resources.
Generous donations by project manufacturer partners include ACS Stainless Steel training frames, masonry support angle system, brick slip soffits, non-combustible cavity tray, windposts, wall ties, fixings and consumables; ACS Facades brick slip panels; ARC Building Solutions cavity barriers; pallets of bricks from IG Masonry Support and Michermersh; Knauf Insulation cavity batts; Brick Jackets; CPI Euromix mortar; Manthorpe Building Products stepped cavity trays, wall closers and weep holes; as well as other significant contributions along the way.
Engaged, Employable & Prepared for New Construction Standards
Evidently, the end goal is employability. Although ‘employability’ has been a buzzword for many years, never has it been so critical to address as the construction industry stares at a labour shortage of around 30,000-50,000 skilled operatives per year, depending on whose figures you choose to believe.
What’s more, changes to existing Building Regulations and incoming legislation – such as the Building Safety Act – shine a light on potential ‘red flags’ in installer competency and underline the importance of moving with the times by prioritising training in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) at college level.
Far from shifting responsibility from the employer to Further Education, there is now a heightened consciousness of the need to incorporate modern techniques – such as installing masonry support angles, brick soffit systems, non-combustible cavity trays and fire barriers – into curriculum programmes in addition to more traditional competences and basic trowel skills.
Bricklayer Training on Brick Soffit Systems using Azure II by ACS Stainless Steel at Bedford College with Ian Mitchell (right)
The end result is avoiding a culture of learning on the job due to insufficient upskilling on sites, which could lead to – at best – the need for remedial action further down the line and – at worst – complete failure, claims being brought against employers and even loss of life.
Bringing forward or increasing exposure to quality, future-proof training is, in a nutshell, precisely what The ABC Assessment Centre’s bricklayer training programme is all about, and the results from the first two academic years have been overwhelmingly positive.
Which Colleges Have Taken Up The ABC Assessment Centre’s Bricklayer Training Programme?
- East Kent College (Canterbury Campus)
- New City College (Rainham Campus)
- Reaseheath College
- Bucks College Group (@Knowledge Quad by Morgan Sindall)
- Lewisham College
- Bedford College
- Barking & Dagenham College
- Newcastle College
- Hartlepool College of Further Education
- Warrington & Vale Royal College
- Leeds College of Building
- City of Wolverhampton College
- Stamford College
- Peterborough College
Optimism for the Future
Centre Manager, Simon Livett, gave his thoughts on reaching this project milestone: “The fact that the ABC Assessment Centre’s bricklayer training programme has positively impacted over 500 individual students is quite staggering. We’ve managed to put modern masonry competences on the map for the first time, and I truly hope they are here to stay.
I also never imagined how many fantastic collaborations would have been created as a result… and when I say ‘collaborations’, I mean the Centre’s critical partnerships with highly-experienced brickwork trainers (who are the lifeblood of what we do!) and college staff, as well as the continued support from ABC member employers, suppliers and specialist contractors”.
He went on to say: “I am over the moon with the success of the funded project this year. We had already surpassed in 2 terms the targets we had been set for overall FE interventions, meaning colleges realised early on the benefit of what we are doing in conjunction with CITB and our offer in terms of quality, hands-on training on Modern Methods of Construction.
Delivering CPD to brickwork staff at Leeds College of Building with Eric Peace (far left)
Has it been without its challenges? No, of course not. But we are very much looking forward to delivering at our partner colleges in 2023 and continuing to bring value to students.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for their hard work these past two years, as nothing would have been possible without their help. Have a great Christmas and see you on the other side!”
