The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is to phase out cards issued under industry accreditation – also known as grandfather rights.
The cards allowed workers to obtain CSCS cards on the strength of an employer’s recommendation rather than the achievement of a recognised qualification.
They were already closed to new applicants in 2010 but those already holding a card were able to renew on the same basis.
Now, after a consultation, CSCS will eventually withdraw the cards altogether.
From 1st January 2020, all cards renewed under Industry Accreditation will expire on 31 December 2024 and CSCS will stop issuing the card from 30 June 2024.
Graham Wren, chief executive at CSCS said: “CSCS cards issued under industry accreditation are the only cards in the CSCS scheme which do not require the cardholder to achieve a recognised qualification. Industry accreditation does not support industry’s desire for a fully qualified workforce and as such it will be withdrawn.”
What each of the 60,000 Industry Accreditation card holders need to do next depends on their occupation and any qualifications they may already hold. Those without qualifications will be required to register for the appropriate qualification for their occupation before their cards expire in 2024.
Wren added: “A lot of work has taken place to ensure those with cards issued under Industry Accreditation will be able to transition to other CSCS cards as simply as possible. We are making this announcement early to ensure card holders and their employers have enough time to make the necessary alternative arrangements.”
The withdrawal of Industry Accreditation will be the final step towards achieving the Construction Leadership Council’s objective of ensuring cards are only issued to those who have achieved, or are in the process of achieving, a nationally recognised construction related qualification.
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32 years in the plant industry as an operator and it looks like I will have to sit in a classroom with some half wit with no experience telling me what to do and pay for the privilege. Looks like a lot of thought went into this one. It’s obvious that it’s revenue motivated and will serve only one purpose and that is to drive experience out of the industry. It will also bring inexperienced card holders. What a trade off, I can’t wait to get out
I am 56 I served my time as a tool maker but at 21 got made redundant I went to work in a fabrication yard and was sent out on site.
I have 35 years experience as a steel erector I have had my own business for 19 years I have cpcs slinger ,ipaf,pasma,sssts,appointed person,plus many other certificates Iam now no longer worthy to carry out my duties as a steel erctor.
Shame on you CITB this its all about money and board should be ashamed of themselves
I’m 49years of age 5year time served bricklayer had my own Buissness for 25 years got silver trowel award, so old school with bags of experience and I decided I’d had enough of Buissness and just wanted to go on site as not have the hassle of dealing with customers. And when I approach this young fella as site agent my experience ment nothing just the bull crap CSCS card no wonder these developers build such substandard houses today
I’m a curtain & blind installer, unbelievably you need a cscs card to do this, but I have had an industry accreditation card since the cscs cash extraction started, now we are told we need an Nvq to prove we are competent, many of my colleagues have had to do the nvq because they had general operative cards, everyone of them has said that the assessor that came out had admitted that they have no experience of the industry, how can someone with no knowledge of an industry decide if someone with 10 years plus experience is competent, yet again the normal hardworking tradesmen of the UK are being used as cash machines, most genuine site managers that are time served and not straight out of uni can tell who is competent and who is not.
I have been installing blinds for over 16 years , running my own business for 13 of these years.
The old CRO card has been discontinued, I sat and passed the CITB test only to find out I need to sit and obtain an nvq to prove I am competent.
There are no courses in my area and the closest ones are over £1200 .
I think this is ridiculous to be told I need to prove I can do the job I’ve been doing for so long and to be assessed by someone less qualified .????
I am 48 years of age and got experience in the painting and decorating and have 10 years off been time served the same asize my father and I need a cscs card to do decorating they need to get rid of the cards full stop and bring back the old ways with getting sc60s
I believe that if you have the qualifications and knowledge of your trade and have been in the trade over 30 years like I have why should some body be able to claim grandfather wrights because he has the knowledge. We who have the qualifications and the years of knowledge should be looked after and have the respect of the trade. I have done most things within the building industry and have learned the hard way that if your face fits you climb the ladder. so please keep it up with the removal of grandfather rights so at least we who have done the exams and NVqS HAVE NOT DONE IT FOR NOTHING
I went on a government training course after being made redundant from the railway I have lost the certificate I was given and because it is a long time ago I can’t proof it I have been in touch with the collage but they only keep records for 10 years I have had my own firm and have had 9 apprentices complete there training they are all working but I can’t get a job this is completly unfsir
CSCS claim to be a not for profit organisation, although pre-requisites;
CCNSG safety passport £214
Asbestos awareness £16
CITB HSE test £21
CSCS Skills card (blue) £36
UK NARIC overseas documentation verification stage 1 £60 stage 2 £414.(to obtain gold card.)
Time served in this industry for 30 years, now a non legislative card is going to cost me £761. Am I alone in thinking this is just another tax on the working class?
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Site managers with 20 years experience are now going to have to do an NVQ.
These are approx. £2k each!
The CSCS state that schemes such as CPCS fully meet the Construction Learning Council’s qualification requirement. How can this be the case? No employer can be sure if his/her CPCS cardholder has received any training at all.
I qualified as an Architect in 1997.
Because that isn’t in the UK, apparently I am a “graduate” only.
An NVQ, with accompanying CSCS card, does not an experienced and competent Tradesman or Site Manager make. It takes about ten minutes for a competent Manager or Agent to ascertain the competency of any Tradesman; and vice versa – far too often, this assessment is trumped by the production of a card stating incontrovertibly that the holder is competent, when they are clearly not.
For anyone that has held the grandfather rights card and renewed it surly this proves 5 years experience which is what our improverships were before we became qualified erectors. CSCS have proof of this experience from the fact the cards have been renewed at least once if not more. I personally have 20 years in the game from improver. Surely this makes me qualified and i shouldnt need to fork out £0000’s to prove this. I think the government need to step in on this one.