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UNEMPLOYED young people are being trained to become
building inspectors by the Coega Development Corporation (CDC).

The Building Inspector Training Programme (BITP) was launched in April
this year with the aim of developing a solid and formidable pool of
building inspectors who will create the desired outcomes on top
structured buildings with the aim of improving their quality.

³It¹s been well documented that the housing quality in South Africa has
found itself in an undesirable state. This has affected projects such as
RDP houses, road infrastructure etc.,² said Prof Siyabonga Simayi, CDC
Programme Director.

The BITP programme consists of 12 trainees and follows a two-pronged
approach designed to take the form of apprenticeship training,
incorporating practical training in all key facets of the built
environment and onsite mentorship under seasoned building inspectors.

The BITP programme is set to run for a period of 18 months with up to
eight months of practical training and the balance for mentorship. The
programme is aimed at developing unemployed young people with
prerequisite building environment theory into full-fledged building
inspectors. The envisaged outcome is a solid and formidable pool of
building inspectors premised on maintaining quality provision of
construction services within the built industry.

"In initiating this programme CDC was not oblivious to the traditional
process of the built environment, which normally entails organic
development into the role by virtue of skills and knowledge gathered over
years through industry experience,² said Mzoxolo Dube, CDC Head of
Technical Skills Development Centre.

The organisation has undertaken research to learn from practices in other
countries that apply both parallel approaches, organic development -
evolving into the role without following training programmes -   and
focused training- directed to the subject matter and envisaged outcomes.

³CDC believes that rigorously trained and mentored individuals can be
developed into building inspectors of high quality," added Dube.

The role of building inspectors is essential in ensuring quality of
provision and subsequently longevity of infrastructure. Key to this is
building to specifications and adherence to regulations during the
building process.

To this effect, the following skills are critical to the programme:
€       Compliance to legal requirements, including building regulations,
health and safety standards, and regular and frequent inspection of
building works on site in reference to drawings or specifications.
€       Measuring and sampling building materials to check quality,
identify defects and provide guidance with regard to corrective measures.

To ensure that participants garner the expected skills from the
programme, ongoing rigorous assessments will be conducted throughout the
institution training period and will take the form of both Training
Performance Criteria (TPC) and Production Performance Criteria (PPC).

During institutional training different subject matter experts (training
facilitators) will be largely responsible for training provision
including assessments. Upon successful completion of this leg of
training, expected to take a minimum of eight months, participants will
be placed on various construction sites under qualified and experienced
building inspectors for the mentorship aspect of the programme.  Onsite
log books will also be updated to document exposure to pertinent tasks.

"Being part of this programme has given me hope and the opportunity to do
what I love. I am truly looking forward to gaining onsite exposure and
perfecting my site inspection skills," said Lihle Maqokolo, participant
of the programme.

Programme participants who successfully complete the entire course will
be awarded institutional certificates in line with Skills Development
Centre (SDC) accreditation. Further, successful participants will be
placed by the CDC on suitable projects as junior building inspectors
while they are still under the guidance of experienced building
inspectors.

"Our priority has always been aimed at creating an environment for
sustainable growth. It¹s always CDC's endeavour to grow in leaps and
bounds whilst contributing to the growth of young people, particularly
from previously disadvantaged segments of society.

³Sustainable socio-economic growth should be driven by members of society
if socio-economic transformation is to be felt across the board. That is
why at CDC, we continue to equip those who take part in our programmes
with the skills they require to take up the baton," said Dube.

Issued by COEGA