Developing and maintaining good occupational working relationships in the workplace
This unit equips learners in trowel occupations with the interpersonal and communication skills necessary to build and sustain productive working relationships on construction sites. It emphasises proactive information sharing, collaborative problem-solving, and respectful conflict resolution, which are vital for maintaining safety, quality, and efficiency in bricklaying, plastering, and related trades. Demonstrating these competencies ensures smooth project progression and fosters a cooperative culture that benefits all stakeholders.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The City & Guilds Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Trowel Occupations (Construction) is an advanced qualification for bricklayers who have already completed Level 2 and are ready to take on supervisory and complex technical roles. This diploma focuses on developing your ability to plan, prepare, and execute intricate brickwork and blockwork projects, including curved walls, arches, decorative panels, and reinforced structures. You will also learn to interpret detailed drawings, set out complex building layouts, and manage health and safety on site. This qualification is essential for progressing to a supervisory position or starting your own business in the construction industry.
Why does this matter? In the UK construction sector, skilled bricklayers are in high demand, and those with Level 3 certification are seen as competent to lead teams and handle non-standard work. The diploma covers key areas such as constructing cavity walls with complex detailing, installing damp-proof courses, and erecting masonry cladding. It also emphasises sustainability and modern methods of construction, ensuring you are up-to-date with industry standards. By mastering these skills, you become a valuable asset on any construction site, capable of delivering high-quality work efficiently and safely.
This qualification fits into the wider subject of Construction & Building Services as a specialised pathway for those who want to excel in trowel occupations. It builds on fundamental bricklaying skills and introduces advanced techniques that are critical for large-scale commercial projects, heritage restoration, and high-end residential builds. Successful completion of this NVQ can lead to further qualifications in construction management or specialist areas like stonemasonry, and it is recognised by employers across the UK as a mark of excellence.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Complex setting out: Understanding how to transfer detailed drawings onto a site using profiles, string lines, and theodolites, including setting out for curved walls and irregular angles.
- →Arches and lintels: Constructing various types of arches (semi-circular, segmental, gauged) and installing lintels correctly, ensuring proper load distribution and alignment.
- →Reinforced brickwork: Incorporating steel reinforcement into brick and block walls to increase structural strength, including placing reinforcement in cavities and around openings.
- →Decorative brickwork: Creating patterns such as herringbone, basket weave, and corbelling, and using special bricks (e.g., bullnose, plinth headers) to enhance aesthetics.
- →Damp-proof courses (DPC): Installing horizontal and vertical DPCs to prevent moisture ingress, including at junctions, around openings, and in cavity walls.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. develop, maintain and encourage working relationships to promote good will and trust. 2. inform relevant people about work activities in an appropriate level of detail, with the appropriate level of urgency. 3. offer advice and help to relevant people about work activities and encourage questions/requests for clarification and comments. 4. clarify proposals with relevant people and discuss alternative suggestions. 5. resolve differences of opinion in ways that minimise offence and maintain goodwill, trust and respect.
- 1. develop, maintain and encourage working relationships to promote good will and trust. 2. inform relevant people about work activities in an appropriate level of detail, with the appropriate level of urgency. 3. offer advice and help to relevant people about work activities and encourage questions/requests for clarification and comments. 4. clarify proposals with relevant people and discuss alternative suggestions. 5. resolve differences of opinion in ways that minimise offence and maintain goodwill, trust and respect.
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit when the candidate provides specific examples of adapting communication style and terminology to suit different audiences (e.g., using plain language with clients, technical terms with fellow tradespeople) to build trust.
- Look for evidence that the candidate escalates urgent safety or progress issues promptly to supervisors while keeping less critical information for scheduled updates, showing judgement of urgency.
- Require evidence that the candidate actively seeks feedback by asking clarifying questions and encourages others to voice concerns, then documents agreed actions to demonstrate mutual understanding.
- Award credit for demonstrating consistent, respectful communication with colleagues and clients that builds mutual trust and goodwill.
- Award credit for providing timely, appropriate updates on work progress or hazards to supervisors and team members.
- Award credit for actively offering constructive advice and inviting feedback during team interactions.
- Award credit for effectively clarifying work proposals and incorporating alternative suggestions when appropriate.
- Award credit for resolving disagreements calmly, focusing on solutions that maintain positive relationships and workflow.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Collect witness testimonies from a range of sources (e.g., supervisor, client, other tradesperson) that specifically mention your ability to maintain goodwill and resolve disagreements amicably.
- 💡In professional discussions, use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure examples, highlighting how you adapted your approach to suit the relationship and outcome.
- 💡For the portfolio, include reflective accounts that critically evaluate a time when you solicited feedback or clarified proposals, explaining what you learned and how it improved the working relationship.
- 💡Collect evidence from a variety of workplace scenarios, such as team meetings, site briefings, and informal interactions, to demonstrate consistent application of these skills.
- 💡Use professional discussion to reflect on how you handled a difficult conversation or resolved a disagreement, explaining your thought process.
- 💡Ensure your witness testimonies explicitly mention how your communication contributed to improved teamwork or project outcomes.
- 💡When planning work, document how you kept others informed and sought their input, linking this to maintaining safety and efficiency.
- 💡Tip 1: Always check your datum levels before starting any setting out. A common mistake is assuming the ground is level. Use a laser level or water level to verify, and record your readings in a site diary – this shows methodical working.
- 💡Tip 2: For practical assessments, pay close attention to joint finish. Uniformity of mortar joints (both thickness and finish) is a key marking criterion. Use a jointing tool consistently and clean off excess mortar before it sets.
- 💡Tip 3: When constructing arches, use a former (centre) and check the voussoir alignment with a template. Marks are awarded for accuracy of the curve and the radial joints. Practice cutting bricks to the correct angle using a disc cutter or bolster.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Assuming that all colleagues share the same technical understanding, leading to miscommunication when working with other trades or new apprentices.
- Overlooking the need to formally document verbal agreements or instructions, which can cause disputes or delays when relying on memory.
- Avoiding necessary confrontation about quality or safety issues to preserve goodwill, resulting in unresolved problems that escalate later.
- Using jargon or acronyms without explanation when communicating with clients or non-specialist professionals, damaging trust and clarity.
- Assuming that maintaining good relationships means avoiding all disagreements rather than addressing them constructively.
- Failing to adapt communication style to different audiences (e.g., using technical jargon with non-specialists).
- Neglecting to document or clarify verbal agreements, leading to misunderstandings.
- Ignoring the need to build trust proactively, focusing only on task completion.
- Misconception: 'Level 3 is just more of the same as Level 2.' Correction: Level 3 introduces complex geometry, structural calculations, and project management. You must be able to interpret engineering drawings and work independently to a higher tolerance.
- Misconception: 'You don't need to worry about sustainability at this level.' Correction: Modern construction regulations require you to consider thermal efficiency, airtightness, and material waste. You must know how to install insulation and use sustainable materials correctly.
- Misconception: 'Arches are purely decorative and don't need precise engineering.' Correction: Arches carry significant loads. Incorrect voussoir angles or mortar joints can cause structural failure. You must calculate the rise and span accurately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for CITY & GUILDS LIMITED Developing and maintaining good occupational working relationships in the workplace
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Bricklaying (or equivalent) – you must be confident in basic bricklaying techniques, including bonding, cavity walls, and straight setting out.
- •Basic maths skills – you need to calculate areas, volumes, and angles for setting out and material estimation.
- •Understanding of health and safety regulations (CSCS card or equivalent) – site safety is paramount at Level 3.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. develop, maintain and encourage working relationships to promote good will and trust. 2. inform relevant people about work activities in an appropriate level of detail, with the appropriate level of urgency. 3. offer advice and help to relevant people about work activities and encourage questions/requests for clarification and comments. 4. clarify proposals with relevant people and discuss alternative suggestions. 5. resolve differences of opinion in ways that minimise offence and maintain goodwill, trust and respect.
- 1. develop, maintain and encourage working relationships to promote good will and trust. 2. inform relevant people about work activities in an appropriate level of detail, with the appropriate level of urgency. 3. offer advice and help to relevant people about work activities and encourage questions/requests for clarification and comments. 4. clarify proposals with relevant people and discuss alternative suggestions. 5. resolve differences of opinion in ways that minimise offence and maintain goodwill, trust and respect.
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