CSCS set to take CTA card under its wing

The Certificate of Training Achievement (CTA) is set to give up its own identity and amalgamate with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).

The proposals have been made by the CTA management committee in an attempt to unify the plant industry behind one accreditation scheme. "If the industry wishes there to be one single card scheme - and I think it does - then CSCS is the way to go," said Eddie Ruthven, assistant director for central training services at the Construction Industry Training Board, which administers the scheme.

The plans, yet to be confirmed, coincide with the CTA's decision to move towards becoming a competence-based scheme, and formal approval is likely to be imminent given the timetable that has already been established. Competence cards will start to be issued in July this year and the new scheme will come into effect from 1 January 2004.

Once confirmed, the proposals would mean the disappearance of the CTA name. "The CTA will cease to exist and will be replaced by the industry scheme - the CSCS - which will feature a separate plant sub-committee so that everybody in the industry will be singing from the same sheet," said Ruthven.

However, it remains uncertain how these moves will affect other plant schemes affiliated to the CSCS. Chris Jones, chief executive of the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS), said it would continue to issue its standard NPORS card as well as cards endorsed with the NPORS and CSCS logos. "If people trained through us want CSCS, then they will receive a card with NPORS on the front and on the back it will say 'in partnership with CSCS'."

He added that following the agreements signed with CSCS, both NPORS and LANTRA, the land-based training agency, would have representation on the CSCS plant committee. "We'll be part of the process of setting training standards for the plant industry."