Builders to create awareness about National Vocational Qualification Framework

The Nigerian Institute of Building has said, there is a need to create more awareness about the National Vocational Qualification Framework, an initiative of the National Board for Technical Education that was approved by the Federal Executive Council for the qualification, management, administration and accreditation of builders.

The NIOB in a statement signed by its national president, Mr. Tunde Lasabi, said that this would form the basis for its 45th Builders’ Conference and Annual General Meeting, with the theme: ‘Skills development and entrepreneurship in the construction industry’, billed to hold between August 3 and 7 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to Lasabi, the framework provides a national system of ordering national vocational qualifications in line with progressive levels of attainment and areas of certified skills competence.

He said builders at the conference would also focus on craftsmen and artisans’ training, construction skills development, policy issues in the economy and business skills development among construction professionals.

“Builders will be taught skills in starting up their business and becoming employers of labour. As builders, our foremost concern is that the construction of buildings will not be left in the hands of quacks but that builders in Nigeria will continue to play their role effectively as the critical link in building production management,” the NIOB president said.

He added that the conference would be set in an international context to provide opportunity for peer review on global best practices.

Sub-themes of the conference will include the scope of building and construction skills; skills acquisition infrastructure in Nigeria; public policies and management; and innovative materials and technologies, among others.

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The statement read in part, “The theme of this year’s conference is timely considering the enormous responsibilities attached to the actualisation of the role of the Nigerian Institute of Building as a certificate awarding body status accorded to her by National Board for Technical Education.

“Builders are more apt in imbibing professional technicalities in order to forge professional competences and interface with other building industry practitioners in joint efforts to harness resources for the future. In line with Section 13:12.4 of the National Building Code, 2006, which states that the management of the execution of building works, including the supervision of artisans and tradesmen shall be carried out by a registered builder.

“The professional builder must master the science, management and technology of building practice to sufficiently create innovations and adoption of world best practices as a means of relevance and developmental progress.”