The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has announced that it will be withdrawing the Industry Accreditation/Grandfather Rights route to a CSCS card from 31st December 2024.

Industry Accreditation, also known as Grandfather Rights, allowed workers to obtain CSCS cards on the strength of an employers’ recommendation rather than the achievement of a recognised qualification. This was closed to new applicants in 2010 but those already holding a card are currently able to renew on the same basis, until now.

All cards issued under Industry Accreditation/Grandfather Rights will expire on 31st December 2024 and only those that have completed a competence-based assessment (NVQ) will be able to renew their card.

Why are they doing this?

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 Industry accreditation does not support industry’s desire for a fully qualified workforce and as such it will be withdrawn.”

I have a CSCS card through Grandfather Rights, how can I renew my CSCS card after December 2024?

In order to renew your IA/Grandfather Rights CSCS card after 31st December 2024, all applicants will need to have completed an NVQ at the appropriate level. For example – Supervisors with a Gold CSCS card will need to complete a Level 3 or 4 NVQ. Managers with a Black CSCS card will need to complete a Level 5, 6 or 7 NVQ.

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.

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.

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

Does it involve lots of written work?

Most our of our qualifications can be assessed one of two ways:

1. Through written work – where work is submitted to the assessor for review and feedback through our online ePortfolio portal.
2. Through a discussion-based assessment – where you will ‘talk your way’ through the qualification criteria over a series of online Zoom meetings. This method involves no written work.

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

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

Prior to enrolment (during the initial profiling process) one of our assessors will speak with each candidate directly to determine whether they would be best suited to the discussion assessment or the written assessment.

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 a period of 12 months on all of our qualifications. Experienced candidates however – i.e. those that do not require a great deal of ‘guidance/learning’ (such as existing Grandfather Right CSCS card holders) can achieve these qualifications in 4 weeks through our professional-discussion style assessment.

Which NVQs do you offer that provide access to Gold and Black CSCS cards?

CADUK offer the following NVQs for Supervisors and Managers that will enable candidate to apply for Gold & Black CSCS cards, our Level 6 and 7 NVQs also provide access to Chartered Status with The CIOB:

Gold CSCS Card qualifications:

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations (For Estimators, Quantity Surveyors, Buyers, Planners, General Contractors and those involved in surveys, work planning and technical sales).

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Work Supervision (For Occupational Work Supervisors (Gangers) that supervise one or two specific trades, typically they will hold a Blue CSCS card for their trade).

Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Supervision (For Site Supervisors, Assistant Site Managers and Occupational Supervisors (Gangers) that supervise multiple different trades).

Black CSCS Card qualifications:

Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Management (For Construction Site Managers who oversee larger projects and sites (usually one single site at a time) with authority, accountability and decision-making responsibilities).

Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations Management (For Buyers, Planners, Estimators, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers responsible for a smaller part of the overall project, and Site Managers overseeing smaller/multiple sites).

Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Senior Site Inspection (For Quality Inspectors and those that carry out a Clerk of Works role. They will carry out inspections, check quality of work, identify problems and report their findings with recommendations).

Level 7 NVQ Diploma in Construction Senior Management (For Project Managers, Contracts Managers, Commercial Managers, Operations Directors, Property and Facilities Managers, and Specialist Construction Managers).

How can I take this forward?