CIOB backs top-up courses

As part of the continuing modernization of its accreditation process, the CIOB is planning to widen access to graduates of non-construction courses.

The move comes as the shortage of construction graduates starts to bite and the popularity of construction courses continues to decline sharply.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), each year over the next five years the industry will have a net shortfall of 7,000 construction managers.

"The issue is that accredited courses are not producing enough graduates for the construction industry," said Michael Brown, deputy chief executive of the CIOB.

The CIOB wants to offer the possibility of membership to both semi-cognate and non-cognate graduates by offering top-up construction courses.

This will let holders of foundation degrees turn their qualifications into full, CIOB-accredited degrees.

Top-up courses will allow graduates of semi-cognate courses (construction-affiliated disciplines such as housing and town and country planning) and non-cognate courses (subjects that share no technical knowledge with construction) to acquire CIOB membership.

The courses will equip students with the necessary technical qualifications, skills and experience for construction management. Competence assessments will be used to test technical knowledge.

"The aim is to bring more high-calibre graduates into construction management and for industry train them in their appointed disciplines," said Chris Williams, professional and technical development director at the CIOB. "The construction industry is looking for managerial excellence, so graduates of business disciplines such as accountancy and economics are our targets."

The scheme has already been piloted by the Accreditation Panel, which will implement the new education framework by late 2002 or early 2003.