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Who are CADUK?

We’re specialists in construction NVQs!

We have delivered thousands of NVQs since 2011. Our customers are employers, individuals and other training providers in the UK, Ireland, Middle East and countries further abroad.

Our NVQs provide access to Gold & Black CSCS cards, Blue CPCS cards and professional status with CIOB, RICS, CABE and ICWCI.

Why choose Us?

We’re the best in the business!

We're trusted by companies including Macegroup, Kier, Laing O'Rourke, Novus, Multiplex, Willmott Dixon, Network Rail and many more.

All of our qualifications can be delivered online through our bespoke ePortfolio system, with no time off work, no classroom-based elements and no visits to site. We have learners registered on our qualifications from all over the world!

We have fast-track assessment options which are suitable for very experienced Supervisors and Managers and can enable them to achieve high-level qualifications within 4 weeks.

We're CITB Grant Approved! This means that CITB registered companies can claim back up to £1500 on our construction-based NVQs. This effectively makes many of our NVQs free for CITB registered companies!

Our assessment team are industry experts! CADUK have more FCIOB & MCIOB assessors than any other NVQ centre in the UK. Most of them have worked (and some still do) at the highest levels of construction themselves, so they're in a position to add real value to your qualification.

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GREY-CIRCLE-THIN

Who are CADUK?

We’re specialists in construction NVQs!

We have delivered thousands of NVQs since 2011. Our customers are employers, individuals and other training providers in the UK, Ireland, Middle East and countries further abroad.

Our NVQs provide access to Gold & Black CSCS cards, Blue CPCS cards and professional status with CIOB, RICS, CABE and ICWCI.

What do our customers think of us?

martyn-tuttey-mace-caduk-nvq-level-7-mciob-fciob
Mace have worked with CADUK for more than 10 years to help fulfil our goal of a fully qualified and chartered senior management structure.
Martyn Tuttey FCIOB FCABE FAPM
Senior Project Manager – Mace Limited
kevin-beaver-caduk-level-7-nvq-construction-senior-management
The support provided was superb. I found it to be a great learning experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking to gain chartered status with CIOB.
Kevin Beaver FCIOB
Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Limited
michael-obyrne-caduk-level-7-nvq-construction-senior-management
The support and encouragement I got from the team was fantastic. This has opened up a lot of doors for me and I highly recommend using CADUK.
Michael O'Byrne MCIOB
Colmore Tang Construction Ltd
tom-messenger-caduk-level-7-nvq-construction-senior-management
CADUK helped me achieve the Level 7 qualification to further my career in a way that suited my life and my work schedules. I now have my Black CSCS card and MCIOB status
Tom Messenger MCIOB
Thistle Systems

Frequently asked questions

What is an NVQ?

An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) is a competence-based assessment of the skills, knowledge and experience that you already have.

In a nutshell, you’re telling an assessor how you carry out your role and showing them then evidence (documents, photos, videos) that proves that you can do the job.

NVQs are not about going ‘back to school’. They are about going where you want to go in your career.

All of our assessors are highly experienced, qualified construction professionals who are in a position to add real value to your qualification.

Most of our assessors are Members or Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

We carefully select a particular assessor for each individual learner to ensure that your workplace experiences are aligned and that the feedback and guidance provided is useful, relevant and rewarding.

Your assessor will provide advice and feedback throughout the process on via phone, Zoom, email and the CADUK ePortfolio system.

Do I need to sit any exams?

No. NVQs aren’t about how good you are at exams, they’re about proving that you can carry out the work safely, competently, and effectively.

NVQs don’t involve tests and trick questions, they are designed for practical people who have learned and developed their skills over time in a real working environment.

Do you need prior qualifications?

No. You could effectively go from having no qualifications at all, to a Level 7 NVQ (the highest competence-based qualification in Construction).

The only caveat being that you need to prove to us first that you are already working at the required level.

Prior to enrolment, we carry out a (free) profiling session with each candidate. This process is designed specifically to make sure that the NVQ is achievable and is the most appropriate to your skills, knowledge, experience and job role.

What is involved in the profiling session?

Initially we’ll ask you to complete a short questionnaire (profile tool) which lists the contents and the evidence requirements of each qualification. You will then send the completed questionnaire back to us with a copy of your CV.

One of our assessors will contact you directly to discuss your responses in the questionnaire and to make 100% sure that the qualification you have applied for is the most appropriate level and is definitely achievable.

This process isn’t designed to ‘catch you out’ or to test you, it is only to confirm that you are actually carrying out your role to the level required in the qualification and that you have access to the necessary documentation (evidence).

Once the assessor has approved you to enrol you can start the process right away.

Does the NVQ involve written work?

We have different assessment options to suit your individual requirements.

Most our of our qualifications can be assessed either through written work (via our online ePortfolio system) or via a discussion-based assessment (via Zoom meetings) where you will ‘talk your way’ through the qualification criteria.

The discussion-based assessment is usually recommended for the more experienced candidates who are established in their role and can talk confidently about their work.

Less experienced learners are better suited to the written-work (ePortfolio) assessment where they can work at their own pace, developing themselves along the way with advice and guidance from the assessor.

Prior to enrolment (during the profiling process) the assessor will determine whether you would be best suited to the discussion assessment or the written assessment.

Will the assessor have to come to site?

No. The whole assessment can be assessed online. For some of our qualifications the assessor will ask to see videos and photographs from the site, but using technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams the whole assessment can be carried out remotely.

How long will the NVQ take to achieve?

Achievement of an NVQ is really down to you, and how motivated you are to have it completed.

We provide support for 12 months, however these qualifications are realistically achievable within 1–3 months depending on your own commitment.

We also offer ‘fast-track’ assessment options which are suitable for more experienced Supervisors and Managers. the aim of the fast-track assessment is to have the whole qualification completed within 4 weeks or less.

There are no exams, no workshops to attend, no site visits, and no need to take time of work.

Are any grants or funding available?

Yes, CADUK are a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO). CITB registered employers can therefore claim up to £1500 per candidate on achievement of any of our construction-specific qualifications. This includes small employers (i.e. those with a wage bill of less than £80k) who don’t have to pay the levy.

As of 1st April 2023, the amount that CITB registered companies can claim back per NVQ is:

Level 2 NVQ: £600 

Level 3-4 NVQ: £1200

Level 6-7 NVQ: £1500

This grant applies to directly employed staff on the payroll and all subcontractors.

Read our article by clicking here for more information.

To find out if you are eligible to claim the CITB grant please Click Here, or call CITB directly on 0344 994 4455.

Frequently asked questions

What is an NVQ?

An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) is a competence-based assessment of the skills, knowledge and experience that you already have.

In a nutshell, you’re telling an assessor how you carry out your role and showing them then evidence (documents, photos, videos) that proves that you can do the job.

NVQs are not about going ‘back to school’. They are about going where you want to go in your career.

All of our assessors are highly experienced, qualified construction professionals who are in a position to add real value to your qualification.

Most of our assessors are Members or Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

We carefully select a particular assessor for each individual learner to ensure that your workplace experiences are aligned and that the feedback and guidance provided is useful, relevant and rewarding.

Your assessor will provide advice and feedback throughout the process on via phone, Zoom, email and the CADUK ePortfolio system.

Do I need to sit any exams?

No. NVQs aren’t about how good you are at exams, they’re about proving that you can carry out the work safely, competently, and effectively.

NVQs don’t involve tests and trick questions, they are designed for practical people who have learned and developed their skills over time in a real working environment.

Do you need prior qualifications?

No. You could effectively go from having no qualifications at all, to a Level 7 NVQ (the highest competence-based qualification in Construction).

The only caveat being that you need to prove to us first that you are already working at the required level.

Prior to enrolment, we carry out a (free) profiling session with each candidate. This process is designed specifically to make sure that the NVQ is achievable and is the most appropriate to your skills, knowledge, experience and job role.

What is involved in the profiling session?

Initially we’ll ask you to complete a short questionnaire (profile tool) which lists the contents and the evidence requirements of each qualification. You will then send the completed questionnaire back to us with a copy of your CV.

One of our assessors will contact you directly to discuss your responses in the questionnaire and to make 100% sure that the qualification you have applied for is the most appropriate level and is definitely achievable.

This process isn’t designed to ‘catch you out’ or to test you, it is only to confirm that you are actually carrying out your role to the level required in the qualification and that you have access to the necessary documentation (evidence).

Once the assessor has approved you to enrol you can start the process right away.

Does the NVQ involve written work?

We have different assessment options to suit your individual requirements.

Most our of our qualifications can be assessed either through written work (via our online ePortfolio system) or via a discussion-based assessment (via Zoom meetings) where you will ‘talk your way’ through the qualification criteria.

The discussion-based assessment is usually recommended for the more experienced candidates who are established in their role and can talk confidently about their work.

Less experienced learners are better suited to the written-work (ePortfolio) assessment where they can work at their own pace, developing themselves along the way with advice and guidance from the assessor.

Prior to enrolment (during the profiling process) the assessor will determine whether you would be best suited to the discussion assessment or the written assessment.

Will the assessor have to come to site?

No. The whole assessment can be assessed online. For some of our qualifications the assessor will ask to see videos and photographs from the site, but using technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams the whole assessment can be carried out remotely.

How long will the NVQ take to achieve?

Achievement of an NVQ is really down to you, and how motivated you are to have it completed.

We provide support for 12 months, however these qualifications are realistically achievable within 1–3 months depending on your own commitment.

There are no exams, no workshops to attend, no site visits, and no need to take time of work.

Are any grants or funding available?

Yes, CADUK are a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO). CITB registered employers can therefore claim £600 per learner on achievement of any of our construction-specific qualifications. This includes small employers (i.e. those with a wage bill of less than £80k) who don’t have to pay the levy.

This grant applies to directly employed staff on the payroll and all subcontractors.

Many of our NVQs at Level 2 in Plant and Controlling Lifting Operations are £599+VAT and are still eligible for the £600 CITB grant. These NVQs are effectively free for CITB registered companies.

For more information or to find out if you are eligible to claim the CITB grant please Click Here, or call CITB directly on 0344 994 4455.

Enjoy reading

Our latest articles

The articles below cover a range of topics concerning the construction industry. Feel free to comment on any of the articles and we'll respond as soon as we can!

Enjoy reading

Our latest articles

The articles below cover a range of topics concerning the construction industry. Feel free to comment on any of the articles and we'll respond as soon as we can!