HND Construction (Design & Build Technician) FT Jan Start

Group Project (Pearson-set) 

Through this collaborative project-based unit, students will explore how to define roles in a collaborative team, recognising the skills (and ‘skills gaps’) of each member of the group. Together, students will work to develop a construction project based on their research and analysis, in response to the Pearson-set ‘theme’.  

Content in this unit will typically include role identification and allocation, collaborative structures, human resources management, project management, procurement, tender documentation, information/data sharing, meetings, health and safety, project costing and Building Information Modelling (BIM).  

Personal Professional Development 

This unit provides a framework in which students have the opportunity to reflect on and contextualise the learning they gain from working in the industry. In coordination with tutors and their employers, students will define the scope, duration and content of their expected work-based learning experience. Throughout the period of their work-based learning experience, students will be expected to record and reflect on their own learning.  

Project Management 

Topics covered in this unit include: project management as a discipline and suitability for a range of construction industry activities; project stakeholder types and their management; project manager roles and responsibilities; project management plans. On completion of this unit, students will be able to apply the theories and practices of project management to real-world scenarios. In doing so, they will develop transferable skills as well as equipping themselves with industry-standard tools to work as effective members of a project management team.  

Advanced Construction Drawing & Detailing 

The aim of this unit is to give students an in-depth consideration of the ways that construction information is created, managed and shared throughout the lifecycle of a built asset. As well as understanding the different types of information required for complex projects, students will explore the development and use of standards to ensure consistency and interoperability of the data captured and shared, both in a geometric and non-geometric fashion.  

In this unit, students will engage in the ways that construction drawing and detailing have evolved. They will gain knowledge and skills in documenting projects using modern methods and technologies.  

Construction Technology for Complex Buildings Projects 

This unit is designed to give students a thorough understanding of the technology involved in complex buildings. Students will discover how scientific solutions are applied to complex building projects through technology, the choice of materials, buildability and construction methods. Particular emphasis is placed on the consideration of sustainability and health and safety in the construction of complex structures.  

On successful completion of this unit, students will have applied suitable strategies, processes and methods of construction to meet prevailing conditions. They will be able to justify selected materials and construction methods used in complex buildings against set criteria and choose systems to facilitate alternative uses of buildings.  

Contracts & Management 

The overall aim of this unit is to give students a working knowledge of contracts so that they can manage a project team in accordance with the agreed terms and conditions of the contract. The principal person responsible for this is often the quantity surveyor and it is their responsibility to ensure compliance with the conditions of the contract.  

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to run and administer a project using the contract terms and conditions that have been agreed between a client and the main contractor. Students will also have the fundamental knowledge and skills to progress to a higher level of study.  

Value Engineering & Cost Control 

In this unit, students will explore the application of value engineering principles to scenarios or case studies in order to develop an understanding of how they are applied in a construction context. Students will also explore the various methods used to control costs. Through an understanding of cost control and value engineering, students will develop their knowledge and skills in order to manage and reconcile project costs.  

Building Management Systems 

The aim of this unit is for students to explore the rapidly growing range of services provided by BMS technology and to assess its contribution to the renewable energy debate. Students also have the opportunity to apply their research by carrying out the design of a BMS.  

On successful completion of this unit, students will be conversant with current and emerging BMS technologies. They will also have developed the skills necessary to evaluate the benefit of a BMS and be able to apply their theoretical knowledge to a real-life installation. 

Graduates often progress into roles such as Architectural Technician, Design & Build Technician, BIM Technician, CAD Designer, Building Services Designer, Civil Engineering Technician, Design Coordinator, etc.  

Many also choose to continue to postgraduate study in the areas of Architectural Technology, Digital Design for Construction (BIM), Civil and Structural Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Construction Project Management, Sustainable Design and Construction. 

• GCSE English and Maths grades at C/4 or above, or equivalent Level 2 qualifications and a HNC in Construction Management (HTQ)

• Possibly relevant experience in the construction and built environment industry