Construction Crafts Intermediate 2 (SCQF level 5)

Contact the Qualifications Manager for this subject area
Graeme Findlay GRAPHIC: email icon.

Structure of the Course

This Course is at Intermediate 2 level and consists of four 40 hour Units. Three of the Units are mandatory and the remaining Unit is chosen from two optional 40 hour Units.

Mandatory Units:

Employability Skills (Intermediate 2)

1 Unit credit

One Brick Walling (Intermediate 2)

1 Unit credit

Bench Joinery (Intermediate 2)

1 Unit credit

Candidates also study one optional Unit from a choice of two:

Optional Units:

Construction Crafts: Plumbing of Sanitary Appliances

1 Unit credit

Construction Crafts: Decorative Painting Techniques

1 Unit credit


 

Summary of Course content

The Course includes practical construction crafts Units in four of the main construction trades. It offers progression for Intermediate 1 candidates but is also a suitable level of entry for candidates with an aptitude for practical crafts work who could cope with the additional demand at Intermediate 2. Candidates will learn a variety of skills in the trades’ specific Units. In addition, they will develop skills and attitudes that enhance employability, not just in the construction industry, but in employment generally.

In the mandatory section, the Employability Skills Unit addresses a number of practical and employability skills which can be practised and developed across all the Units in the Course. The two other Units in the mandatory section cover specific construction crafts in trades with high levels of identified skill shortages. Furthermore, they represent skills areas which are readily resourced in centres offering construction Courses.

The optional section offers the opportunity to learn skills in one of two important trades. The two optional Units cover trades which address areas with high levels of identified skill shortages.  They represent skills areas which are readily resourced in most centres offering construction Courses.

Summary of content of each Unit

  • Construction Crafts: Employability Skills
    In this Unit candidates are required to develop work practices and attitudes that enhance employability.  They will review the skills they have developed and adapt their performance in subsequent activities.  Candidates will carry out basic risk assessments and record their findings. They will also develop skills in interpretation of drawings and in preparing basic materials schedules from drawing and specification information. 
  • Construction Crafts: One Brick Walling
    In this Unit candidates are required to set out and build short sections of one-brick wall in accordance with given drawings and to prescribed tolerances. This will give them experience of brick bonding techniques significantly beyond simple half-brick walls.
  • Construction Crafts: Bench Joinery
    In this Unit candidates are required to learn a number of joinery jointing techniques. They will learn skills in measurement as well as how to cut, assemble and fix timbers into a frame from a given drawing.
  • Construction Crafts: Plumbing of Sanitary Appliances
    In this Unit candidates are required to assemble, fit and fix a significant piece of sanitaryware such as a wash hand basin. They will assemble and fix associated fittings such as handwheels (taps) and wastes and will fabricate and connect both copper and plastic pipework associated with the sanitary appliance.
  • Construction Crafts: Decorative Painting Techniques
    In this Unit candidates are required to carry out work in forming decorative bands and lines. They will work with moulded panels and gain skills in replicating given designs in freehand brushwork. Finally, candidates will learn how to mix different colours to match given paint samples. 


 

Assessment approaches

Assessment in this Course will be based on a range of practical workshop activities, supported by assessor observation checklists and candidate self-checking of quality. In the Employability Skills Unit, candidates will carry out self-evaluation on a range of skills, review their progress and identify action points. They will also demonstrate that they can put action points into practice.
 
Each Unit will be supported by a National Assessment Bank (NAB) item which will provide an assessment package and will exemplify the national standard.

Learning and teaching materials

Learning and teaching support packs have been produced by the Scottish Further Education Unit to support this Course. These can be accessed via the SFEU website. The Intermediate 2 packs will complement those already available for the Intermediate 1 Construction Crafts Course and it’s Units.

The trades-specific packs highlight good trade practice and contain helpful hints. The packs acknowledge that candidates may have prior experience of construction crafts work at Intermediate 1 and are written in such a way as to be suitable for candidates with no prior experience in construction crafts.

The packs contain step-by-step guidance on the skills and activities that candidates need to master in order to achieve the relevant Unit. However, they go beyond the minimum information required to simply achieve the various Units: they contain underpinning knowledge, a glossary of trade terms and an overview of the trade at an introductory level. Each pack is user-friendly and makes extensive use of pictures, illustrations and diagrams to engage the learner. The packs contain formative assessments and useful summaries throughout.

The packs for the trade-specific Units highlight opportunities for teachers and lecturers to help candidates develop employability skills within the context of their practical work. The support pack for the Employability Skills Unit contains Course information and is designed to assist with the delivery of an induction programme for the Course as well as a guide to the Unit.

Experience of the workplace

Work placement is not a mandatory requirement of this Course. Due to health and safety requirements and insurance restrictions it is impractical to arrange placements and work experience on building sites for candidates from S3 and S4.

Centres however, are encouraged to organise visits to construction sites where possible for each candidate group. Construction companies may be willing to accommodate site visits if centres organise the visits well in advance.

It may also be appropriate and valuable for candidate groups to receive visits from construction industry practitioners and tradespeople. Manufacturers and suppliers of building materials may be willing to visit centres to speak to groups of candidates or to invite them to their supply depots or factories.

Resource requirements

Centres will require workshop facilities for each of the practical Units in the Course. Equipment and small tool requirements are not onerous and are no more than would be expected for building crafts work at this level. 

The Unit Plumbing of Sanitary Appliances requires centres to provide a selection of sanitary appliances such as wash hand basins, shower trays, sinks or WCs. Candidates must assemble these (one only for assessment purposes) and fit and fix them to walls and floors as applicable. Further Education centres that already offer plumbing as a subject are likely to have a number of pre-existing, purpose-built bays in which candidates can assemble and fix the appliances. Delivering centres wishing to offer this optional Unit will need to ensure that they have an appropriate learning environment and appropriate facilities.

The paintwork Unit Decorative Painting Techniques will require a small selection of specialist rollers etc. These are readily available from a variety of sources.

Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will, of course, be essential for all candidates. This may include safety footwear, overalls, gloves, masks and hard hats as required. (This list of PPE is not intended to be exhaustive and centres should carry out risk assessments for all activities as required and comply with all relevant legislation).

Progression

This Course may provide candidates with opportunities to progress to:

  • Scottish Vocational Qualifications in the area of construction crafts
  • Further Education
  • training/employment


Conditions and Arrangements


Information for Skills for Work pilot centres 
Construction Crafts Intermediate 2

Centres delivering the Construction Crafts Intermediate 2 Course as part of the Skills for Work pilot in 2006/7 should note the following:

  • the Construction Crafts Intermediate 2 Course will remain unchanged for session 2007/8. If feedback from centres indicates a need for revision, any necessary revisions will be made for session 2008/9


Arrangements documents valid from 2007/8

Subject:

Construction Crafts
Level: Intermediate 2
Code: C218 11
Edition: Second Edition, April 2007
Downloads: