How to Prepare for CSCS Withdrawing Industry Accreditation

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a vital accreditation for those working in the UK construction industry. CSCS cards provide evidence of a worker's qualifications and skills that they are required to gain access to construction sites.

Currently, there are three types of CSCS cards: green, blue, and gold.

• The Green card is for those who have completed the CITB Health Environment Test and are acquiring a vocational qualification.
• The Blue card is for skilled workers with a vocational qualification.
• The Gold card is for supervisors and managers with relevant vocational qualifications.

However, significant changes are on the horizon for the CSCS scheme, requiring workers and employers to prepare for them. Starting from 2024, CSCS will no longer issue cards directly. Instead, workers will need to provide evidence of their qualifications and skills through a recognised qualification route, such as an NVQ. This means that workers will no longer be able to obtain a CSCS card solely through passing the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test.

The changes mean that workers will need to obtain an NVQ in their relevant trade to qualify for a CSCS card, these are work-based qualifications that assess a worker's competence in their trade. They are recognised by the construction industry and provide evidence of a worker's skills and knowledge. Workers who currently hold a CSCS card will have grandfather rights, allowing them to continue using their cards until they expire. However, once their cards expire, they will need to obtain an NVQ to qualify for a new card.

The decision to withdraw Industry Accreditation has been a large topic of discussion within the industry, to the point that our team was interested to see where our LinkedIn network stood. The majority of the votes went against the changes, although our London office were quite surprised to see the percentage at only 64%.

The changes have without doubt caused uproar throughout construction. Older workers may feel especially frustrated as they have spent their whole working life with Industry Accreditation in place. Then finding out they will now have to go through the cost and process of acquiring an NVQ, as they are told that their current qualifications are worthless. Our consultants also report that there are workers considering leaving the industry forever in response to the changes, some of which have been working since before CSCS was introduced. There is a feeling that this update is only being put in place to squeeze more money out of the workforce, leaving a real sour taste for a vast amount of people in the field.

However, CSCS has reasoned that the changes are moving towards a system that provides more accurate verification of workers' skills and qualifications. By requiring workers to obtain an NVQ, the scheme aims to ensure that only qualified and competent workers have access to construction sites, improving safety and reducing the risk of accidents. 

No matter where your opinion on the matter is based, the ramifications the changes will have cannot be underestimated. Here at Streamline we understand that this is going to impact a lot of workers, at all levels of experience, while also causing new problems for businesses. We are ready to use our expert knowledge in assessing workers' skills and qualifications to provide guidance on the NVQ qualification route. Our consultants are keen to help workers identify the most appropriate NVQ for their trade and provide support and training to help them obtain the qualification.

Our team are also prepared to advise construction businesses on verifying workers' qualifications, how to recognise an NVQ, helping businesses assess the competence of their current or potential employees. This will be particularly important for any SME businesses, that may not have the resources or expertise to handle the new requirements on their own.

Whether you are a construction worker or a business, if you would like to discuss how the changes could impact you, please book a strategy call with our Head of M&E and Construction Sam Warren via the button below.

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