Schools inquiry told of new ‘threat’ to building standards

The prospect of lessons being learned from the Edinburgh schools scandal could be undermined by changes which “pose a major threat of deskilling” Scotland’s future construction workforce.

Building industry leaders say they have already complained to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) about moves to water down the traditional craft apprenticeship qualifications which could “undermine” the way youngsters are trained in key areas like bricklaying.

MSPS will today kick off an inquiry into the scandal which saw the closure of 17 schools in Edinburgh last year following the collapse of a wall at Oxgangs school in the city. Holyrood’s education committee will take evidence from Professor John Cole who published a damning report into construction standards at the schools involved and warned similar faults are likely to be widespread in buildings across Scotland.

Prof Cole had called for a review of the training and apprenticeships in Scotland including “skills tests”.

But Vaughan Hart, managing director of the Scottish Building Federation says proposed SQA changes to the training and apprenticeships could “seriously hamper the fulfilment of those recommendations and pose a major threat of deskilling in the industry.”

He said that the industry was frozen out of changes to the SVQ Level 3 craft apprenticeships which includes bricklaying. He adds: “SQA has also indicated its intention to pursue diluted SVQ level 2 craft qualifications in future, which we believe would be a retrograde step.”

The SBF warns that there could now be a “diminution of the value” of apprenticeship qualifications for construction workers and warns that this will make it “more difficult to fulfil the recommendations of the Cole report.”

The scandal unfolded when part of an external wall at Oxgangs Primary School in Edinburgh collapsed last January. It led to 17 schools in Edinburghbeingclosedclosed due to safety concerns, with over 8,000 pupils affected.

An SQA spokesman said: “The construction industry, including the Scottish Building Federation, requested the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) include a skills test within the new Level 3 Craft Apprenticeship SVQ, and the assessment strategy had been updated to reflect this. These skill tests are built into the SVQ to best ensure the independence and robust quality of the SVQS and the apprenticeship going forward.”