Latest:
Skills scheme widened
00:00 21 Jun 2000
|
by Glenda Thisdell
Experienced construction workers are being given another opportunity to obtain the industry's skills certification card.
Starting this autumn, construction workers who have no formal qualifications but have experience in the industry can apply for an "experienced workers" card under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme - provided they have signed up for a National Vocational Qualification and have passed an approved health and safety test.
Since its launch five years ago, 130,000 cardholders have joined the CSCS. Last year, a deadline of 30 November 1999 was imposed for registration for a CSCS link card for those who committed themselves to obtaining an NVQ or SVQ within three years.
Like the link card, the experienced workers' card can be converted to the five-year renewable CSCS card provided operatives have obtained an NVQ at level two or above.
The CSCS board anticipates that on-site assessment and training will be the preferred NVQ route for experienced candidates and a spokesman said the new route into the scheme is likely to be launched in Birmingham.
Those who have approved apprenticeships or NVQ/SVQs Level 2 or 3 are already eligible for the CSCS card.
The aim of the card is to give employers a guarantee that an individual is skilled in his/her stated trade and has received health and safety training. The cost of the card is £20 and the cost of the health and safety test is £35, but a full grant for this is available from the Construction Industry Training Board.
The CSCS is controlled by a management board made up of the Construction Confederation, the Federation of Master Builders and union bodies plus observers from government departments and the Health and Safety Executive. Scheme members are issued with a plastic credit-card sized document carrying their name, photograph, National Insurance number, CSCS registration number and trade.
The health and safety test was introduced 1 April 2000. It is available in a touch-screen computer format. The test comprises 35 questions from a bank of over 500. Prior to sitting the test, the candidate is sent the full bank of questions as learning material.
Experienced construction workers are being given another opportunity to obtain the industry's skills certification card.
Starting this autumn, construction workers who have no formal qualifications but have experience in the industry can apply for an "experienced workers" card under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme - provided they have signed up for a National Vocational Qualification and have passed an approved health and safety test.
Since its launch five years ago, 130,000 cardholders have joined the CSCS. Last year, a deadline of 30 November 1999 was imposed for registration for a CSCS link card for those who committed themselves to obtaining an NVQ or SVQ within three years.
ADVERTISEMENT
Like the link card, the experienced workers' card can be converted to the five-year renewable CSCS card provided operatives have obtained an NVQ at level two or above.
The CSCS board anticipates that on-site assessment and training will be the preferred NVQ route for experienced candidates and a spokesman said the new route into the scheme is likely to be launched in Birmingham.
Those who have approved apprenticeships or NVQ/SVQs Level 2 or 3 are already eligible for the CSCS card.
The aim of the card is to give employers a guarantee that an individual is skilled in his/her stated trade and has received health and safety training. The cost of the card is £20 and the cost of the health and safety test is £35, but a full grant for this is available from the Construction Industry Training Board.
The CSCS is controlled by a management board made up of the Construction Confederation, the Federation of Master Builders and union bodies plus observers from government departments and the Health and Safety Executive. Scheme members are issued with a plastic credit-card sized document carrying their name, photograph, National Insurance number, CSCS registration number and trade.
The health and safety test was introduced 1 April 2000. It is available in a touch-screen computer format. The test comprises 35 questions from a bank of over 500. Prior to sitting the test, the candidate is sent the full bank of questions as learning material.
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Viewed Articles
ADVERTISEMENT