Professional bodies covering every aspect of the construction and built environment sectors have thrown their support behind the new Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (C&BE).  

A recent report commissioned by the Diploma Development Partnership (DDP) for the Diploma in C&BE showed overwhelming support for the qualification from 26 of the industry’s major representative bodies, including the Institution of Highways and Transportation (IHT).

The Diploma, now in its second year, is a new qualification for young people aged 14-19 that combines theoretical study with practical experience. The Diploma offers employers in the sector a real opportunity to help inform the education of young people and shape the skills of the future workforce. More than 1,170 employers are already involved, including Wates, Balfour Beatty, Lovell, G&J Seddon, CB&I, Kier Group and Bovis Lend Lease, and the full support of the industry will be crucial in the future success of the Diploma.

Nick Gooderson, Head of Education, Training and Qualifications at ConstructionSkills, the lead partner in the DDP for the Diploma in C&BE, said:  “Everyone who has a stake in the future of the C&BE sectors in the UK needs to understand and support the new qualification. The work of engaging with employers and higher education is ongoing, but the professional bodies are vital stakeholders crucial to the success and credibility of the qualification with learners and potential learners, parents and the wider public.”

From the outset, relevant professional bodies were invited to participate in shaping the new qualification. In May 2008, the DDP, in co-operation with the Construction Industry Council, organised a conference in London to further engage them and update them on developments in the structure and delivery of the new qualifications in preparation for the Diploma launch. 

The project’s aim is to raise awareness about the Diploma in C&BE among professional bodies. Ways into the professions and access to membership of the relevant bodies for holders of the Advanced Diploma in C&BE were discussed, and ways of engaging the professional bodies with Diploma delivery were also explored.

Outcomes include access for Diploma learners to student membership, conditions for entry of Diploma holders to technician (or equivalent) membership, providing learning resources for local Diploma delivery consortia and development of Additional and Specialist Learning (ASL) modules to create professionally relevant pathways within the Diploma.

The project found that there is clear support for the Diploma in C&BE from the overwhelming majority of participants. They wish to see it succeed because the importance of the professional bodies is highlighted within the Diploma’s principal learning, and because ‘for the first time … the built environment is at the heart of mainstream education’ (Professor Mel Lees of University of Salford, quoted in the Diploma in CBE HE leaflet 2008).

Mary Lewis, Chief Executive of the Institution of Highways & Transportation said:

‘The Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment will make young people aware of the many and varied career opportunities on offer in construction, civil, and transport engineering and will help to address the skills issues that have beset the sector for some considerable time. We welcome its introduction wholeheartedly.’

For more information on the Diploma and details of how to get involved, visit the DCSF website