Who this course is for
- Construction workers who batch and mix concrete by volume on site
- Civils and building crews pouring slabs, foundations and small structures
- General workers moving from labouring into a construction trade
- Employers who need people who can mix to a consistent standard
What you will be able to do after this course
- Prepare to mix concrete, including materials, equipment and the work area
- Measure and add materials to the concrete mix by volume
- Mix and load concrete to the required consistency
- Carry out post-mixing activities, including cleaning and storing equipment
What the course covers
This unit standard is useful to people who work on a concrete construction site and are required to batch and mix concrete by volume, and the course follows that sequence from preparation to clean-up.
Learners cover cement, sand, stone and water and the part each plays, mix ratios and batching by volume, preparing the work area and the mixer, measuring and adding materials in the right order, water content and workability, mixing time and consistency, loading and transporting the mix, and post-mixing activities including cleaning and storing equipment. The mixing work is assessed practically.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical, where the learner prepares, batches, mixes and loads concrete to a given ratio under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 12916, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Concrete mixed to the wrong ratio or with too much water is a defect that cannot be corrected after the pour, and it is one of the most common causes of rework on small sites. The certificate shows a contractor that the person batching has been trained to a standard. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 2 days | R1,800 | First-time certification |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because the practical work can be done with the materials and mixer your own project uses. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a civils crew, since the sand and stone on their own site are what they will be batching with. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
The three concrete trades: how they differ
| Concrete-hand (this course) | Shutter-hand and steel fixer | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Batching and mixing concrete by volume | Building formwork, or tying reinforcing |
| Unit standard | SAQA 12916 | SAQA 14226 and SAQA 116573 |
| Where it sits | At the pour | Before the pour |
| Duration | 2 days | 5 days and 2 days |
The three trades run in sequence on the same pour. Contractors often train crews across all three so people can be moved between them.
Where this course can take you
Concrete-hand sits inside the concrete trades stack at Fundza. The natural companions are Shutter-hand and Steel Fixer, and most concrete-hands also hold Hand Tools and Power Tool. Browse the full Construction Trainings range.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.