FIVE DAYS OF CONCRETE TRAINING THAT CAN BOOST CAREERS – AND SUSTAINABILITY

By Jan de Beer on behalf of Cement & Concrete SA’s School of Concrete Technology

South African construction industry professionals need only devote five days of their time later this year for intensive training in concrete technology to boost their own career opportunities and ensure that the structures they design have maximum sustainability, says John Roxburgh, senior lecturer at Cement & Concrete SA’s School of Concrete Technology.

The School will be presenting the important SCT30 “Concrete Technology” course in Midrand from September 12 to 16 and November 7 to 11. The course will also be presented in Cape Town from November 21 to 25 and in Durban from October 10 to 14.  

Roxburgh believes there is an alarming dearth of South African civil engineers with sufficient knowledge of how concrete really works. “Concrete technology skills are extremely scarce in South Africa mainly because too many professionals are either not prepared to devote time to study the subject or feel that such knowledge is not vital in their profession. But with increasing structures collapsing prematurely from all over the world, it is time for consultants to realise that they simply cannot do without technological knowledge of concrete.”

Roxburgh says if civil and structural engineers – and architects – had time for just one training course, the SCT30 Concrete Technology should be their priority. The five-day training course with laboratory sessions cover important aspects such as:

• Properties of concrete
• Concrete mix design and production
• Mix design for specialised applications
• Off-shutter and architectural finishes
• Formwork, reinforcement and joints
• Defects, blemishes and repairs
• Mixing water and chemical admixtures
• Temperature’s effects on concrete quality, and
• Placing, compaction, protection, and curing of concrete

Roxburgh says professionals who successfully complete the School of Concrete Technology’s SCT30 training course could increase their concrete skills even further with more advanced training, culminating in the globally-respected Advanced Concrete Technology (ACT) certification. But, importantly, even if armed only with a SCT30 certification, professionals will command respect in the construction industry and be able to access wide-ranging career-boosting opportunities.

“Every construction company, cement producer, admixture supplier, ready mixed concrete company, concrete testing laboratory, precast concrete factory, structural consulting firm, municipality, government departments dealing with infrastructural development, architectural and quantity surveying businesses, project development and management firm need the services of a person competent in concrete technology.   

“There is now also the exciting and multi-faceted field of decorative concrete to further illustrate the huge scope for concrete technologists.  The scarcity of concrete technologists is good news for anyone wanting to make a career out of concrete technology – and the SCT30 Concrete Technology course is the launching pad for such ambitious professionals,” adds Roxburgh, who feels the importance of this course – which carries five CPD points – cannot be overstated.  For full details about qualification for SCT30 as well as other courses planned by the School of Concrete Technology in 2022, phone 011 315 0300 or visit www.cemcon-sa.org.za