ASSOCIATIONS
Supporting roofing
skills development
To boost skills training and development in timber construction,
the Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA),
recently launched an Online Certification Programme.
By ITC-SA
The programme is designed to offer study materials and tests to improve skills in the timber roofing sector.
T
he ITC-SA – a SAQA-accredited
professional body and watchdog for
the timber building industry – is
offering study materials and tests to those
wanting to improve their skills in
timber roofing.
The online programme targets
individuals looking to establish and build a
career in the roofing sector as well as
roofing professionals who want to enhance
and update their current knowledge base.
According to Amanda Obbes, ITC-SA
national coordinator, “Timber engineered
structures are highly specialised and there
are very few skills development and
training programmes available that support
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MAY 2018
RESIDENTIAL // COMMERCIAL // INDUSTRIAL
the profession. As such, the ITC-SA
continues to drive the development and
offering of training programmes within the
timber roof truss industry to ensure
upliftment of skills in the sector and to
encourage young engineers to take an
interest in timber as a viable construction
material. This forms part of our mandate, as
a professional body, to ensure continuous
professional development in the industry.
“The motivation for establishing the
programme is to offer affordable entry-level
skills training at the user’s convenience and
for industry role players, like local authority
building inspectors, National Home
Builders Registration Council (NHBRC)
inspectors and all interested parties, the
option to enhance their knowledge of
timber roof structures,” she adds.
Course content
The online course conforms to the ‘deemed
to satisfy’ requirements of SANS 10243 for
the manufacture and erection of timber
trusses. However, when circumstances
require, these details may be overridden
by the competent person – a designer
or engineer.
If the roof truss manufacturer does not
provide adequate information regarding
truss erection, the details shown in the
handbook enable the erector to comply