In a bid to catch them young, the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Lagos chapter has charged pupils in secondary schools to develop a career path in the building profession.
It stated that such interest in the industry at an early age would help to monitor and manage building production processes, as well as, avoid building collapse in the country.
The immediate past chairman of the chapter, Sunday Wusu, led the charge at the Institute’s ‘catch them young’ programme for 2022 builders’ week held at Mainland Senior High School and Stadium Senior High School, lyun Road Surulere, Lagos.
The programme was part of efforts aimed to instil in the pupil’s sense of confidence in the building profession despite the recent collapse of a building at Ita-Faji, Lagos, where about 20 students died in 2019.
The NIOB boss said the forum is designed to broaden the mind of the students, as they set up to choose a profession and enlighten them on their stand in the profession.
Wusu said: “We have been propagating about how to stop the menace of building collapse. We try to do an awareness campaign among the public and government so that this building collapse issue can be abated. We also want to catch students young, we want to see how a lot of these science students can subscribe to the building as a profession.”
On the challenges facing the industry, he observed that most contractors are not professional builders hence, they compound problems of the sector by not building right.
He, therefore, urged the government to make sure that builders on construction sites in the state carry out their responsibility in accordance with stipulated laws.
Contributing, the immediate past treasurer of the chapter, Mr. Mubarak Gbaja-Biamila said there was a need to encourage studies of building technology by students while they are still young.
He explained that there is a difference between having a career in the building industry and being a professional builder.
“Get an academic qualification from the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), accredited polytechnics and universities. You need to apply for relevant membership grades such as craftsman, student, technician, licentiate, technologist, graduate and corporate membership. Also, take other relevant prescribed examinations for progression,” he said.
According to him, there are lots of opportunities for a registered builder to work. The opportunities he explained are contract manager, site manager, section manager, estimator, structural coordinator, total quality manager, purchasing manager, planning and resource manager, federal and state ministry of work, banks, airports, schools and others.
The vice-chairman of the Lagos chapter, Adeoye Thomas said the institute is disturbed about the high rate of building collapse in the country.
Thomas said: “We want to stop building collapse in the country by creating public enlightenment on the essence of building right. We must engage other professionals on the job so that anything coming up will be a good product.”
