Apprentices can now progress to a degree in public service building control surveying (Image: Dreamstime)
The final piece in a three-year programme by Local Authority Building Control (LABC) to identify the competencies of local authority building control staff, standardise learning and introduce new specialist qualifications is complete, following the recent launch of Wolverhampton University’s BSc (Hons) degree in Public Service Building Control Surveying.
With the support of the CIOB, the University of Wolverhampton and the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE), LABC set up the LABC Trailblazer Group. Together they created the now nationally recognised and approved building control apprenticeship standard.
The move comes after the Hackitt Review called for clarification of the role of building control in the new building safety regulatory regime.
“This year we’ll see around 100 people join up for the degree, with a further 100 joining up for the certificates and diplomas.”
Lorna Stimpson, LABC
LABC has also rolled out a suite of qualifications in partnership with the CIOB and the University of Wolverhampton: a Level 3 certificate, a Level 4 and 5 diploma and the recently launched levy-funded Level 6 BSc (Hons) apprenticeship degree, all in public service building control.
Over the past three years LABC has invested more than £1m in competency and learning. As well as the qualifications, it identified over 1,000 Level 6 surveyors and is validating their competency to work on higher-risk projects with an IFE-backed assessment which sees around 100 surveyors a month examined.
It is in the final stages of developing another set of CIOB Level 6 diplomas in subjects including enforcement of regulations and standards, and fire safety in complex buildings.
LABC deputy chief executive Lorna Stimpson said: “We took the bold step of modernising how we did things by creating an online platform to make learning accessible to our network of 3,500 building control professionals.
“We introduced an ISO-backed quality management system to standardise our practices and started developing our Ofqual accredited Level 4 and 5 public service building control qualifications – the first cohort of 68 diploma students started in August last year.
“And this year we’ll see around 100 people join up for the degree, with a further 100 joining up for the certificates and diplomas.”
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