When prospective or current tradespeople from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances have wished to put in place the strongest possible foundations for their future career in construction, they have long turned to YTA in West Yorkshire. The reasons for that are many, although the main one is undoubtedly our training courses themselves.
Depending on your own situation, however, you might not necessarily want to take on an entire construction training course. Consider, for example, our Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) routes.
We offer these routes for wall and floor tiling, site carpentry, plastering, and bricklaying. As the above term suggests, the EWPAs are aimed at those who already have a certain level of experience and expertise in the field in question.
By completing an EWPA – which you can do at our centre in one day – you can earn an NVQ Level 2 qualification, thereby greatly upgrading your CV, and enabling you to attain the blue skilled worker CSCS card allowing you to gain work on a construction site.
So, what is the bricklaying EWPA about?
For this blog post, we are focusing in particular on the bricklaying EWPA option for those who already have at least five years’ bricklaying experience. We’re well-known for our both beginner and advanced bricklaying courses at YTA, but this practical assessment route is a very different proposition.
Taking on the EWPA is not about adding to your existing skills and knowledge – it’s about demonstrating to an assessor the skills and knowledge you already possess, through a process involving witness testimonies, practical assessment, professional discussion, and direct questioning.
During your day at our centre, you will be assessed in five mandatory units, covering general workplace safety, efficient work practices, the movement and handling of resources, the erection of masonry structures, and the setting out of masonry structures. There is also a series of optional units, with one of these able to be chosen to support your bid for the qualification.
The result, as long as you satisfy the requirements of this assessment, can be the award of the Cskills Awards Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Trowel Occupations (Construction) QUA813. You will be told at the end of the day whether you have achieved the qualification, and if you have indeed been successful in this aim, you can expect to receive your certificate within 14 days.
What if you can’t wait that long to get on-site? Well, you do have the option – as soon as we have you registered – to apply for and gain a temporary card that will provide you with a six-month window in which to complete the EWPA.
Talk to us about our services in bricklaying training and assessment
Whether you are considering contacting the YTA team to discuss with us the novice, intermediate and advanced bricklaying courses we have to offer, or instead with the EWPA in mind, we are well-placed to help you advance as a bricklayer.
Amid hopes that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is finally receding, and with many of us eager to make changes to our lives for the better, now could be the perfect time to invest in acquiring a new bricklaying qualification. For further information about the bricklaying EWPA and to book your place on a convenient date for you, simply call 01274 682199 today.