The national vocational qualification (NVQ) Level 2 brickwork technician qualification recognises the skills required to install the latest building product technologies in line with building safety legislation.
While bricklayers lay bricks, brickwork technicians work on site fitting and installing products within the cavity, such as fire barriers, masonry support systems, insulation boards and cavity tray systems. Currently they operate under a labourer's card.
However, according to contractors, they are more than mere labourers; the complexity and importance of their role necessitates a career path and professional recognition at NVQ Level 2, it was felt.
To address this, the Association of Brickwork Contractors (ABC) worked with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to develop the recommended qualification structure (RQS) for brickwork technicians. This framework outlines the necessary skills and knowledge required to ensure compliance with building safety regulations.
ABC has also set up the ABC Assessment Centre to deliver the NVQ on sites across the country.
Dave Mills, business development director at brickwork contractor Lyons & Annoot, said: “The new NVQ L2 brickwork technician is something that shows really how far the construction industry is changing and also the direction in which it is required to now go. It will provide a qualification to the thousands of people within our industry who work around brickwork on the auxiliary/sundry items, but are not actually bricklayers, based on an assessment undertaken with qualified assessors on that person’s skills. This will provide all elements of the construction project chain the knowledge that the people who are completing the works on site are qualified in the works that they are doing.”
ABC chief executive Eve Livett said: "By providing a clear career progression and professional recognition, we are empowering individuals in this specialist field to uphold the highest standards of building safety.”
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