Railway Track Constructor

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Railway Track Constructor. A Railway Track Constructor builds and maintains rail track infrastructure for optimum availability and reliability. A qualified learner will be able to: • Construct and maintain per-way components and align rails. • Construct and maintain railway lines and turnouts.

The need for this qualification was identified during the development of a qualification for the Railway Track Master which is a recorded Trade (SAQA ID 96355). This qualification relates to a set of skills that forms part of a trade and is recognised in industry as a requirement to perform specific job and certain tasks. It also creates alternative pathways and occupations in relation to becoming an artisan. Currently there is no registered qualification that meets the specific requirements within the context of railway track construction and the unit standards-based qualifications previously used for Railway Track Constructors are to be replaced by the Occupational Certificate: Railway Track Master. Railway Track Masters have been identified as a scarce skill in the Transport sector. This incorporates the skills sets required by Railway Track Constructors. The development of railway infrastructure is a key driver for economic development. In South Africa, one of the barriers to accelerated economic development is the provisioning of cost effective and reliable mass transport systems for both freight and passenger services. A key strategy in the National Development Plan is the improvement and proper maintenance of infrastructure such as rail. Currently and in the future, there is and there will be a need for skills and abilities to build and maintain an ever-growing railway network. This qualification is targeted at providing the fundamental human resource capabilities required to deliver this strategy and will benefit the sector, society, and economy in these ways. Typical learners for this qualification are the out of school youth with limited formal qualifications as well as workers in the rail sector interested in working mainly outdoors and aspiring to obtain formal recognition for skills and knowledge. Learners entering this qualification will exit with an NQF Level 4 qualification that will be recognised within the rail sector both nationally and internationally. This qualification will contribute to the development of the learner by providing recognition, further career mobility, and transportability within the sector. This qualification forms part of a suite of related qualifications to create an occupational pathway with several options to follow, each resulting in employment opportunities in different areas of specialisation. There is presently no professional registration associated with this qualification. These qualifications include the Occupational Certificate: Railway Track Welder, NQF Level 3, the part-qualification Occupational Certificate: Railway Track Maintenance Supervisor NQF Level 4 and Occupational Certificate: Railway Track Master NQF Level 4 (Trade). The relationship and career path opportunities between the various qualifications are quite complex and are outlined in detail in the various curricula.

• Identify component maintenance requirements using appropriate equipment and techniques and demonstrating a fundamental understanding of safely principles.
• Apply civil construction processes and techniques related to track geometry to construct and maintain railway lines and turnouts demonstrating a fundamental understanding of established standards.