27/03/2018

Members of the Property Care Association are now able to achieve Chartered status through a collaboration with the Chartered Association of Building Engineers.

Subject to meeting CABE’s stringent requirements, PCA members can attain the professional position of Chartered Building Engineer, awarded by CABE.

Formed in 1925 as the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors, the CABE is a leading body for professionals specialising in the design, construction, evaluation and maintenance of buildings.

CABE was granted its Royal Charter in 2013 and its professional members practise across the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and around the world, working in both the private and public sectors.

Chief executive of the PCA, Stephen Hodgson, said: “The ability for our members to achieve Chartered member status through the CABE is a major step forward for our association.

“It is a significant addition to the route for progression we have in place for members, which can be achieved through a wide variety of training and development initiatives.

“From apprentices new to the industry, through to members with many years’ experience, there are plenty of opportunities for those in the PCA to develop skills and take advantage of a clearly defined career path.”

The PCA represents the specialist sectors of flood protection, structural repair, structural waterproofing, wood preservation, damp-proofing and invasive weed control, driving high standards of professionalism and expertise throughout the industry.

As a result, training and development is a central pillar of the PCA’s work and it’s an area that the Association has substantially expanded in recent years.

Highlights include the completion in 2016 of a new practical training facility in Huntingdon, which includes a purpose-built centre with a mix of practical areas and classroom environments, created following a five-figure investment by the PCA.

From this facility, and its headquarters nearby, the PCA operates 25 professional and technical training programmes and routes to qualifications.

These include the new Specialist Apprenticeship Programme, developed by the PCA in partnership with CITB, which is available to members as well as the wider specialist construction industry.

Other initiatives include a CPD programme to provide a structured framework for PCA members who endeavour to develop their skills and knowledge in a way that can be easily verified and demonstrated.

An awards ceremony is also held annually by the association to recognise best practice across the industry, while external programmes include a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University College London Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering (UCL IEDE), developed to further advance methods of managing moisture in homes.