The Qualifications

Below are descriptions of some of the qualifications available to people already working or looking to start their career in construction.

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Apprenticeships

These schemes help you to work, learn, earn and get qualifications all at the same time. For example, they enable you to achieve qualifications with planned and monitored work experience.

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QCF Vocational Qualifications

The QCF is a new framework designed to make vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland easier to understand and simpler to use. These are qualifications that you obtain by proving that you can do a job through assignments during the course, rather than by passing exams. You get through a combination of workplace and college experience which are available as awards, certificates and diplomas.

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Higher Qualifications

Higher National Certificate (HNC)
Higher National Diploma (HND)

These are technical qualifications and are part-time and full-time. You could start these programmes at 16 or 18 e.g. after A levels you can start a HND.

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Foundation Degree

These offer a mix of vocational and acedemic learning and are flexible in terms of training time. Generally, they can be achieved in three years studying part-time or two years studying full-time.

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Degree Programmes
 

For these qualifications, you will usually three or four years full-time at university. Degrees allow people who like acedemic study to specialise in a certain subject. You can take a degree programme that has been accredited by a professional institution.

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Professional Qualifications

Each professional organisation represents a particular profession, such as engineering, surveying or architecture. membership will be evidence of your abilities and an important badge of recognition if you decide to work overseas.

If you sre interested in finding out more about entry criteria and routes into training, speak to a careers advisor