June 2015 work based learning and colleges update

BTEC Nationals in Construction and the Built Environment

We're redeveloping this suite to meet new government technical level requirements and to ensure they are fit for purpose for today’s industry. If you're involved in delivering the current versions, we would very much welcome your input. We are holding focus groups, employer forums and carrying out consultation remotely. Please contact us to be involved.

BTEC Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment (qualification for Labourer’s Green Card)

Pearson produces a free workbook mapped to the qualification outcomes, used for the purpose of gathering knowledge evidence for the qualification.

This is now available online to all Pearson Centres.

(Edexcel Online login details required)

In 2015, we are also planning to update this resource, refreshing the content and making it more engaging to learners. Alongside this we plan to develop additional free teaching support materials.

IMPORTANT: NVQ updates during 2015 to new National Occupational Standards

Further to revisions to occupational standards by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), we have updated NVQs and transferred centre approval where applicable, as per the list below.

Full list of qualifications updated by June 2015

If you have any queries or concerns on these changes, please contact us.

2015 projects

Pearson is scoping potential developments to take place during 2015. We would greatly appreciate your input into these, especially if you have particular demand from learners or employers to deliver any of the following qualifications, views on the design of them or simply to confirm you support the proposed developments:

Pearson Edexcel Level 6 BTECs in Construction and the Built Environment:

The qualifications are due for review and need to be updated to ensure they are fit for purpose, and offer effective progression routes from current Construction level 5 HND or Higher Apprenticeships.

We're keen to ensure the updated versions can meet the Educational base for IENG professional entry, which the current versions do not, and also are included within new Construction Management Apprenticeships planned for later in the year. We are keen to hear your views on the qualifications, and what demand you would have, if they were updated in this way.

BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Construction Occupations:

The current BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Construction Occupations is due for review in June 2015 and may be withdrawn if there is no evidence of continued demand, particularly for the 19+ age group. Please contact us if you have continued demand for the qualification or you would like to have your say in how the qualification should be updated.

If you have feedback on these, or any other areas in which you would like Pearson to develop qualifications, please contact us.

For more details please contact customer services on 0844 576 0045.

Qualification withdrawals due to low uptake

We propose to withdraw the following qualifications due to low uptake – please contact us if you have continued demand, or predict an increase in demand for 2015 and 2016. Otherwise they will be closed to new learner registrations according to the following schedule:
 

Qualification extensions

BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Construction Occupations:

This qualification has now been extended to August 2017 to ensure it can continue to underpin apprenticeship frameworks. However we are keen to hear centres’ views on how it should be updated to meet technical knowledge needs after 2017, when reformed apprenticeship frameworks supersede the current ones.

One option is to include the qualification as a technical certificate for 16+ learners, including grading and external assessment and we would welcome your views about this.

Network Construction Operations
Extension requests have been submitted to Ofqual until 29 February 2016 for the following qualifications in this suite:

• 600/1828/8 Pearson Edexcel Level 2 Certificate in Network Construction Operations (Water) Service Layer
• 600/1820/3 Pearson Edexcel Level 2 Diploma in Network Construction Operations (Water) - Main Layer
• 600/1814/8 Pearson Edexcel Level 2 Diploma in Network Construction Operations (Water) - Repair and Maintenance

Qualifications in Housing

Pearson offer 5 work-based learning qualifications for the housing sector. We have extended the NVQs until 2017; however, we will withdraw the BTECs during the next few months because of low uptake and expiring units.

Housing NVQs

Housing BTECs 

If you have any queries about the Housing qualifications, please contact us.