About the CSCS Scheme: Then and Now

In 1995 the Construction Skills Certification Scheme was first set up. With two fatalities occurring in the construction industry every week, it was the most dangerous industry in Britain. Action was needed to improve the safety of one of Britain’s leading industries, and the scheme was founded.

The CSCS is managed by CSCS Limited, all of whose Directors have worked in the construction industry. The members of the board are from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Federation of Master Builders, GMB Union, National Specialist Contractors Council, the UK Contractors Group, T&G Section of UNITE (Building Crafts Section) and Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians. The Construction Industry Council and the Construction Clients Group are also represented on the Board. The company has no shareholders as it is a Company Limited by Guarantee.

Today, over fifteen years later, the construction industry has been through periods of both progress and decay, and is now, hopefully, on the up once again. As we enter into a new era of growth, it is important to remember that expansion can lead to an increase in work-related accidents and even deaths. Renewed growth has similarly seen a huge proliferation in employment agencies operating in the construction industry. This has had consequences in terms of safety in a number of ways: there is little active screening of workers, and inexpert workers are placed on construction sites without the appropriate health and safety training.
It is for these reasons that the CSCS card, which is paramount to the scheme’s success, has never been more vital. With over 1.6 million in use today, the card is now asked for with much greater frequency on job-sites, with many employers (the UK government among them) refusing to hire non-CSCS construction workers. In fact, over 80% of UK job-sites now require all of their employees to carry the CSCS card.

By checking cards, employees can now monitor their workers and confirm that they are health and safety competent. By applying a compulsory CSCS health and safety test, the CSCS guarantees that all CSCS workers know how to comport themselves carefully on a construction site. In 2010/2011 the figure for fatalities in the industry was 17% lower than in previous years. As the roll-out of the CSCS card scheme continues, it is hoped that this figure can be lowered even further.

Plastering NVQ

The Plastering NVQ is a qualification that proves you have the technical knowledge this occupation demands.  It also demonstrates that you can put your skills into practice in the workplace in an effective and competent manner. The standards for completion of the various levels of NVQ are set by industry-approved authorities on plastering. The Plastering NVQ is instantly recognised as being the gold standard of the plastering industry and is a great way to prove your expertise and boost your career prospects.

NVQs are assessed on the basis of your work on-site, meaning you’ll be able to study towards your qualification while you work. Because the NVQ is a measure of your competence to do the work of a plasterer, the bulk of your assessment revolves around practical rather than theoretical considerations. This also means that you must be working in your chosen field in order to be assessed as you work. You will have an initial interview with your assessor and then they will sign off on the various units of the course based on your progress and proof of competency during their assessments.

In order to work as a plasterer on any UK job-site, you must have a Plasterer CSCS card. This card requires the completion of all Plasterer NVQ modules, meaning that a national qualification is essential. The Plasterer CSCS card comes in different colours, denoting different levels of skill, and different levels of NVQ. The Red Plasterer CSCS Card signifies a Trainee Plasterer. You’ll hold this while you study for your Plasterer NVQ Level 2. Once you have achieved NVQ Level 2 in Plastering, you are eligible for a Blue CSCS Plasterer Card, which will show employers instantly that you are a skilled worker.

CSCS Card Checking: How to do so and why it's important

As we all know, the building site can be a dangerous workplace, one where failure to adhere to health and safety regulations can lead to injury and occasionally even fatalities.  The purpose of the CSCS project is to ensure that construction sites become safer.  Part of this process involves the mandatory checking of CSCS cards that occurs throughout the UK construction industry.

Members of the CSCS are obliged to undergo a CSCS-authorised health and safety test before being issued with a card appropriate to their occupation and skill level. These cards contain a chip much like the one found on a conventional credit or debit card. The chip in the CSCS card is designed to contain the relevant CSCS information pertaining to its holder. With some additional programming, it could also be used to store training information and other relevant data.

This means that an employer seeking trained and CSCS-certified workers can check the validity of each card using the data contained on the chip. The employer need only purchase a simple handheld SmartCard checker to be able to swipe CSCS cards. These cost in the region of £100 + VAT, a sum that your credit card should be able to comfortably bear. By checking the validity of the card, the employer can verify that their contractors are health and safety-aware and that their site will be a cowboy-free zone. It is thus of paramount importance to check that valid CSCS cards are held by all workers, for an employee without the correct CSCS card could prove to be an expensive liability.

Popular NVQ’s in the UK – Carpentry

In the UK over two million people work in construction related occupations and the industry is constantly developing and expanding. The most successful individuals in the construction industry are those that possess a good balance of experience and qualifications; you can achieve this balance by pursuing a National Vocational Qualification, or NVQ.

The NVQ (SVQ in Scotland) is considered the industry standard in the construction business. The scheme is popular with both employers and trainees as its flexibility allows learners to work and study at the same time.

By completing a construction NVQ in your chosen field, in this case Carpentry, you will be recognised as a qualified member of the workforce, this means you will eligible for the CSCS card scheme or one of the affiliated card schemes. Possession of a CSCS card or an Affiliate CSCS card is essential for gaining site access in the UK, and it will also assist you in your career progression and employability level.

Carpentry NVQ’s:

The NVQ is a work-based qualification, which means you will need to be employed by a carpentry firm, be self-employed as a carpenter, or be undertaking a carpentry Apprenticeship.

Although there are no formal entry requirements when applying for an NVQ Level 1 or Level 2 it is advisable that candidates wishing to achieve this qualification have some kind of relevant construction experience and are confident they can complete the practical units. If you wish to pursue a construction NVQ Level 3 or Level 4 NVQ you must complete the precursory level first.

There are a number of different Carpentry NVQ Qualifications available at several levels including; a Level 2 NVQ in Wood Occupations in Site Carpentry or Structural Post and Beam Carpentry, a Level 3 NVQ in Wood Occupations in Site Carpentry and a Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Senior Crafts in Carpentry.

The NVQ Assessment Process:

As the above information outlines, the NVQ is a work-based qualification therefore the assessment process is substantially based upon practical tasks which are undertaken in the workplace and recorded by you, the learner, in a logbook or diary. As well as your own personal logbook/diary you will also be required to provide supporting evidence of the carpentry work you have undertaken; this could be in the form of photographs, test results, risk assessments or job sheets. The tasks and the evidence that are recorded in your logbook/diary will be referred to as your portfolio of work

During your NVQ training you will be visited on several occasions by an NVQ Assessor. The Assessor will review your portfolio, talk to you about your progress, liaise with your line manager or employer and, in some cases, observe your carpentry work in practice.

When your portfolio of work contains proof that you have undertaken all the required carpentry tasks relevant to your level and type of NVQ and your Assessor is confident that the work you carry out meets the required occupational standards, you will be awarded your NVQ.

Carpentry NVQ Content:

Your carpentry NVQ will cover the mandatory construction related units, Conforming to General Safety in the Workplace, Conforming to Efficient Working Practices and Moving and Handling Resources in the Workplace. Depending upon the Level and type of NVQ you are pursuing you may also undertake some of the following units:

Installing First and Second Fixing Components

Confirming the Occupational Method of the (Carpentry) Work

Confirming (Carpentry) Work Activities and Resources for an Occupational Work Area

Erecting Structural and Complex Structural Carcassing Components

Maintaining Non-structural and Structural Components in the Workplace

Setting Up and Using Fixed or Transportable Woodworking and Metalworking Machinery

Maintaining Systems for Health, Safety, Welfare and Environmental Protection in the Workplace

At NVQ Level 4 you may also undertake units which have a supervisory or teaching element to them such as; Enabling People to Learn and Benefit from your Experience, Allocating and Monitoring the Use of Materials on Site, Facilitating Organisational Site Control Methods and Identifying, Allocating and Planning the Deployment and Use of Plant, Equipment or Machinery.

Got Your Construction NVQ? What Next?

So you’ve studied for your construction NVQ for the past 2 years. You’ve passed your health & safety test and have now been awarded with your construction NVQ certificate. What happens next?

There are various things that you can do depending on what your career plan is, but here are some examples of what to do once you’ve got your qualifications.

Study For Further NVQs in Construction

The first option is that you could better yourself further by opting to study for another construction NVQ at a higher level. A level 3 construction NVQ qualification is centred around supervisory skills, so you would develop further by learning perhaps how to supervise a construction site. This may allow you to enter the employment world at a higher level.

Level 4 construction NVQs are based around management so you would study to become a site manager. If you get a level 3 or 4 construction NVQ, you would be able to apply for a supervisory or management CSCS card so that potential employers know that you are competent in either of these roles.

Obtain Your CSCS Card

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) was introduced in the UK so that employers have proof that you are competent and highly skilled in your industry. It is the construction industry's largest scheme and it currently covers over 200 occupations including trades, technical, supervisory and management.

Each card is colour coded depending on your skills, for example craft and trades at various levels have a different colour for managers than for tradesmen. The cards are usually valid for three to five years and they also confirm that you have passed the health & safety CSCS test.

CSCS cards can be obtained once you have shown proof of your construction NVQ certification.

Apply For Employment

Once you have passed your NVQ certificate and obtained your CSCS card, you can start to apply for work. If you do not have a CSCS card, this may affect your ability to be employed at certain sites and in certain job roles.

You can apply for work even if you have the basic construction NVQ, and some firms may help to fund you in studying for further level 3 or 4 construction NVQs while working. You may be able to do ‘day release’ so that you study for your higher qualifications one day per week, while working the remainder of the week which will allow you to earn money while you are studying.

A Construction NVQ is Your Ticket onto Jobsites

Both regenerations and developments are great news for construction professionals.  These types of projects guarantee that jobs will be created for skilled workers; and it almost always starts with the recruitment of locals.  Leeds is one city that has no problem tackling both regenerations and developments simultaneously.  This means a vast array of job availability for locals — but are you prepared with a construction NVQ in Leeds?

Bright Future for Carpentry, Dry Lining and Bricklaying Projects in Leeds

The recruitment of construction workers in Leeds will be seeing a major increase very soon.  The reason - the major development of a large retail centre.  The project covers one million square feet and has a budget of £350 million.  Retailers have expressed enough interest to get the project underway and the Leeds Trinity shopping centre is sure to be quite a sight.

Land Securities is heading up the project and in its very beginning stages stated that over 1,000 construction jobs would be immediately created.  The managing director of Land Securities stated that there has been significant momentum in building throughout the UK, and Leeds is no exception.  The Leeds Trinity project will create a large number of carpentry, dry lining and bricklaying jobs for workers with a construction NVQ in Leeds.

Alongside this project is the allocation of £110 million by the Homes and Communities Agency for regeneration.  The projects will regenerate areas of the city as well as several surrounding areas over a 12 month period.

With so many construction projects of all types taking place at the same time, there is no reason for skilled trades professionals with a construction NVQ in Leeds to be without work. It takes a certain degree of preparation on your part, but getting involved in these projects is worth the time it takes.

Leeds Construction NVQ’s — Investing in Yourself

When millions in funds are being invested in a project, it’s easy to understand why only the most qualified workers in Leeds can be trusted to take place on them.  Workers who have a construction NVQ in Leeds are much more likely to be considered and will almost always be the first ones hired onto a project.  Whether you are a carpenter, bricklayer, or even a dry liner, you can and will benefit from acquiring your construction NVQ in Leeds.

A Bricklaying NVQ, or Dry Lining NVQ (as well as any other construction NVQ in any other city) lets employers know a lot about you before they have even seen your work.  With a construction NVQ in Leeds to back you up, employers know that you are able and ready to take on any projects they have and that you are competent in safety techniques as well.  An NVQ is also something you should take pride in — not just anyone can achieve this certification and it says a lot about your skills.

Highlighting Women with Construction NVQ’s

Women are often a forgotten part of the construction industry. With the profession being one run and dominated primarily by men, it is easy to forget that women are also often involved — even if it’s just in the jobs on the back end that people don’t see. Even though women do play a significant role in the carpentry and joinery trades, part of the problem may be that there is not sufficient training available for women, but one Bradford company is working to put an end to that and give women in the industry the recognition they deserve.

Awards For Helping Women Into Construction

The housing association’s division of regeneration is helping women come to the forefront of construction and has received an accolade nomination. The company, People for Action, has been chosen as a finalist in the National Training Awards.

The nomination is based on a course that they put out offering women the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the construction industry. The People of Action director has told the media that they are thrilled at the success and importance their project has received and hope that it continues to have a significant impact.

Women only make up twelve percent of the construction industry and are extremely underrepresented. Along with this award-nominated project, is an announcement by Housing News that Bradford is going to be hosting an event for “Women Into Construction.” The event targets all women interested in the construction industry, but specifically focuses on year 10 and 11 students; 30 schools have already signed on board to participate in it.

Construction NVQ’s Are Important for Women Too!

Not only is the industry as a whole not female-friendly, it seems that very few women are achieving certifications as well. Whether this is because of a lack of information, preparation, or any other reason, women can benefit from a construction NVQ just as much (if not more) than men can. A woman with a construction NVQ surpasses any and all stereotypes that may be placed on her and shows everyone that she was competent and capable and proved it to an assessor.

Carpentry and joinery are two areas that women are commonly found in, and both a level 3 Carpentry NVQ or a level 3 Joinery NVQ would boost the amount of respect you get in the industry as well as force employers to take you seriously as a professional. A Carpentry NVQ or Joinery NVQ means every bit as much for a woman’s career as it does for a man’s and is something that every woman in the construction industry should obtain and carry with pride.