EMERGING CONTRACTOR PROGRAMME

Background

The Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal emerging contractor programme was established in 2013 with the view of developing the business acumen of emerging contractors within the building industry by guiding and supporting them in maintaining sustainable businesses. 

Training 

Formal training interventions were identified as critical to improving the business and contracting skills of the beneficiaries. 

The modules selected form part of the qualification National Certificate: Construction Contracting. Certificates of attendance are awarded after each module, and then at the end of the programme participants receive a completion certificate.

Mentorship

During mentorship, a mentor guides their mentee and shares business experiences and challenges with the mentee to help the mentee reflect on the challenges within their own business. The objective is to enhance their skills and ability to manage similar challenges in future and in doing so track their performance. 

The mentorship programme comprises:

• One-on-one sessions, including telephone, email and visits by the mentor to project undertaken by the mentee. 
• Group sessions
• Onsite visits to entities able to demonstrate best practice in the various aspects of construction activities. 

The emerging contractors need to understand that it takes determination to run a successful business. Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal will continue to facilitate development of emerging contractors in the construction industry through training and business enhancement interventions.

Vuka Makhi Programme

The Vuka Makhi Programme targets the employees of Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal member companies and students who have chosen the built environment as a career of choice. It comprises three focus areas, namely: 
1. Candidacy Intervention
2. Short Skills Intervention
3. Skills Card Intervention 

Candidacy Intervention

The programme is aimed to support built environment graduates on their route to professional registration with SACPCMP in the following categories:

• Candidate Construction Manager 
• Professional Construction Manager 
• Candidate Construction Project Manager 
• Professional Construction Project Manager 
• Construction Health and Safety Officer
• Construction Health and Safety Manager 
• Construction Health and Safety Agent
  

The programme is offered to members of the Association at no cost. Successful candidates will need to comply with requirements set out by the Council and their mentor.

Skills Card Intervention

It is recognised that many construction workers acquire various skills whilst working, however these skills are rarely recognised because no formal assessment has taken place. 

Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal will be instituting a skills card programme whereby construction workers who have no formal qualification may apply for our skills card programme within the following four areas of trade:

• Bricklaying
• Carpentry 
• Plastering
• Plumbing 
  

The Association will assess the workers, do top up training if necessary and then issue a competency skills card for that trade. The employer benefits by knowing his workers are qualified in that area of trade, and the employees have validation that they are competent for a particular trade.

Short Skills Intervention
The development of skills can contribute to structural transformation and economic growth by enhancing employability and labour productivity. The construction sector in South Africa continually faces a skills shortage in various areas of construction, and our short skills intervention programme aims to help close this gap by providing skilled training in the relevant areas.

 The occupational Health and Safety Act requires that the employer ensures that they provide a safe work environment to all employees. This includes understanding applicable legislation, regulations and by-laws and ensuring that the proper paperwork in place, so that in the event of an incident or accident, both the employee and employer are covered by workman’s compensation. Our short skills programme covers training of all aspects of an Occupational Health and Safety file as required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Master Builders KwaZulu Natal’s Short Skills Programme covers the skills, knowledge and understanding required to be an effective Health and Safety supervisor within the construction industry whether in a micro, small, medium, or large context of operations.

The Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Bursary Fund’s primary aim is to enable young people who have chosen a career in construction. The object is to address the current and future skills shortage and promote the construction industry.

To learn more these programmes, please call 031 831 3218.