Advanced Professional Certificate in construction (City and Guilds)
Unit 10: Business skills for owner managers - Level 3
Unit Summary
This unit concerns the knowledge and skills required to demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles, needed when setting up a new business or running a small business, in relation to:
- the need for a business plan
- the nature of the construction industry
- principles of marketing and production
- financial statements
- personnel and recruitment
- administration systems
- setting objectives and contingency planning
- the format in which a business plan is completed.
This unit is divided into sixteen outcomes which may be studied separately. Alternatively, you may use occupational evidence for accreditation of each outcome, separately or collectively.
Aims
This unit aims to enable the candidate to:
- acquire an understanding of how a small business should be run and the factors which need to be taken into account when establishing such a business within the construction industry
- gain a working knowledge of the financial, administrative, marketing, planning and managerial skills required for the success of a small business
- develop plans and strategies and design realistic means of realising the goals identified together with contingency plans for changes of circumstances.
Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit the candidate will be able to:
- explain the problems associated with starting up a small business
- explain the strengths and potential of small businesses
- identify the components of a business plan and explain why such a plan is essential for a small business
- demonstrate an understanding of the sector of the construction industry in which the business is operating
- explain how new technology and speed of change may influence or affect a small business
- explain the basic principles of marketing and small business planning
- identify ways in which work may be obtained, products sold and services supplied
- explain the implications on a business of resource utilisation, levels of components/raw materials stock and premises
- explain elements of an accounting system for financial control
- methods of obtaining finance for a business
- calculate gross profit margin, net profit margin and break even costs
- explain employee involvement and develop a recruitment policy for a small business
- explain the legal requirements of a company
- maintain business records in an appropriate format
- produce documents, letters and written text to a professional standard
- present a business plan for an identified sector of construction.
Assessment
The outcomes of this unit will be assessed on the production of a portfolio of work portfolio of work demonstrating an understanding of the business skills by an owner manager setting up a company OR developing a newly established company, operating in one identified area of the construction sector. The portfolio must include information:
- relating to the nature of the construction industry,
- detailing the principles of marketing, advertising and production,
- relating to personnel and recruitment,
- detailing administrative systems and information to be kept on record,
- setting objectives, preparing financial statements and cash flow and profit forecasts,
- presented as a business plan for a small company.
The portfolio must contain written material, diagrams, charts and sketches.
This unit is assessed through a combination of your portfolio work and a written paper comprising short answer questions referenced to a test specification covering each of the fifteen outcomes of study.
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