BTEC National Certificate in Construction

As you already have some practical work experience and relevant qualifications you may be able to by-pass some of the entry requirements for a higher national course which would be your first step towards a professional surveying career.

Your first port of call, therefore, should be the built environment department of your local higher education college where you can ask for advice on what to do next. It may be that they can accept you straight on to a higher national course by taking into account your past experience.

There are several options you could consider:

Construction Skills Site Safety Plus – The Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is a two-day course which covers current health and safety legislation and your responsibilities as a site supervisor. There is a simple multiple choice exam at the end of it and you’ll get a certificate. This isn’t an academic qualification as such but if you find yourself looking for work in the future you’ll notice that the SSSTS is often cited as a requirement for the job.

NVQ – If you’re currently working as a site supervisor the Diploma in Construction Site Supervision is a Level 3 NVQ which is a worked based qualification. It will involve some classroom based study and on-site assessment.
The construction industry has adopted the NVQ framework as a measure of work-based competence and if you don’t already have a CSCS Gold Supervisor’s Card you’ll need this qualification to obtain one.

BTEC Nationals – These are vocational qualifications which are recognised throughout the industry and involve classroom based study for at least one full day a week for two years (there may be some evening courses available but they are not common).

The BTEC National Certificate in Construction (see above) is more commonly known (rightly or wrongly) as the Ordinary National Certificate (ONC) and is more suitable for new entrants to the industry.

The Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a more advanced course suitable for anyone who wants to progress into management or one of the professions. Although the entry requirements are higher your past work experience will be taken into account and in most cases will be enough to get you onto the course.

The HNC is a qualification taken up by a wide range of people of all ages and from all walks of life. You’ll find everyone will struggle with some aspect of the course regardless of their previous academic achievements so don’t be daunted by it.

The HNC is a level 5 qualification and is eligible for funding via the student loan scheme.

Get in touch with the head of the built environment dept at your local college and arrange to have a chat about your options.

Over the medium to long term a return to University would be your best option. The construction industry is in recovery mode and some firms are already struggling to recruit people in certain roles, particularly in project or site management and many other technical areas.

Of course this doesn’t help you in the short term and you’re probably looking for the fastest route into a career of some kind?

The large construction firms have for the past few years been recruiting mainly young graduates or people already ‘in the loop’ – so to speak. This makes it difficult for someone returning to the industry, particularly as a lot of recruitment is now being handled by external agencies with a very narrow minded approach.

However, there are lots of smaller firms and sub-contractors who will be more open-minded and flexible, particularly as suitable recruits become even more harder to find.

Assistant or junior management/surveying jobs are advertised fairly frequently and could be a good opportunity to get you started. Once you are employed within the industry it becomes a lot easier to advance forward.

Once you have found a suitable job you may want to consider studying part-time for a foundation degree?

Another area you may not have considered is health and safety which has grown phenomenally over the past few years. The NEBOSH Diploma is a recognised qualification which can be achieved relatively quickly and there is continued demand for people with this within the industry.

There has also been a lot of talk recently about helping ex-forces personnel into the construction industry although there isn’t much evidence yet of anything really been done. The few programs recently publicised include:

The CITB, in partnership with Career Transition Partnership (CTP), are promoting an initiative to provide career opportunities for ex-services personnel. The training offered seems to be very much biased towards skilled trades rather than professional or management opportunities but may be worth a look? More details here

The Nuclear New Build (NNB) program is an initiative with the aim of meeting predicted demand for skilled workers and there is a proposal to provide career and training opportunities for those leaving the armed forces. No details have been announced yet but it’s expected to commence early next year.

This is probably not applicable to you but I’ll mention it as it may benefit someone else reading this. Construction Youth Trust is a London based charity set up to help young people find jobs in the industry. They provide career advice, training workshops and access to funding. Even if you’re not in the age range they are targeting they may still be a source of further advice?

As far as I’m aware the online courses on offer are a Level 3 BTEC course which may be accredited by edexcel but they are not the equivalent of the course you would do at a college. The only widely recognised construction course you can do online is the NEBOSH certificate although you still need to sit the final exam at a college or training organisation.

Rather than spend a lot of money on a course that may turn out to be a waste of time I think you’d be better off getting some practical experience at some level first with a view to looking at studying for qualifications when your circumstances change.

The qualification you have isn’t going to guarantee you get any sort of work although it is bound to help.

Try applying for roles with small, local businesses as they tend to be more open minded.

For a start you could do a first aid course and the site supervisors safety certificate (SSSTS)- both can be completed in a few days and will give you an advantage. Longer term you could do the HNC in Construction which could lead to a managerial or technical position.

The RICS Foundation is a good course but if your current knowledge of construction is limited you may find it difficult.

Depending on your timescale and budget it might be better to start with a general construction course first. The BTEC National Certificate is the usual route to entry but given your age and education I’d suggest the HNC would be a better option.

This covers all aspects of commercial construction including various aspects of surveying (not just quantity surveying) as well as construction management and will broaden your outlook.

The ONS (formally known as the BTEC National Certificate in Construction) could be the right course, depending on the age and experience of the student.

The only drawback with this option is that it is a level 3 qualification so she would also have to do the Level 4 HNC afterwards. Good HNC grades will usually count towards a relevant surveying degree course. Each course lasts for 2 years before you even get to the degree stage.

Ideally the student will be able to demonstrate sufficient experience in the industry in order to be accepted onto the HNC course – eliminating the need to do the ONC and saving a lot of time.

The logic behind this is that you need to have a thorough knowledge of construction methods and practice before you can study to become a QS. The ONC is for those who have virtually no knowledge while the HNC is a bit more advanced.

The head of the built environment dept at your local college should be able to advise you on the best way forward.

As a general rule all maths and science subjects are ideal. Biology may not seem that relevant but it is a science and a good grade in this subject would demonstrate your ability to get your head around complex subjects.

The fact you’ve given some logical thought to choosing this subject is also to your credit (albeit with some parental coercion).

RICS have a list of recommended subjects here:
https://www.rics.org/uk/the-profession/is-surveying-for-me/

It’s worth bearing in mind also that quantity surveying covers a diverse range of disciplines. If you do decide it isn’t for you many of the principles learned will stand you in good stead for any number of alternative options – not just within the surveying profession.

There isn’t a distance learning option so you can rule that out. Doing the HNC will be the fastest way to getting on a degree course for you and there is a chance you’ll be accepted on work experience, although you might want to rethink the way you explain this?

HNC courses tend to run on a part-time day release basis (one full day a week) for 2 years although there may be some colleges offering it on an evening basis (very few, if any though).

First step is to talk to colleges in the UK and take it from there.

There are a few such courses available to do online but they are not recognised by employers or universities. To put it bluntly, they are a waste of time and money.

If getting time off work is a problem get in touch with your local college and ask if there is anything they can do to help you.

Yes. Skip the National Certificate, if you can, since it will be too basic for you and go straight onto the HNC.

I did my my HNC when I was 40, there were others in my class much older (older than you). The first step is to contact your local college and arrange to speak with the head of the ‘built environment’ dept. He/she will be able to waive the normal entry requirements for students with industry experience.

You will be surprised how much advantage your experience gives you although some of the subject material will be a struggle at first. I found I learned much more from other students than I did from the college. You get some who are good at maths or some other of the technical aspects but who have no idea how buildings are constructed and visa versa.

It may be that your current qualifications and experience will be sufficient in some cases but your long term prospects will be greatly enhanced if you complete a degree course. If you don’t want to or can’t study in the UK RICS have a list of accredited courses here:
https://www.ricscourses.org/Course/

The availability and practicalities will depend on which country you plan to move to but there are some courses available with a flexible study option.

If the college can’t tell you then I don’t know what else to suggest? Pearson are the usual suspects with most certificate regarding the construction sector but HTEC is not a scheme I’m familiar with.

Pearson: Apply for a copy of your results or certificate
Gov.uk: Get a replacement exam certificate

The triple bar scheme is administered by the CITB so they should be able to answer your question more directly. You can phone them on: 0344 994 4400 or via the contact form here