Engineering Construction Industry Training Board · RQF Level 5
ECITB Level 5 Diploma in Estimating Practice (QCF)
You don’t just earn this. You learn to use it, one-to-one, on your own real work.
- LevelRQF Level 5
- Total credits131
- Guided learning302 hours
- Units in this qualification31
Awarded by Engineering Construction Industry Training Board · on the Ofqual register
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See how this course maps onto your role
Ten quick questions, one per Future Fluency, asked against this qualification rather than a generic one.
About 5 minutes · No card · Nothing to commit to
What you’ll learn
What each unit actually teaches you to do
These are the units Engineering Construction Industry Training Board registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated, and every one you earn is yours to keep.
Acquire and handle information needed for estimatingReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Acquire and handle information (data and knowledge management) needed to deliver an estimating service.
- Establish, verify, control and protect the information and data quality and implement the associated access arrangements.
- Understand the process for retrieval, recording, presenting, storing and validating estimating related information.
- Understand the processes for protecting and controlling data.
Analyse and interpret statistical data for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Analyse and interpret statistical data.
- Understand the techniques for statistical analysis.
Apply financial controls and techniques to Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Support the personal and professional development of supervised team members.
- Understand the processes for Interpreting and applying financial or accounting controls.
- Understand the basis for accounting processes.
Assure and control the quality of estimating procedures, methods and systemsReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Ensure that there is the commitment and skills to meet the required levels of quality in the execution of estimating activities.
- Ensure that appropriate procedures, methods and systems are in place for the achievement of the necessary control.
- Carry out reviews and contribute to the development and implementation of procedures including quality assurance procedures and working methods applicable to estimating activities.
- Understand the quality assurance and audit procedures and working methods.
- Understand the context of the quality assurance procedures and working methods.
Contribute to commercial activities through project control, cost engineering, estimating or planning activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Contribute to the selection of suppliers and the development of bids and tenders.
- Evaluate submissions from potential suppliers and input to recommendations on bids and tenders.
- Understand the processes required to: identify suppliers and; how to create the evaluation framework for assessing potential suppliers and bids.
- Understand the processes required to evaluate supplier and bid submissions and making recommendations on bids or tenders.
Determine the requirements for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Determine the requirements to deliver an effective Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support service.
- Determine the processes to be used in delivering the Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support.
- Understand how the delivery environment influences the requirements.
- Understand the processes used for determination of requirements.
Develop and calibrate learning curve models for recurring tasks for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Develop and calibrate learning curves
- Understand learning curve theory.
Develop and maintain effective Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support relationshipsReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Develop and maintain productive and effective working relationships with colleagues: within the project, functional teams and other associated organisations.
- Effectively resolve conflicts.
- Understand the processes for Developing and maintain productive and effective working relationships.
- Understand techniques to facilitate relationship development and conflict management.
Develop the breakdown coding structures through Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Develop the breakdown coding structures to support work scope definition, cost, schedule and resource reporting and performance measurement.
- Understand the uses of, and principles behind coding structures.
Develop the professional Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support skills of team membersReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Support the personal and professional development of supervised team members.
- Understand the processes for supporting personal and professional development.
Ensure the completion of Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support tasksReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Ensure that all functional tasks have been completed satisfactorily and closed out.
- Understand the methods used for closure of functional tasks.
- Understand the close out process.
Establish schedules for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support control purposesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Establish schedules for the control of work scope delivery.
- Obtain Stakeholders agreement to the control schedule.
- Understand the processes required to prepare a control schedule.
- Understand supporting processes to control schedule preparation.
Establish budgets for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support control purposesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Establish budgets for control of work scope delivery.
- Obtain Stakeholders agreement to budget.
- Understand the processes required to prepare a control budget.
- Understand supporting processes to control budget preparation.
Estimate the cost of resources through Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Estimate and specify the resources required to deliver the objectives at any stage of the life cycle.
- Provide estimate reports and information to others for decision purposes.
- Understand the processes for developing an estimate based on various levels of definition or scope.
- Understand specialist estimating techniques.
Evaluate Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support performance, information and dataReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Evaluate the functional performance and extract information as a basis for continuous improvement.
- Understand the methods used to identify lessons learned and implement improvements.
Evaluate the Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support information and prepare claim submissionsReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Evaluate the information and prepare the claim submission.
- Validate the basis of the claim submission.
- Understand the processes for preparing the claim submission.
- Understand the processes for validating the basis of the claim submission
Forecast the cost of resources used through Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Forecast the use of financial or physical resources through to completion.
- Establish that systems are available for forecasting the use of financial or physical resources.
- Understand the processes for forecasting the use of financial or physical resources.
- Understand other processes related to forecasting the use of financial or physical resources.
Identify and promote cost or time savings through Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support activities during the concept and definition phasesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Participate with others, in establishing during the concept and definition phases target costs or schedules for business deliverables via the application of: cost or time minimisation or cost or time optimisation
- Understand the processes for cost or time minimisation and optimisation.
- Understand techniques required to facilitate process or cost improvement workshops.
Identify and quantify emerging changes through estimating activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Identify and quantify emerging changes through estimating activities
- Understand the methods used in estimating for identifying and quantifying emerging changes.
- Understand the change management process.
Identify, analyse, evaluate and monitor risk opportunities and uncertainties, in the areas of project control, cost engineering, estimating or planningReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Apply risk, opportunity and uncertainty identification, analysis and evaluation techniques to assess the commercial impact.
- Monitor and evaluate control measures as applied to risks, opportunities and uncertainties.
- Contribute to the development and review of contingency and provisions throughout the course of the project or business.
- Understand the risk, opportunity and uncertainty analysis, monitoring and management process.
- Understand the management of risk, opportunity and uncertainty analysis.
Lead the functional input to the establishment of the construction or manufacturing execution plan and construction or manufacturing sequenceReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Lead the functional input to the establishment of the construction or manufacturing execution plan and construction or manufacturing sequence.
- Understand the key elements of an effective construction or manufacturing execution plan and construction or manufacturing sequence.
Manage the continuing development of personal and professional skills in Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Manage personal and professional development on a continuous basis.
- Help in the development of others.
- Understand the processes for agreeing personal objectives, and development plans.
- Understand the need for continued professional development.
Manage the team and allocate work in Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Allocate work and make the best use of the team and its members, to achieve the organisation’s objectives.
- Agree revision to the agreed objectives, and work plans, with the team and individuals, as required.
- Understand the processes for agreeing objectives, and work plans, with the team and individuals.
- Understand the issues that must be considered when priorities need to be changed.
Manage the team, agree objectives with teams and individuals in Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Agree team and individuals objectives and work plans to achieve the organisations objectives.
- Give guidance and update on agreed objectives, and work plans, with the team and individuals.
- Understand the processes for agreeing objectives, and work plans, with the team and individuals.
- Understand the processes for matching the individual’s development with the project or business needs, and the ongoing support that they may require.
Observe and apply professional Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support ethics and valuesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Observe and apply professional ethics and values.
- Effectively resolve conflicts of interest.
- Understand the areas were professional ethics and values apply in the execution of work.
- Understand techniques for managing commercially sensitive information.
Oversee the application of information technology to estimatingReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Lead the application of IT in estimating for: collection and processing of commercial and technical data reporting current status and predicting future status.
- Be a competent user of the IT applications in the area of estimating
- Understand the functionality of the various systems used.
- Understand the use of the IT applications in the area of estimating.
Participate in the optimisation of the production or construction method through project control, cost engineering, estimating or planning activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Participate with others, in establishing efficient production or construction practices and methods throughout the life cycle.
- Effectively support the development of efficient production or construction practices.
- Understand the processes for establishing efficient production or construction practices and methods.
- Understand techniques required to facilitate process or cost improvement workshops.
Plan and implement the continuous improvement of the Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Plan the continuous improvement process.
- Identify and use effective implementation strategies for the improvements.
- Understand the continuous improvement process.
- Understand the training and communication required for effective continuous improvement.
Prepare the commercial aspects of contract offers using Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support activitiesReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Prepare the commercial aspects of contracts resulting from bid or tender offers.
- Assess the organisation’s ability to deliver the work.
- Understand the processes and issues related to preparing the commercial aspects of contracts.
- Understand the implications of the contracting decision
Provide Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support to the agreement of claimsReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Provide commercial, project control, estimating, planning or cost engineering support to reaching agreement on a claim.
- Maintain claim records and confidentiality.
- Understand the processes for providing functional support to agreement of claims.
- Understand the processes underpinning claim negotiation.
Provide advice and support to maintain progress in Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial SupportReal unit · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
What you'll be able to do
- Identify research and gain support for solutions to threats to progress.
- Provide advice and support to maintain the progress.
- Understand the processes for identification, research and overcoming blockages.
- Understand the processes for gaining buy in and support to overcome blockages.
The honest bit
You’ve started things before
Most courses were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.
There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.
And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.
Your passport
Every credit is a stamp you keep
Level 5 credits are regulated. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you’ve earned and what’s next.
Each stamp is a real unit registered against this qualification.
Who’d teach you this
The Evidence Evaluator
Assessor
Helps you show what you can actually do, gathering the evidence that proves it as you learn.
Meet all twelve tutorsWhere this connects
Where these credits take you
A qualification is never a dead end here. See the jobs its credits open, the national occupational standards its units map to, and the future skills they quietly build.
- Agree project plan to meet specified objectives
- Capture project requirements
- Control Contract Against Agreed Budgets
- Control income and expenditure
- Control production expenditure
- Estimate and agree costs with client
- Identify perceived package program risks and establish mitigating actions
- Manage System Requirements Engineering
Where this can lead
Financial Controls Analyst
This isn't just a job; it's the start of a really impactful career path. You'll build a deep understanding of how a business truly operates, how to protect it, and how to make it more efficient. The opportunities to grow, specialise, or even move into different areas of finance are genuinely vast.
See the whole journey →Showing 6 roles, drawn from 15 job records mapped to this qualification.
Skills it covers
What the job actually needs. These are the standards the units are built against, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.
How you’ll actually learn this
One-to-one, on your own real work
A qualification is usually something done to you: sit the class, sit the exam, hope it sticks. Here it’s the opposite. You learn it one-to-one with a companion, on your own real work, and you keep going until you can use it, not just recall it.
Applied to your work in any of these jobs
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyse
- Evaluate
- Create
Built for ECITB Level 5 Diploma in Estimating Practice (QCF)
31 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.
- Acquire and handle information needed for estimating
- Analyse and interpret statistical data for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support
- Apply financial controls and techniques to Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support
- Assure and control the quality of estimating procedures, methods and systems
- Contribute to commercial activities through project control, cost engineering, estimating or planning activities
- Determine the requirements for Project Control, Estimating, Planning, Cost Engineering or Commercial Support
and 25 more in the full unit list below.
One to one, not one to many
No two people run this the same way
A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.
- Your actual work Every unit is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
- What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
- The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
- How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
- Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.
See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.
Why it sticks
Most courses stop at remembering
There’s a well-known ladder of how deeply you learn something, called Bloom’s Taxonomy. Most courses get you up the first two rungs: you remember some facts, you pass a test, you forget it. Real skill lives at the top. Judging, deciding, creating. And this isn’t a generic ladder: every rung has a named Zavmo tutor who walks you up it.
- 6CreateThe Creative Catalyst
- 5EvaluateThe Evidence Evaluator
- 4AnalyseThe Analyst
- 3ApplyThe Coach
- 2UnderstandThe Connector
- 1RememberThe Builder
Where most courses leave you Where Zavmo takes you
The value
Why the companion is worth £70 a month
You’re not paying for the units. They’re regulated, and the same wherever you earn them. You’re paying for the one thing that decides whether you actually get there: a companion that makes them stick, on your real work.
That is one-to-one on this qualification, every day, on the work you already do, for £70 a month. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it. Billed monthly, cancel any time and billing stops.
Earned on your own work, taught to the top.
Everything you just read, learned one-to-one on the job you already do. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it.
Build my plan, freeNo card. See how this qualification maps onto your role and meet the tutors who’d teach it, free. The learning begins when you subscribe. It’s £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.