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CSCS cards: a Q&A for builders..etc..
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a way of proving that everyone on a building site is qualified to do the job.
Tradesmen and women have to be formally qualified to receive a CSCS card and more than one million people have signed-up with the scheme since it started in 1995. Our quick guide explains the benefits of having a CSCS card – and how to get one.
I’m only a small builder – how does this affect me?
Homeowners won’t ask to see proof of your qualifications via a CSCS card for small domestic jobs. But if you win a subcontract package on a sizeable construction site, the main contractor will often insist you have a fully-carded workforce. Any job run by the 14 members of the Major Contractors Group will demand 100% membership of CSCS. Employing people who are qualified under the scheme also offers you a guarantee of their skills.
Sounds like a good thing to have. How do I get one?
You can apply by [DLMURL="http://www.cscs.uk.com/RunScript.asp?page=80&p=ASP\Pg80.asp"]downloading a form directly from the CSCS website[/DLMURL].
What happens then?
The first stage of the process is to pass a basic health and safety test at one of a network of online test centres. Tests can be booked directly.
Ok I’ve passed that, what’s the next stage?
You now have to show proof of being qualified in your chosen trade to NVQ standard. You may have to sit new exams or be tested at work if you are an experienced worker.
So if I’ve been doing the job a long time - I don't have to take more exams?
No, not necessarily. If you are an experienced tradesperson with no formal qualifications an assessor can watch you at work and convert your skills into an appropriate NVQ qualification. This is known as On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT), or Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA). Both these routes can cost more than £500 per employee to pay for the assessors’ time but the fees can be claimed back in grants from ConstructionSkills. Find out if you're suitable for these routes here.
How much does it cost to get a card?
All basic CSCS cards cost £25 and it costs £17.50 to sit the health and safety test. Extra costs start to ramp up if you go down the OSAT and EWPA test routes (explained above).
Are there different types of card?
Yes – there are nine different coloured cards in all covering everyone you would find on site from trainees to senior managers. The full range of cards and the occupations covered are listed here.
I’ve been offered a fake CSCS card down the pub, is it worth having?
No. The scheme administrators have vowed to bring the police in whenever forgeries are discovered
It still seems a lot of effort to get qualified. Can’t I just ignore the whole scheme?
Of course you can but CSCS is becoming the industry standard and finding work on site will become increasingly difficult without it. A card is proof that you can do the job and without one you will lose work worth far more than the cost of qualification.
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a way of proving that everyone on a building site is qualified to do the job.
Tradesmen and women have to be formally qualified to receive a CSCS card and more than one million people have signed-up with the scheme since it started in 1995. Our quick guide explains the benefits of having a CSCS card – and how to get one.
I’m only a small builder – how does this affect me?
Homeowners won’t ask to see proof of your qualifications via a CSCS card for small domestic jobs. But if you win a subcontract package on a sizeable construction site, the main contractor will often insist you have a fully-carded workforce. Any job run by the 14 members of the Major Contractors Group will demand 100% membership of CSCS. Employing people who are qualified under the scheme also offers you a guarantee of their skills.
Sounds like a good thing to have. How do I get one?
You can apply by [DLMURL="http://www.cscs.uk.com/RunScript.asp?page=80&p=ASP\Pg80.asp"]downloading a form directly from the CSCS website[/DLMURL].
What happens then?
The first stage of the process is to pass a basic health and safety test at one of a network of online test centres. Tests can be booked directly.
Ok I’ve passed that, what’s the next stage?
You now have to show proof of being qualified in your chosen trade to NVQ standard. You may have to sit new exams or be tested at work if you are an experienced worker.
So if I’ve been doing the job a long time - I don't have to take more exams?
No, not necessarily. If you are an experienced tradesperson with no formal qualifications an assessor can watch you at work and convert your skills into an appropriate NVQ qualification. This is known as On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT), or Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA). Both these routes can cost more than £500 per employee to pay for the assessors’ time but the fees can be claimed back in grants from ConstructionSkills. Find out if you're suitable for these routes here.
How much does it cost to get a card?
All basic CSCS cards cost £25 and it costs £17.50 to sit the health and safety test. Extra costs start to ramp up if you go down the OSAT and EWPA test routes (explained above).
Are there different types of card?
Yes – there are nine different coloured cards in all covering everyone you would find on site from trainees to senior managers. The full range of cards and the occupations covered are listed here.
I’ve been offered a fake CSCS card down the pub, is it worth having?
No. The scheme administrators have vowed to bring the police in whenever forgeries are discovered
It still seems a lot of effort to get qualified. Can’t I just ignore the whole scheme?
Of course you can but CSCS is becoming the industry standard and finding work on site will become increasingly difficult without it. A card is proof that you can do the job and without one you will lose work worth far more than the cost of qualification.
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