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As a highly experienced national training and assessment provider, SB Skills Solutions has put together this short guide to the typical steel erecting course duration.

What is the typical duration of the course?

The first step to gaining your Level 3 Steel Erecting qualification is understanding how much time you need to dedicate to achieving this diploma. 

In most cases, this course can be successfully completed in just 12 months. 

Factors that affect completion time

While 12 months is the typical completion time, the exact steel erecting course duration can be affected by a number of different factors which we explore in more detail below.

Individual pace and dedication

Due to the nature of the Level 3 Steel Erecting qualification, in that it’s primarily carried out on the job, the course duration is heavily dictated by the learner’s pace and dedication to gathering the necessary evidence.

Prior experience and qualifications

If you have a higher level of relevant experience and qualifications, you may be able to complete the Level 3 Diploma in Steel Erecting in a shorter period than the typical 12-month duration by demonstrating existing competence to the assessor. 

Level of assessor support

A supportive and professional assessor can be essential for helping the learner to properly understand the course criteria and which evidence should be collected.

The pace at which an individual can achieve this diploma is therefore heavily influenced by the assessor’s availability to both offer support and conduct on-site visits.

What to expect after completing the diploma

Whether completing the diploma takes you the full year or a little longer, having a clear understanding of how the qualification can benefit your professional career before you get started is crucial.

After completing the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) qualification in Steel Erecting, the learner will then be awarded a Level 3 card as a combined Client/Contractor National Safety Group/Assuring Competence in Engineering (CCNSG/ACE) card.

With this card offering validation of the holder’s credentials, they’ll be able to move more freely between civil and engineering construction sites, increasing their career opportunities and earning potential.

Obtain your Level 3 Diploma in Steel Erecting

Ready to upskill and develop your career in the construction industry? 

The team of experienced instructors and assessors at SB Skills Solutions has all the necessary knowledge and resources to help you achieve your ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Steel Erecting.

Whether you’re an employer looking to equip your employees with valuable qualifications or an adult hoping to explore more career opportunities, there’s many benefits to obtaining this diploma.

To learn more about the course criteria for this steel erecting diploma or to discuss your specific training requirements with our training and assessment experts, please feel free to contact our team today.

You can start the conversation about furthering your career by giving us a call on 01695 558 420 or emailing your enquiry to info@sbskills.co.uk.

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To help you determine which steel erecting qualifications might be the most suitable for you based on your current skills, competence, and experience in the role, our knowledgeable team has pulled together this steel erecting diploma comparison.

Below, we compare the skills and benefits you can obtain from successfully completing a level 2 and level 3 Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) steel erecting diploma.

ECITB Level 2 vs Level 3

While both the level 2 and level 3 ECITB diplomas in steel erecting are vocational qualifications that provide industry recognition of the holder’s skills, knowledge, experience, and competence as a steel erector, they have their differences.

How can SB Skills help?

Now you have a clearer idea of which level diploma your existing skills and experience as a steel erector lend themselves to, why not receive industry recognition and increase your earning potential by taking the relevant ECITB steel erecting diploma with SB Skills Solutions?

Our team of experienced and qualified instructors can provide professional training and assessment services for:

∙ECITB Level 2 Diploma in Steel Erecting

∙ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Steel Erecting

With one of our instructors guiding you through the process, you’ll receive clear answers to any questions you might have, expert support with gathering evidence, and assessment services that work around your professional schedule up until final certification.

We can also support you with learning more about the various steel erecting career paths that an ECITB steel erecting diploma can help you to achieve. 

Whether you want to explore steel fabrication or fitting, we’re on hand to point you in the right direction.

To discuss your steel erector career with an experienced member of our team, please feel free to give us a call on 01695 558 420.

Alternatively, you can always email your enquiry to info@sbskills.co.uk.  

The post ECITB Level 2 vs. Level 3 Steel Erecting Diplomas: Which is right for you? appeared first on SB Skills Solutions.

Below, we explain some of the key career opportunities in the engineering and construction industry available to you if you achieve a Level 3 Steel Erecting diploma.  

What UK job opportunities exist for Level 3 Steel Erecting Diploma holders?

Unsure where a Level 3 Steel Erecting diploma could take your career? Fortunately, it can open doors to many key roles in the construction industry, including: 

Steel Erector

A steel erector (also known as a steelwork erector or ironworker) assembles and disassembles the metal frameworks for buildings and structures, such as industrial facilities and bridges. Their primary role is to fit together steel girders, pipework, and beams. 

Structural Steel Fitter

Also referred to as steel fitters, the main responsibility of tradespeople working in a structural steel fitter role is to prepare and fit steel components as per the blueprint specifications. They fabricate these items using hand tools, as well as riveting and welding machines. 

Steel Fabricator

The main role of a steel fabricator is to cut, shape, and manipulate raw steel materials into certain structures and products. Like steel fitters, they also take direction from blueprints and engineer designs, but they focus more on design and aesthetics of the raw steel than precision assembly.

Site Supervisor

If you want to explore managerial roles, then you may want to consider becoming a site supervisor.

Responsible for overseeing all the activities on a construction site, the supervisor is tasked with managing all workers and upholding site standards, efficiencies, and health and safety regulations.

Alternative Careers

Searching for more steel erecting jobs with a diploma?

With an Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) Level 3 Steel Erecting diploma under your belt, you may also be eligible for alternative career opportunities, such as specialised careers in health and safety, estimating, and steel draughtsmanship.

Complete your ECITB Level 3 Steel Erecting Diploma

If you want to unlock access to a wider range of career paths in the construction industry, speak to the expert team of instructors and assessors at SB Skills Solutions today about achieving your ECITB Level 3 Steel Erecting diploma.

As a trusted national training provider in the UK, our team of qualified instructors can guide you through the entire process with ease. Working to a timescale that fits around your schedule, we’ll visit you on-site to assess your competence as a steel erector and help you to collect relevant evidence.

Whether you require support choosing the right career path in the construction industry or want to learn more about our services, please feel free to contact our knowledgeable team today.

To reach out, simply give us a call on 01695 558 420. Alternatively, you can also email your enquiry to info@sbskills.co.uk.

The post What jobs can I get with a Level 3 Steel Erecting Diploma? appeared first on SB Skills Solutions.

Fortunately, the knowledgeable SB Skills Solutions team can help you understand what’s required to apply for your gold CSCS card. From the qualifications and accreditations to your skills and experience, we’ll ensure you have everything you need.

Plus, we’ll also explain how the recent changes made to the acceptance of IA (Industry Accreditation) in the construction industry could impact your ability to achieve and renew your gold CSCS card after 2024.

What is a CSCS Gold Skilled Worker Card?

There are two types of gold CSCS cards – an Advanced Craft card and a Supervisor card. Here, we’ll focus on the Advanced Craft or Skilled Worker card.

This skilled worker card demonstrates that the cardholder has a high level of competence, experience, knowledge, and skills in their field of work. It shows that they can safely work in an advanced position in their respective construction industry field.

These cards are often provided to skilled tradespeople who might specialize in carpentry, plumbing, or electrical work, for example.

Valid for five years, they can be renewed six months prior to and up to six months after the card’s expiry date. Although workers and their employers are not legally required in the UK to hold a gold CSCS card to work in the construction industry roles mentioned above, they can be crucial.

While CSCS cards themselves aren’t a legal requirement, it is a legal requirement for all individuals working on a construction site to possess the necessary skills and experience to carry out their role safely. CSCS cards simply provide proof that this is the case.

Notably, a key requirement for obtaining a gold CSCS card is to pass the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Health, Safety, and Environment (HS&E) test at the relevant level.

This means many contractors won’t allow workers who don’t possess a valid gold CSCS card to work in an advanced position on-site due to health and safety concerns.

To ensure you don’t miss out on skilled job opportunities within the construction industry (alongside the experience and earning potential that comes with these roles), it’s well worth learning more about the gold CSCS card application requirements and process.

How Do You Get a CSCS Gold Skilled Worker Card?

Luckily, applying for your gold CSCS card is relatively straightforward – all you need is the relevant qualification or accreditation for your occupation and the ability to apply online with CSCS.

Obtain the Necessary Qualifications or Accreditations

To be eligible to apply for your gold CSCS card, you must possess the required training in the form of either an accepted qualification or accreditation.

Based on information published by CSCS themselves, gold CSCS card applicants must hold either a construction-related Level 3 NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) or Level 6 SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification).

Alternatively, they must have completed an approved apprenticeship with the NJCBI (National Joint Council for the Engineering Construction Industry), BATJIC (Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council), Institute of Apprenticeships, or another suitable provider.

Applicants will also be accepted if they have completed an employer-sponsored apprenticeship that included the achievement of a City and Guilds of London Institute Advanced Craft Certificate.

All gold CSCS cardholders must also have successfully completed the CITB HS&E test at the appropriate level. As CSCS does not offer training courses for any of these qualifications, you will need to contact a qualified training provider, like SB Skills Solutions.

Offering training and assessment services for a range of Level 3 NVQ construction courses, we can help you work towards obtaining your gold CSCS card. For example, depending on your role, you could take a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Fenestration Installation, Roofing Occupations, or Cladding Occupations.

Get in touch today to learn more about these NVQ courses or our services!

Apply Online with CSCS

Once you’ve secured the necessary qualifications, you can apply online with CSCS for your gold skilled worker card. Simply log into your existing account or register as a new user to access the relevant gold CSCS card application form.

You must fill in the form as directed, provide a scanned copy of your qualification certificate, as well as a passport-style photo of yourself, and the test ID number from the top of your CITB HS&E test pass certificate. Please note, you will also need to pay a £36 application fee via debit or credit card.

As application requirements may vary depending on your specific circumstances, we recommend contacting CSCS directly if you’d like to learn more about this process.

What’s the New Equivalent Qualification to a CSCS Gold Skilled Worker Card?

To obtain a gold CSCS card as a skilled worker, you must successfully complete a Level 3 NVQ (or SVQ) in a relevant advanced craft qualification or an approved apprenticeship. Find out more about which qualifications can help you achieve your gold CSCS card here.

Renewing a CSCS Gold Skilled Worker Card in the Future

Ready to renew your gold CSCS card? As these essential construction industry cards are only valid for five years, we recommend ensuring that there’ll be no issues when it’s time for you to renew yours.

To do this, you’ll need to check that the recent changes made to the way in which CSCS cards can be renewed don’t affect you.

Following suggestions from the CLC (Construction Leadership Council) to improve competence and safety in the construction industry, workers will no longer be able to renew their gold CSCS card using IA after 2024.

This means individuals won’t be able to rely on a reference from an employer (or another competent person) as recognition of their skills and experience. Instead, they’ll need to obtain a nationally recognized qualification if they want to apply for or renew their gold CSCS card after 31st December 2024.

If you don’t hold one of the aforementioned nationally recognized qualifications that would allow you to apply for a gold CSCS skilled worker card, then don’t worry. The knowledgeable team at SB Skills Solutions can help you obtain the necessary qualifications.

We provide a variety of Level 3 NVQ construction-related courses that can help you meet the requirements for applying for, or renewing, your gold CSCS card. For expert support choosing the most suitable NVQ course for you, please feel free to contact our team today!

What Can SB Skills Do to Help?

Need a helping hand obtaining your gold CSCS card? Get in touch with the team of fully qualified and highly experienced assessors at SB Skills Solutions today.

After learning more about your current role in the construction industry, we can support you with choosing and successfully completing the relevant CSCS course to help you achieve your desired CSCS card and further your career.

Regardless of whether you’re searching for professional help obtaining your blue, black, white, or gold CSCS card, you can rest assured that we offer a wide range of assessment and training services to meet your construction role requirements.

To find out more about the variety of NVQ qualifications as well as the health and safety courses available at SB Skills Solutions, please feel free to call us today on 01695 558 420.

You can also reach out to our team by sending your enquiry via email to info@sbskills.co.uk or by filling in and submitting our online contact form.

Alternatively, you can always book your chosen course online in a matter of clicks!

The post CSCS Gold Card  appeared first on SB Skills Solutions.

Luckily, the team of expert tutors at SB Skills Solutions have helped countless companies upskill their employees as well as numerous individuals obtain essential qualifications to achieve their dream job in the construction industry and further afield.

From the average plant operator salary in the UK to which qualifications, skills, and training courses can help you to become a plant operator, we explain everything you want to know about this profession.

What do construction plant operator jobs involve?

As a plant operator, you’ll be required to carry out a wide range of tasks. Primarily, this will include the operation, monitoring, and maintenance of heavy machinery like diggers, bulldozers, cranes, and excavators.

With help from these machines, you may be asked to move, excavate, lift, or crush building materials or organic matter.

In the event that these machines stop working or develop inefficiencies, a plant operator will be on hand to rectify any issues and support productivity. This role tends to also cover the maintenance of these machines, ensuring they’re in good working order.

A more comprehensive list of plant operator responsibilities can include:

• Supervising and overseeing operations
• Monitoring process parameters
• Performing maintenance tests
• Ensuring safety rules are followed
• Operating heavy machinery and equipment
• Transporting a variety of materials

A construction plant operator may have more specific daily duties such as:

• Operating forklifts, bulldozers, excavators, trucks, and more heavy machinery
• Transporting and storing building materials and earth
• Carrying out safety checks
• Level out working areas
• Communicate using radio signals

What are the working conditions like?

A construction plant operator will often be required to work outdoors in a range of weather conditions. Construction sites aren’t squeaky clean like an office or control room. You may work at heights such as operating a tower crane or a large excavator.

Instead, the working conditions for a construction plant operator tend to be significantly dirtier and nosier than alternative plant operator positions. Due to the nature of the building construction industry, you may also be required to work nights or weekends in order to deliver the necessary progress within the set construction deadline and budget.

How much does a plant operator earn?

According to information published by Totaljobs, a plant operator salary in the UK varies between £27,681 and £37,500, with an average annual salary of £32,500. It’s worth bearing in mind that the exact salary for this position will naturally vary depending on the location of the job and the industry that you work in.

Higher-paying positions are more accessible to individuals that upskill themselves, allowing them to work in a wider range of relevant industries. This is because plant operators tend to specialise in just one type of equipment.

What skills do I need to become a plant operator?

Unsure whether you have the necessary skills to become a plant operator? Below, we list some of the most common skills plant operators possess that can help them to succeed in both this role and their chosen industry. These plant operator skills include:

• An interest in heavy machinery and equipment
• Ability to operate, fix, and maintain machinery
• Understanding of engineering, maths, and computers
• Problem-solving capabilities
• Ability to use relevant computer software
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Ability to work independently
• Able to work well under pressure

Construction plant operators must also possess certain physical skills like excellent movement and coordination.

What qualifications do construction plant operators need?

In England, if you want to become a construction plant operator, you could obtain either your Level 2 NVQ (National Vocational Qualification – practical, work-based qualifications) in Construction Plant Operations, your Level 2 Construction Plant Operative Apprenticeship qualification, or your Level 3 Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.

In addition to these qualifications, you may also need to apply for your blue CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme) Competence Card or your CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) accreditation to work on a construction site as a plant operator.

What courses and training can I take to become a plant operator?

There are many routes you can take to become a plant operator. Some of these avenues involve applying for an apprenticeship, while others require work experience in the relevant industry to get you started.

To help you determine which route might be right for you, we explore each of these avenues in more detail.

College or training provider

As mentioned above, a course from either a college or training provider in Level 2 Certificate in Construction Plant Operations or Level 3 Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment can provide you with the relevant qualifications to become a plant operator.

While these courses will cover most of the required skills to join this profession, on-site experience is also crucial to obtaining a construction plant operator role, so many applicants will seek out a trainee position on a construction site following completion of the course.

For the level 2 course, you’ll need two or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), while a level 3 course requires four or five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C). Without GCSEs, you must hold an equivalent qualification.

Trade work

Working your way up is one of the more common ways you can become a plant operator. Often, if you’re enthusiastic enough and willing to work hard to obtain the relevant plant operator skills and qualifications, many employers will consider offering individual work as a general labourer with training opportunities.

They may request certain GCSEs grades (in subjects like English, maths, and technology), but they can provide you with invaluable on-site experience with heavy machinery and equipment.

Once you’ve gained enough experience and knowledge of the construction industry, they may contact a training provider to help you obtain the relevant qualifications to become a plant operator.

Career path and progression

Once you’ve managed to secure a plant operator position, there is still room for career progression. Often, one of the best ways to both increase your earning potential and develop your career in this industry is to specialise in a broader range of machines and equipment. This will allow you to work in different plants and positions.

Contact SB Skills Solutions

If the potential for career progression and the day-to-day duties of a construction plant operator seems like a good fit for your skills and professional aspirations, why not get in touch with the knowledgeable team at SB Skills Solutions to find out more about our plant operator course?

Our qualified team of experienced assessors can help you to obtain your NVQ Level 2 Plant Operations qualification, and by extension, achieve your blue CPCS Competence Card.

Recognised by the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) and NPORS this NVQ can increase your earning potential while providing you with sought-after skills, experience, and competence in plant operation.

With the right support, we can ensure you learn the relevant skills and knowledge to become a plant operator. To find out more about the contents of the plant operator course, our prices, or alternative construction training courses, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team today.

To speak directly to a member of our team, simply give us a call on 01695 558420. We also welcome enquiries submitted via email to info@sbskills.co.uk. After receiving your plant operator course enquiry, we’ll ensure a prompt response to your query or a schedule a call to learn more about your training requirements.

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