Piling Attendant Level 2 Apprenticeship - Van Elle Training Centre

Piling Attendant Level 2 Apprenticeship

If you want to start a career in piling, the Piling Apprenticeship offers the perfect opportunity to be trained as a highly skilled site operative.

We deliver the Piling Apprenticeship in partnership with The Sheffield College. The 2-year programme, fully funded, covers assisting in driving, boring, and forming piles in the ground to provide firm support for buildings and structures.

If you are interested in becoming an apprentice, please Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Eligibility

No experience in the industry is required.

Apprentices must complete or have previously completed recognised English and Mathematics Level 1 qualification (GCSE grade 2 or above) and aspire to achieve English and Mathematics Level 2 qualifications (grade 4 or above) during the apprenticeship.

Skills

On completion of this apprenticeship, Piling Attendants will be able to demonstrate competence in the following:

work safely on site and comply with environmentally responsible work practices
supply information on the activities and progress of the work
contribute to sustainable practices in piling operations
manually handle loads
sling and signal the movement of suspended loads during lifting operations
carry out user maintenance on tools, piling plant and machinery

identify excavated soils and types of rock
apply first aid “At Work”

guide and control the movement and operations of piling plant, machinery, and vehicles
off load and load vehicles
operate powered units, tools, machinery, and equipment specific to piling operations (e.g. concrete pumps, generators, compressors agitators, pressure washers or lighting sets)
support, work as part of a team, to rig and derig piling plant and machinery
monitor the delivery of concrete and take samples for testing
transport, handle, pour, position and lay concrete and protect it for curing

Support one of the following Piling Operations:

Continuous Flight Auger: A continuous flight auger drill is used to excavate a hole and concrete is injected through a hollow shaft under pressure as the auger is extracted. This creates a continuous pile without ever leaving an open hole.
Rotary Large Diameter: uses a bored piling machine with specially designed drilling tools, buckets, and grabs to remove soil and rock. The auger with 4 or 5 turns of flight is bored into the ground, withdrawn, and the spoil removed. This process is repeated until the design depth is reached. Reinforcement is then positioned, and concrete placed.
Driven – Pre-cast: metal or pre-cast concrete piles are usually top-driven using hydraulic drop hammers, some of which are super-silenced. Pre-cast concrete piles can be designed for compression and nominal tension and bending, accommodation of compression and tension, and with full moment-transfer joints.
Sheet or Vibro: Vibratory pile hammers contain a system of counter-rotating eccentric weights, powered by hydraulic motors, and designed in such a way that horizontal vibrations cancel out, while vertical vibrations are transmitted into the pile. The pile driving machine is lifted and positioned over the pile by means of an excavator or crane and is fastened to the pile by a clamp and/or bolts. Vibratory hammers can either drive in or extract a pile; extraction is commonly used to recover steel “H” piles used in temporary foundation shoring (sheet piling).

Training and Assessments

Training is in block release attending off the job courses for example Health & Safety Awareness (CITB), concrete technology, slinger signalling, plant machinery marshal, and gain a valid CSCS card. Assessments to gain the relevant certifications will take place during the apprenticeships.

At the end of the programme, apprentices will be required to successfully complete an End Point Assessment. This consists of a practical assessment of skills learned and a discussion to assess additional knowledge.

Qualifications

As part of the Piling Attendant apprenticeship, apprentices work within a piling rig gang, observing and supporting key activities such as working as a slinger, signaller and operating a concrete pump. The 18-to-24-month programme will see each apprentice gain the Level 2 NVQ in Piling Operations as well as several industry recognised certifications.

Progression and Professional Recognition

This apprenticeship has been designed to deliver sufficient competence, underpinning knowledge, and understanding to allow individuals to meet the requirements of construction industry registration schemes.

Progression from the Level 2 Apprenticeship could lead to Level 3 in specialist piling operations or with experience and maturity Occupational Work Supervision (Piling) within the construction industry. The competencies of this occupation will provide access to a wide range of employment opportunities.

Get in touch to have a chat about the Piling Attendant apprenticeship