Foreword
The European Construction Industry is the largest industrial sector of the European Union's economy (representing 11% of Community GDP), outstripping those of Japan and the USA. 20% of the EU's working population depends on the construction sector. It also dominates world markets, 52% of the international markets for construction services are captured by European companies. However, it suffers from many problems, particularly relating to fragmentation, inadequate recruitment and training, and growing skills shortages.
The EUSCCCIP project has been a significant step forward in tackling these problems. It has brought together construction industry and national bodies in four countries to produce a common framework for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) systems. It has worked closely with other international projects in order to ensure that if fits well with the trend towards international transparency of qualifications, lifelong learning, and adoption of harmonised standards. The Framework is set out in this document. It has already received widespread acceptance within the construction and engineering professions, and in other professions as well.
The EC has recognised the value of EUSCCCIP by funding the CPD Standards Project (CSP) for three years to the year 2000. CSP will carry out pilots of the Framework in U.K., Finland, France, Germany, Ireland and Portugal. CSP will work towards turning the Framework into an international standard for an organisation's CPD.
May I commend this Framework to you. I believe that it represents a major milestone in the development of systematic CPD, the application of standards to professional and business practice, and the growth of co-operation between the construction professions in Europe. We are proud that the construction industry is able to show the way forward for CPD to other professional sectors.
I want to thank all of the EUSCCCIP partners (listed in Appendix A) whose vision and hard work over the two year project have produced the Framework. The excellent result could not have been achieved without their inputs. But it is now up to you, the reader, to implement the ideas we have set out, to promote your own CPD and the CPD of others in the industry. Only in this way can we ensure the survival and prosperity of the construction industry in the future.
Alan Osborne - CISC Chairman
London
22 December 1997