General guidance

General Guidance

The following support materials have been developed to help provide further guidance and direction on key areas relating to the successful delivery of the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.

Please read Working with Schools and Colleges: Guidance for employers in the first instance.

If you have any questions or queries that you have not been able to find the answers to, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Employer Engagement

Engaging with work-related learning in the Construction and the Built Environment sector holds special challenges for both learning institutions and employers. The Employer engagement protocol has been put together for employers, schools and colleges engaged in work-related learning activities associated with the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.

A series of consortium engagement events have taken place around the country with the intention of improving employer engagement in the delivery of the Diploma. The latest set of workshops were attended by representatives of employers, schools, colleges, EBPs, LEAs and Connexions, resulting in some positive outcomes and recommendations.

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Engaging with Professional Bodies

In 2009 a project on Engaging with Professional Bodies, was run with the aim of further raising awareness about the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (CBE) and promote its formal recognition by individual Professional Bodies. Formal statements of support were sought from the relevant bodies, and they were asked to publish these widely. Ways into the professions and into membership of the relevant bodies for holders of the Advanced Diploma in CBE were discussed. Ways of engaging the professional bodies with Diploma delivery were explored.

Read the final follow up report on the commitments made by professional bodies to support The Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment, and to create a model for the ongoing engagement of these organisations with the qualification as it grows and develops.

Look at our guidance and support material about how the Construction and Built Environment professional bodies can help you and your learners.

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Health and Safety Guidance
  • An introduction to health and safety on construction sites for 14-16 year-old students on work experience - this is guidance that should be given to students who are about to embark on site based work experience.
  • HSE guidance on office safety – this short leaflet covers the main elements of office safety to consider
  • Short health and safety guidance for young apprentices - this short document provides Employers with brief guidance on health and safety. Initially designed by ConstructionSkills for young apprentice work placements in construction it is also extremely relevant and useful for the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.
  • Extended health and safety guidance - this extended document provides Employers with extended guidance on health and safety. Initially designed by ConstructionSkills for young apprentice work placements in construction it is also extremely relevant and useful for the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.
  • Free Health and Safety Qualifications for 14-19 year olds before they embark on work experience or their first job -  For more information, call the British Safety Council on 020 8600 1034 or visit www.britsafe.org/schools
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Insurance Advice

Health and safety are important considerations in the arrangements for placements.   It may seem like a daunting area but plenty of employers already undertake activities with students so it is possible to make sure you get the right insurance cover in place

It is essential that:

  1. students are properly prepared and briefed on the hazards of the workplace and the control measures provided to reduce or eliminate risk or injury, before they start work
  2. employers, workplace supervisors and other employees know exactly what is expected of them and are aware of their legal responsibilities
  3. the school or college is clear about its responsibilities in arranging placements for students and introducing them to general health and safety at work issues, prior to their placement.

Visits to premises

Before agreement is reached on possible work experience placements/visits, representatives of the school/college or agency organising the activity are advised to look round the premises from the point of view of health and safety. They will probably ask:

  • to see the employer’s written safety policy
  • for confirmation that the premises have been notified to the relevant enforcing authority
  • the employer to complete a form giving assurances about a number of issues recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

As the school has a general duty of care towards its students on placements, employers’ assurances on these points will be very helpful. In addition, organisers of work experience placements, including schools, have particular responsibilities under health and safety law to place students in a healthy and safe environment, and to take reasonable care to ensure safety.

School and employer responsibilities

Once there is agreement in principle, there needs to be a more detailed discussion to ensure a clear understanding between the employer and the school on respective responsibilities, in particular on:

  1. the results of the employer’s health and safety risk assessment (before the student takes up the placement) and the measures taken to control or eliminate the risks
  2. the activities which students are to undertake; whether there are any areas of work, or processes, to which access should be denied to all, or to particular, students; and what needs to be done to ensure that students do not have access to them
  3. whether there are any students who need special arrangements, for example, children with disabilities and on medical grounds such as asthma, colour blindness, epilepsy, hearing impairment, other special needs or maturity/ behavioural considerations.
  4. arrangements to be made for briefing, health and safety induction, training and supervision, including supervision during meal-times, breaks etc. A suggested checklist is given in Annex C
  5. employers’ responsibilities under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

In the case of longer, or several consecutive placements, it will be necessary to draw up a formal agreement with the school or college. This may be simplified in the case of shorter or more occasional placements. Clarity about respective tasks and responsibilities of the partners must, however, be the aim in all circumstances. The school/college will probably ask for undertakings that:

  1. students will not be permitted to do work which is either prohibited by law, or, too hazardous for the young and inexperienced;
  2. students will be given the full range of health and safety protection that would be provided to young employees including, for example:
  • an introduction to the risks and hazards of the work
  • the control measures introduced to reduce or eliminate risk, for example, the use of protective clothing or equipment. (see also the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999).

If groups of students are to be taken on a visit, employers will need to ensure that numbers are small enough to be properly supervised. Particular care should be taken in respect of hazards about which, in the case of short visits, it may not have been possible to prepare and brief students in depth.

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Work Experience
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Child Protection
  • Detailed information for teachers about how children are protected in the school environment – this is a detailed leaflet explaining the lengths and processes put in place to protect children whilst in the learning environment
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Arranging a teacher placement visit

Teachers need to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. A placement in a company can help them ensure they understand current practices, procedures and address any specific gaps that they may have in relation to their knowledge of the industry.

Some teacher placements last for one day, while others can run for three or five days. There are organisers throughout the country who help set up and manage these placements. Details are available from the National Education Business Partnership (NEBPN) for one day placements and the Heads, Teachers and Industry (HTI) who organise longer placements.

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