Construction Site Management Modern Apprenticeship increase from SCQF Level 9 to SCQF Level 10

Overview

Background

Construction Site Management currently sits in a Modern Apprenticeship Framework at SCQF Level 9. As a result of a recent NOS review the underlying SVQ has increased to SCQF Level 10.

The following document details the process undertaken as part of the review, a brief understanding of the changes, and the rationale to continue with Construction Site Management as part of a Modern Apprenticeship.

This will require a new Professional Apprenticeship to be created at an SCQF Level 10 and the removal of the old qualification from the Technical Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 9.

NOS Review and National Working Group

In 2018 the National Working Group for Construction Site Supervision and Construction Site Management was formed in order to review the NOS suites to ensure they reflect the needs of industry. The Working Group met regularly over the next two and half years to review all aspects of the NOS with a focus on providing a realistic reflection of the needs of employers across the UK in this key construction role.

The working group was composed of individuals across all home nations and represents a range of industry expertise, skills, and knowledge.

In 2020, the NOS review was completed, and the working group fully supported the formulation of the NOS suite into vocational qualifications. Therefore, the units were put forward to be SCQF rated through a process of credit and levelling.

Credit and Levelling

With respect to Construction Site Management, wider discussion and standardisation for the entire suite was used to gauge each unit’s position against the others. The overall pathways were also considered to ensure that they were evenly weighted and there would not be a perceived difference by learners, which could potentially create a preferential pathway choice for learning.

An analysis of the Mandatory units within each pathway has been performed and the overall Construction Site Management qualification structure increased from the previous rating of SCQF Level 9 to SCQF Level 10. This is consistent across all pathways within the qualification.

Given the feedback received throughout the Credit and Levelling process it was felt that this increase is justifiable due to the increased responsibility and oversight required of Site Managers in a post-Grenfell world. The key aspects of accountability and autonomy were stressed throughout the units and the group felt that the Setting the Bar report and a general push towards increasing competency and capabilities of the workforce justified the increase. This creates a higher demand on candidates covering increasingly complex elements.

The qualification is now live and has been accredited and deployed as an SVQ across Scotland by SQA (limited pathways) and QFI (all pathways). It has now been requested that it forms part of a MA Framework with centres already waiting to put their learners on the new Level 10 qualification as part of an apprenticeship.

Qualification Structure

There are seven pathways within the Construction Site Management Suite, as follows:

Construction Site Management

Building and Civil Engineering
Residential Development
Highways Maintenance and Repair
Traditional and Heritage Building
Tunnelling
Demolition
Retrofit

Notes

A separate rationale/consultation for retrofit has been created as this is a new pathway
SQA currently only offer Building and Civil Engineering, Residential Development, and Highways Maintenance together with the newly created Retrofit pathway. QFI offer all pathways.

Current Volumes

At present an average of 46 learners have been registered for Construction Site Management apprenticeships per month since May 2018, totalling as follows:

2018 - 236 Learners
2019 - 666 Learners
2020 - 527 Learners
2021 - 586 Learners
2022 - 141 Learners

Total - 2156 Learners

There is a slight dip in numbers during 2020 due to Covid-19 however CITB believe that the numbers will increase back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 once the new qualification is available as part of an apprenticeship (feedback from multiple centres already suggests this is the case).

CITB are inviting feedback on the addition of the new qualification into a Professional Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 10, and CITB would like to hear from employers, training providers, awarding bodies, assessors and other stakeholders in Scotland to ensure industry feels there is a requirement for its implementation.

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