PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS AWARDED BY SAQA RECOGNISED PROFESSIONAL BODIES

Short Description

A Fabricator Designer (timber roof structure) is a practicing designer who will traditionally come from the built environment and who must have passed the prescribed ITC-SA examinations as well as the prescribed System Software courses.

Prior experience in roof design and construction, and registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa as an Engineering Technician will be beneficial to the Fabricator Designer, but will not be compulsory.

A Fabricator Designer employed by a Fabricator Member must after completion of his/her probationary period (usually not more than 3 (three) months), apply for Probationary Designer Membership while completing all requirements listed for recognition as a Fabricator Designer in the specified category.

A Probationary Designer Member shall always work under the guidance and mentorship of a System Engineer or Senior Designer that is employed by the Fabricator Member.

The applicant designer shall provide a comprehensive CV and portfolio of evidence with regards to design work done to date and which the ITC-SA can evaluate in the substantiation of the application in a specified category. The CV and portfolio of work done (portfolio of evidence) must confirm under whose mentorship he/she received training to confirm competence in timber structure design and construction.

The Fabricator Designer designation shall provide for registration in the following categories:

  1. CATEGORY A – (High Risk):
    Very Complex roofs, including
    1. Scissors Trusses > 5 meter span
    2. Site Splicing
    3. Attics and Dormers
    4. Spans greater than 10 meter span
    5. Piggy Back Trusses
    6. Cantilevers greater than 2 meters
    7. Complex Industrial
    8. Complex Commercial
    9. Laminated Timber Roof Structures
    10. Public Buildings & Schools
    11. Floor Joist designs with spans greater than 6 meters
  2. CATEGORY B – (Medium Risk):
    Complex Domestic and Simple Industrial and Commercial Roofs, including up to 10 meter span:
    1. 2.1 Hips and Valleys up to 10 meter span
    2. Nonstandard Loads
    3. Scissor Trusses up to 5 meter span
    4. Floor Joist designs with spans greater than 6 meters
  3. CATEGORY C – (Low Risk):
    Simple Roofs up to and including 8.5 meter span with standard loadings, including:
    1. Valleys
    2. Girders and special support Cleats
    3. Stub-ends
    4. Cantilevers up to 2 meter cantilevers
    5. Simple Hips (maximum span 8.5 meter)
    6. Minimum pitch 15 degrees
  4. CATEGORY D
    1. Gable to Gable roofs (no hips or valleys) up to
    2. meter span.
    3. No hips or Valleys greater than 2.0 meters.

The successful completion of the ITC-SA examinations and System training modules, as well as experience and proven competence to design within one of the categories above will determine the category of registration with the ITC-SA. The applicant Designer will be referred to as a Probationary Designer until the required standard of training and experience has been attained.

Criteria for obtaining the Fabricator Designer Professional Designation

For the FABRICATOR DESIGNER designation in the various categories to be awarded, designers must comply with the following minimum requirements:

  • Academic Component
    Persons applying for recognition by the ITC-SA must be able to provide a portfolio of evidence on work done within the category the application is submitted for. Registration as an Engineering Technician with the Engineering Council of South Africa will be beneficial, but will not be compulsory.
    Lastly, the applicant shall provide a comprehensive CV, including references from ITC-SA Certified Fabricators, confirming under whose mentorship he/she received training to confirm competence in timber roof structure design and construction. A point scoring system will be applied to determine the category of registration.

    The application with the required substantiation shall be tendered to the ITC-SA Timber Engineering Advisory Committee (“TEAC”) for adjudication. On approval of the application by the ITC-SA TEAC, the Certified Designer will receive his/her Registration Certificate indicating the Category of competence recognized. Before confirmation of the set requirements, the applicant Designer will work under a Systems Engineer or Senior Designer employed by the Fabricator Member and who will sign off on all design work done. The applicant Designer will be referred to as a Probationary Designer and no category of competence will be specified.
    For categorization, the following will be applicable:
    • CATEGORY A – 30 credits
    • CATEGORY B – 20 credits
    • CATEGORY C – 10 credits
    • CATEGORY D – 08 credits
  • Practical/Workplace Experience (to be included in the portfolio of evidence)
    • 1(one) credit will be attained for every year proven experience in timber roof structure design.
    • 1(one) credit will be attained for the completion of one of the systems training modules (a maximum of 2 (two) credits will be allowed). Successful completion of the most advanced System training module will be a prerequisite for Classes A & B.
    • 1(one) credit will be attained for each ITC-SA module completed. Completion of the ITC-SA Intermediate Course will be a prerequisite for Classes A & B.
    • 5(five) credits will be attained for successful completion of 1 (one) category D roof design that was checked and verified by the applicable Systems Engineer.
    • 10(ten) credits will be attained for successful completion of 2 (two) category C roof designs that was checked and verified by the applicable Systems Engineer.
    • 15(fifteen) credits will be attained for successful completion of 3 (three) different category B roof designs that was checked and verified by the applicable Systems Engineer.
    • 20(twenty) credits will be attained for successful completion of 4 (four) different category A roof designs that was checked and verified by the applicable Systems Engineer.
  • The applicant Designer shall identify the Category of professional designation he/she will be applying for.
  • Board Examination/Competency Assessment
    Probationary Designers may go through a peer review at ITC-SA Timber Engineering Advisory Committee to demonstrate competence in timber design.

Criteria for retaining the Professional Designation

In order to ensure the currency of professional knowledge and to retain the categorised Designer Designation, the designer must comply with the following minimum requirements:

  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
    • Members are required to provide proof to ITC-SA of their CPD activities.
    • Members are required to accumulate 4 CPD points annually by completing a range of accredited activities such as:
      • Attendance at workshops, seminars and information sessions,
      • Giving presentations to inside and outside groups,
      • Running workshops,
      • Writing articles for in-house and general publications.
      • Attendance at the ITC-SA AGM
      • Attendance of ITC Branch General Meetings
    • The ITC-SA decides on the points each activity is worth.
    • The ITC-SA Timber Engineering Advisory Committee ensures that CPD activities and certification requirements are co-ordinated.
  • Code of Conduct
    Designees must abide by the ITC-SA Code of Conduct.
  • Membership Fees
    Ensure that the annual membership fee is paid.

Professional Designation Progression Pathway

The Fabricator Designation progression pathway is:

  • Probationary Designer (Timber Roof Structures)
  • Fabricator Designer – Category A,B,C or D (Timber Roof Structures)