Higher National Certificate in Construction
Birmingham, United Kingdom
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 1,542 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* per 20 credits
Scholarships
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Introduction
Want a comprehensive introduction to the construction industry? Study HNC Construction and structure your coursework in your own way. You’ll gain fundamental knowledge that will set you up to explore a range of construction roles. Plus, it’s a great way of progressing onto one of our Built Environment degree courses.
The skills you gain are very much in demand and graduates of the School have secured roles with major engineering and construction companies such as Laing O'Rourke, Mott MacDonald, Taylor Wimpey, Birmingham City Council and Birmingham International Airport.
What's covered in this course?
Offering expert training for technologists in the design, production and management of buildings, the HNC Construction course has a practical focus and professional respect.
You’ll gain a sound understanding of the technical, legal and scientific principles of construction. Seminars and lectures are backed up by construction site visits which will bring your studies to life. You’ll also be supported by expert staff who have professional experience working on multi-million-pound housing and commercial developments, as well as having an excellent working knowledge of the construction industry.
Close links with the industry will provide you with valuable connections. You’ll have the chance to take part in student awards with big-name sponsors, such as BAM, Bouyges, UK North and Midlands, giving you the chance to gain recognition and make contacts to help further your future career.
You’ll also benefit from having access to both state-of-the-art digital facilities and traditional resources. Using advanced BIM software, surveying equipment and a computer-generated virtual building site, you get accustomed to the technology used in the industry.
Birmingham’s cutting-edge development presents fantastic opportunities to gain experience and contacts for our students based in the city centre location.
Why choose us?
- Satisfying professional body requirements, this course places you in typical working situations, giving you vital experience.
- Using advanced CAD software, surveying equipment and a computer-generated virtual building site, you will become accustomed to the technology used in industry so that when you enter your career, you’ll have the skills that give you a competitive advantage.
- You’ll benefit from the invaluable industry insight of staff and guest speakers who have worked on major projects and developments.
- You will have the chance to take part in student awards with big-name sponsors such as Thomas Vale. These give you the chance to gain recognition and make contacts which could prove beneficial in your future career.
- Studying on a day-release, one-day-per-week basis, you can build your coursework around your working commitments.
Curriculum
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 60 credits):
- Construction Technology
- Science and Materials
- Legal Obligations in the Built Environment
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 40 credits):
- Management and Practice in Construction
- Individual Project
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following indicative list of optional modules:
- Planning and Design for the Built Environment
- Measuring and Estimating Practice
- Building Information for Construction
- Valuation
Career Opportunities
Enhancing your employability skills
This is a part-time course intended generally for employed students. By studying with us, you’ll learn key aspects of the building industry that will help your promotion prospects, and understand underlying concepts and principles to help you see the relationship between theory and practice.
You’ll learn to use industry equipment and software. Building information management is essential in today’s world of design and construction and experience with industry-related software is central to our approach, giving you an insight into the world of virtual technology. You’ll also have access to a virtual building site, giving you the experience of real-life scenarios. Problem-based learning scenarios based upon a real site will develop your understanding of areas including surveying, design, construction, budget, health and safety and project management.
Awards and company links provide you with great opportunities. Student Luke Eversham won the HNC Thomas Vale Award for Outstanding Student of the Year. This recognition strengthened his CV, showing how he applied the theory he learnt in class to industrial work. Josh Prescott won the Best Student Prize in Birmingham City Council’s excellence awards and has now gone on to study a Construction Management BSc.
The course gives you a strong understanding of the construction process, the types of construction methods used and the environmental, social and economic factors which influence changes in building design and usage for new build.
You’ll develop a range of transferable skills, such as how to communicate ideas and solve problems, as well as develop negotiation and planning skills. With group project work and individual tasks, you’ll learn how to work effectively and efficiently either on your own or as part of a team.
Placements
The delivery of the course is complemented by a range of visits to construction sites where you will be able to appreciate theory in context.
On completion of the Construction HNC, you can normally progress to the third year of an appropriate five-year part-time degree course or to the second year of an appropriate three-year full-time degree course within the school, providing you have gained the required standards and subjects.
Many of our students are already employed within the construction industry in jobs in their specialist discipline. For students not already in employment, there is a range of placement opportunities available in local companies. Students have found employment with private practices, main contractors, subcontractors and supply chains associated with the construction sector.
Facilities
Program Admission Requirements
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