Concreter

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare the learner to operate as a Concreter. The qualification intends to empower learners with skills required when producing, placing, compacting, finishing, and curing concrete. The learner will also supervise small teams in the concreting environment. A qualified learner will be able to become a concrete tester in the future and then pursue a path in either concrete or construction at a higher NQF level. A qualified learner will be able to: • Procure, receive, handle, and store materials for concrete at a construction or civil engineering site. • Produce concrete. • Transport, place, compact, finish and cure concrete. • Conduct plant or in-situ testing of concrete. • Supervise concrete production, concreting activities on site and concreting teams. Achieving this Concreter qualification will provide several benefits to the learner, including: • The ability to carry out concreting activities which include producing concrete (premix and pre-cast), costing, procuring, storing, placing, compacting, finishing and curing concrete at a concrete production of construction site. • The ability to set-up a small concreting business or obtain employment as a Concreter in a construction or civil engineering company. This potentially leads to increased employability. • Granting school leavers, employed and unemployed youth the opportunity to qualify and pursue an occupation in concreting. • In-depth knowledge (theory) of concrete and practical skills relevant to concreting work. • The ability to add integrity to concrete structures which play a significant role in construction and civil engineering projects. • The ability to be creative in performing concreting work; concrete floors, being a case in point. In other words, being creative in concreting leads to the possibility of increased recognition as a Concreter. Typical graduate attributes include proficiency, efficiency, and effectiveness in completing different concreting activities at concrete production, construction, and civil engineering sites to ensure organisational or client satisfaction. A Concreter is a person of integrity and high ethical standards as they need to ensure the integrity of concrete structures for construction or civil engineering projects so that the structures do not fail or collapse, causing injury or death due to poor workmanship and poor-quality control in all the concreting aspects. Typical graduate attributes include proficiency, efficiency, and effectiveness in completing different concreting activities at concrete production, construction, and civil engineering sites to ensure organisational or client satisfaction. A Concreter is a person of integrity and high ethical standards as they need to ensure the integrity of concrete structures for construction or civil engineering projects so that the structures do not fail or collapse, causing injury or death due to poor workmanship and poor-quality control in all the concreting aspects.

According to a report 'South Africa Construction Market Size, Trend Analysis by Sector, Competitive Landscape and Forecast to 2027' (December 2023), the South Africa construction market size was $25.5 billion in 2022. The market is projected to achieve an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of more than 3% during 2024-2027. An Opinion Piece published by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition titled 'South Africa's Construction Sector Performance: What Could Have Gone Wrong?', the construction industry is a driver of socio-economic development and a key employment multiplier, contributing 5.3% and 7.8% of South Africa's formal and informal sector employment, respectively. Furthermore, concrete plays a huge role in construction because of its many qualities and it is arguably one of the most used building materials globally. In light of the above, the role of the Concreter in the construction and civil engineering sectors is vital and must be supported by a qualification, The National Certificate: Construction: Concreting (SAQA ID 49016) expired on 30 June 2023 and there is no qualification or national standard against which a Concreter can be trained. The expired qualification has now been realigned as the Intermediate Occupation Certificate: Concreter to meet the needs of the industry The only other concrete-related qualification is the Occupational Certificate: Concrete Tester at NQF Level 4. This qualification addresses the critical shortage of qualified Concrete Testers in the Construction Industry. The National Certificate: Vocational: Civil Engineering and Building Construction (SAQA ID 90780) is a learning programme against the National Certificate: Vocational, Level 3 (SAQA ID 50442). This qualification provides learning experiences in situations contextually relevant to the particular vocational area in which the programme is situated. The qualification allows for programmes to be offered in the form of subjects that will consist of academic knowledge and theory integrated with the practical skills and values specific to each vocational area. The following is one of the vocational specialisations: Civil Engineering and Building Construction. Compulsory Subjects: • Construction Planning (20 credits). • Materials (20 credits). • Plant and Equipment (20 credits). Optional Subject: Choose one of the following recommended subjects or any subject from any other vocational specialisation (each carries 20 credits): • Carpentry and Roof Work. • Concrete Structures. • Masonry. • Roads. • Physical Science. • Plumbing. As is evident 'Concrete Structures' constitutes 20 credits, a very small portion of this 130-credit qualification. This is not sufficient to train a Concreter. This realigned occupational qualification will lend extended training and integrity to the Concreter occupation. This occupational qualification covers many concreting techniques and includes an entrepreneurial aspect which will enable the Concreter to start their own business. In light of the high unemployment rate in the country, this qualification will ensure that Concreters can access work either as employees in construction companies or as owners of very small businesses in which they will employ assistants for various concreting activities. This has the potential to create jobs and help alleviate poverty, thus benefitting society and the economy of the country. The qualification will enable Concreters to expand the local footprint of the occupation and enable them as individuals to compete in the marketplace or even seek employment internationally. An important feature of this qualification is the infusion of a culture of professionalism which emphasises the absolute need for Concreters to build concrete structures that have long-term strength, durability and integrity so that lives are never in danger. As also indicated above the Concreter, as a critical part of the construction sector, plays an important role in the economy of the country. The concrete construction industry will benefit from having employees who have formal recognition of concrete theory and skills, the ability to work to industry standards, a pathway for further learning, and enhanced employment options. Another significant dynamic in the concrete industry is that there are many individuals who operate as concreters but who have neither any formal training nor any significant experience in creating concrete structures that will ensure the safety of people. Poorly built concrete structures can and do cause serious injury and death. Typical learners would be school leavers, unemployed and employed persons and those practising as concreters without any prior formal training. Learners working towards this qualification will find that the acquisition of competencies embedded in the modules will enable them to obtain employment or add value to their job performance if they are already employed. As indicated above, the industry already makes a significant economic impact, and it is foreseen that the local market will continue to increasingly enjoy the services of qualified Concreters. In terms of the learning pathway, learners will be able to pursue the Occupational Certificate: Concrete Tester at NQF Level 4 and then move on to the Higher Certificate in Construction at NQF Level 5. In the development of this qualification, the following stakeholders were consulted: • Construction Industry. • Education and Training Services. • South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC). • Unions. • TVET Colleges. The Concreter can best offer their services in the construction and civil engineering sectors. The Concreter can also set-up a small concreting business as a: • Welder. • Concreter. • Steel Fixer.

RPL for Access to Training: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills programme if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for exemption from modules: For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills programme through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills programme through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification, part-qualification or skills programme. Quality partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part-qualification are approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: An NQF Level 2 qualification.

• Manage raw materials required for concrete production.
• Produce in-situ concrete, pre-cast concrete elements and ready mix for a construction site.
• Transport, place, compact, finish and cure concrete.
• Supervise concreting teams and concreting operations.