Last week, architectural ironmongers, builders’ merchants and door hardware students across the world discovered whether they have succeeded in gaining industry qualifications from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI).

87 learners have achieved the GAI Certificate in Architectural Hardware, with a further 40 successfully completing the GAI Diploma. This is one of the highest numbers of successful learners since the start of the GAI education programme more than 50 years ago.

Learners on the GAI education programme in 2015/16 have come from 27 different countries, with 47% of them based outside the UK. Particularly high numbers of qualifications have been noted this year from South Africa, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Maria Powell, president of the GAI, said: “I am incredibly proud of the achievements of our learners this year. These are not your ordinary markers of success in a specialist industry, but genuinely tough and meaningful qualifications for hardware professionals who play a vital role in the global construction industry.

“Qualified architectural ironmongers work with architects, interior designers, contractors and others to schedule and specify the hardware for every door and window in a building. It’s a complex, responsible role, and a hard one to master, given that hardware is subject to more than 58 British and European standards.”

The GAI Certificate in Architectural Hardware consists of two stages with a total of 25 education modules covering everything a qualified architectural ironmonger is required to know. The modules are made available online to students around the world via the GAI Education Hub, featuring learning blocks with helpful explanations, animations and video clips, all geared to engage learners in easily digestible chunks.

Beyond the certificate, learners can continue their studies to achieve the GAI Diploma. This stage focuses entirely on the skills and learning needed for scheduling, of particular importance to those architectural ironmongers working on projects being built to UK and European standards across the globe.