Gulf Construction Online - GAI diploma most sought after in Gulf

Britain & the Mideast

Panic and emergency exit hardware ... covered by the course.

GAI diploma most sought after in Gulf

With record numbers of candidates from the Gulf lining up for the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers’ (GAI) examination, the UK trade association elaborates on the qualification and what makes it so popular in the region.

01 June 2011

ARCHITECTURAL Ironmongery – the hardware on a door such as locks, handles, hinges and closers – is critical to the success of the building’s security, safety and accessibility. Therefore, it is possibly one of the most complex, legislated and regulated areas of the building industry.

Hence, the architectural ironmonger plays a vital role, working with architects to design the hardware for every door on a building, to produce a document known as the schedule – a skilled and complex job that requires professional training and education.

Many large projects in the Gulf region require a hardware consultant as part of the contract conditions when it comes to architectural ironmongery, naturally giving companies with a qualified ironmonger a competitive advantage.

It is also a fact that European – and especially British – contractors still carry a significant influence in the region and look for sub-contractors with recognised qualifications, knowledge and credentials. European standards are widely respected too and products usually have to be specified to EN (Euro Norm) or British Standards on larger projects.

This is probably a major factor in the increase in the number of Gulf students sitting for a Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) examination.

GAI runs a three-year course covering all aspects of architectural ironmongery in the UK, which is designed for everyone working in the architectural ironmongery industry and is constantly updated to reflect changes in the industry.

There are three levels to the programme and success in the third leads to the award of the GAI diploma. Each level is designed to be completed comfortably in a year. Like all high-quality training programmes, the GAI’s programme is extremely comprehensive, and by the end of Level Three, students have covered every conceivable aspect of architectural ironmongery. The programme is written by experienced architectural ironmongers and, therefore, rooted in the real world. There is no unnecessary theory to grind through. Every element of the programme has a practical application.

Top of the class ... at last November’s GAI Education Awards in London, Cheryl Flinders won the Pinnacle Award for the best aggregate score over the three-year course. The award was presented by rugby star Austin Healey (left) in the presence of GAI president Andrew Hall and David Wigglesworth, managing director of Union Architectural Hardware and Adam’s Rite Europe (right).

It is perhaps this practicality that is making the GAI qualification so popular all the GCC states. This year, 59 candidates from across the region will be sitting their exams in Dubai – just one less than the number attending in London – proof of the strength of the qualification in the Middle East.

So why are ironmongers in the region so keen to get this UK-based qualification?

GAI’s education manager Keith Maer explains: “The GAI’s education syllabus is unique. It is the only recognised programme in Europe that leads to a qualification in ironmongery specification. And it is respected and admired not only in our own trade in the UK but among specifiers, contractors and clients alike across the world.”

“No other scheme offers such a broad knowledge and understanding of ironmongery, leading to the most recognised qualification in the industry. The GAI is very proud of its record of preparing so many students for a career in architectural ironmongery for over 40 years,” he says.

The programme has helped provide a number of students with the right training to give them a competitive edge in the career market, with companies too recognising the significance of the qualification. Adam Taylor, who works for hardware company Hafele in the UAE, is one of the GAI qualification’s biggest exponents in the region, volunteering for the organisation to help set up the region’s training courses and exam centres. “I passed my exam in 1994 so I know the benefits in understanding our industry and the correct level of training, which is why I introduced it into my region.”

Taylor, who oversees 70 staff in the GCC countries for Hafele, says: “We are one of the most respected suppliers to the industry and in part I think this is down to good training as well as the service and product range we offer our customers, It is important, therefore, that my team are experts in their field. We also need to keep up to date with the latest standards as it’s very easy to feel cut off from the world here, so again the training programme keeps us up to date,” he says.

He says that in terms of exam success, Hafele conducts some in-house training to give staff a better chance of passing as it is often difficult to fit in home study with busy schedules. “I think the staff feel more value to the company by undertaking the work and of course securing their own job future.”

Laidlaw Gulf is another architectural ironmongery company in Dubai that places great emphasis on employing GAI-qualified staff on its payroll. “Having GAI-qualified staff adds value to our position as a professional supplier of hardware to major projects. Clients are reassured when they see that their schedule has been prepared by a GAI-qualified scheduler,” says Laidlaw’s Clive Edgley.

“Completing the GAI qualification programme also benefits us in terms of having more knowledgeable and confident staff, better able and equipped to handle the large, complicated projects with which we are dealing.”

Any spending that comes straight off the bottom line might look susceptible for cuts at the moment. But the GAI is arguing the case that staff training should be retained in budgets. “The economic downturn has had a significant impact on the funds invested by many businesses in training. But when times are tough, it is the service and expertise you can offer which makes businesses stand out from the crowd. Well-trained, knowledgeable staff, who know their stuff are an asset to any business,” says Maer.

GAI represents the majority of architectural ironmongers in the UK as well as the leading manufacturers of architectural ironmongery. It also administers the benchmark qualifications for professional architectural ironmongers and is dedicated to raising standards and encouraging best practice in all aspects of the sector.