NFC in Brick and Block Laying
This course develops your ability to plan and carry out building work through sound construction methods and safe site practice.
About the course
This course develops your ability to plan and carry out building work through sound construction methods and safe site practice. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Interpret building drawings and plan a work sequence.
Apply appropriate construction methods to a supervised task.
Inspect completed work and maintain material and site records.
Requirements
Prepare to follow practical instructions, use basic measurements and keep a simple record of your work. The facilitator will introduce the tools and safe working procedures used in each activity. Check the provider's published admission requirements before enrolment.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 8 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice2 subjects
2Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application4 subjects
3Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency2 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
8 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
- Building Drawings and Measurements. Build foundation skills in building drawings and measurements. Guided examples introduce building symbols and plans and sections, followed by practice with scale and lengths and areas. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material estimates and measurement records to review the result.
- Safe Work and Site Preparation. Build foundation skills in safe work and site preparation. Guided examples introduce site hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with tool inspection and material handling. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use work boundaries and housekeeping to review the result.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
- Masonry Materials and Mortar. Build foundation skills in masonry materials and mortar. Guided examples introduce bricks and blocks, followed by practice with aggregates and binders. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use mortar proportions and storage to review the result.
- Setting Out and Foundations. Build foundation skills in setting out and foundations. Guided examples introduce site reference points and building lines, followed by practice with right angles and foundation concepts. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use levels and checks to review the result.
- Brick and Block Laying. Build foundation skills in brick and block laying. Guided examples introduce bond patterns and corners, followed by practice with courses and mortar beds. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use line and level and joint finishing to review the result.
- Concrete and Basic Finishes. Build foundation skills in concrete and basic finishes. Guided examples introduce concrete ingredients and basic formwork, followed by practice with placement principles and curing. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use surface finishes and defect observations to review the result.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
- Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication. Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
- Building Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate building drawings and measurements, safe work and site preparation within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: explain a procedure, complete a short task and respond to practical questions.
- Suggested practical assessment: demonstrate the skill under supervision and keep a record of completed work.
- Use assessor feedback to correct errors and repeat a task until the agreed quality criteria are met.
Practical application
Complete a supervised building project or full simulation, with setting-out records, material estimates, work methods and quality checks.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
Building Drawings and Measurements
Build foundation skills in building drawings and measurements. Guided examples introduce building symbols and plans and sections, followed by practice with scale and lengths and areas. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material estimates and measurement records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain building symbols and plans and sections using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving scale and lengths and areas.
- Review your work using material estimates and measurement records.
Main topics
- Building symbols
- Plans and sections
- Scale
- Lengths and areas
- Material estimates
- Measurement records
Practical task
Complete a guided building drawings and measurements task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Safe Work and Site Preparation
Build foundation skills in safe work and site preparation. Guided examples introduce site hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with tool inspection and material handling. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use work boundaries and housekeeping to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain site hazards and protective equipment using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving tool inspection and material handling.
- Review your work using work boundaries and housekeeping.
Main topics
- Site hazards
- Protective equipment
- Tool inspection
- Material handling
- Work boundaries
- Housekeeping
Practical task
Complete a guided safe work and site preparation task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
Masonry Materials and Mortar
Build foundation skills in masonry materials and mortar. Guided examples introduce bricks and blocks, followed by practice with aggregates and binders. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use mortar proportions and storage to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain bricks and blocks using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving aggregates and binders.
- Review your work using mortar proportions and storage.
Main topics
- Bricks
- Blocks
- Aggregates
- Binders
- Mortar proportions
- Storage
Practical task
Complete a guided masonry materials and mortar task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Setting Out and Foundations
Build foundation skills in setting out and foundations. Guided examples introduce site reference points and building lines, followed by practice with right angles and foundation concepts. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use levels and checks to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain site reference points and building lines using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving right angles and foundation concepts.
- Review your work using levels and checks.
Main topics
- Site reference points
- Building lines
- Right angles
- Foundation concepts
- Levels
- Checks
Practical task
Complete a guided setting out and foundations task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Brick and Block Laying
Build foundation skills in brick and block laying. Guided examples introduce bond patterns and corners, followed by practice with courses and mortar beds. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use line and level and joint finishing to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain bond patterns and corners using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving courses and mortar beds.
- Review your work using line and level and joint finishing.
Main topics
- Bond patterns
- Corners
- Courses
- Mortar beds
- Line and level
- Joint finishing
Practical task
Complete a guided brick and block laying task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Concrete and Basic Finishes
Build foundation skills in concrete and basic finishes. Guided examples introduce concrete ingredients and basic formwork, followed by practice with placement principles and curing. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use surface finishes and defect observations to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain concrete ingredients and basic formwork using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving placement principles and curing.
- Review your work using surface finishes and defect observations.
Main topics
- Concrete ingredients
- Basic formwork
- Placement principles
- Curing
- Surface finishes
- Defect observations
Practical task
Complete a guided concrete and basic finishes task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication
Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a brick and block laying setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Use guided tasks with feedback and a further attempt after corrections.
Building Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate building drawings and measurements, safe work and site preparation within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Complete a supervised building project or full simulation, with setting-out records, material estimates, work methods and quality checks.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
