The Concrete Institute (TCI) has expressed concern about an increasing trend among professionals to chase certifications rather than seriously expand their knowledge of concrete.

John Roxburgh, lecturer at the TCI School of Concrete Technology, says the number of building industry professionals who are now attending classes at the School merely because their employment on projects require stipulated certification are increasing.

According to Roxburgh this does not bode well for the industry. “Retrenchments and overall scarcity of jobs in this industry have resulted in only the most skilled and educated retaining their jobs, or being employed for new projects,” he explains.

As a result, the School of Concrete Technology has noticed many students attending courses purely to obtain a certificate rather than expand their knowledge.  “Paper chasing for job security is understandable but it could, in the long run, be detrimental to the students’ future and – should calamities occur – also the reputation of the construction industry,” he says.

No short cuts

In line with this there is an increasing trend of candidates insisting on doing courses for which they do not have necessary knowledge or practical experience to successfully complete.

“There can be no short cuts to becoming a good concrete technologist and that is why the School recommends that the student starts his or her education at the right level and only steps up to the next level when sufficient appropriate experience within the industry has been obtained,” he notes.

He said the more than 130 000 items in The Concrete Institute’s Information Centre bear testament to how broad the subject of concrete technology is.

“Detailed knowledge on a large range of topics is needed by a concrete technologist. Fresh and hardened properties of concrete, aggregates, admixtures, mix design, testing, durability, special mixes and production are just nine topics out of the 59 subjects covered in the Advanced Concrete Technology (ACT) programme presented by the School. This is the level of education these professionals really should be aiming for.”

Roxburgh is urging professionals to avoid taking the short cut to job security through paper chasing which ultimately could ruin their careers or have calamitous effects for their employers.