Civil engineering and constructionNews

CSCS Placement Card for Learners

CSCS welcomes the introduction of the Industry Placement Card which enables trainees to gain on the job experience. Changes to educational policy in the UK have led to an increased focus on vocational education, including the introduction of the Traineeship Skills Development Programme and T Level qualifications.

New paths into the construction sector involve traditional classroom learning and on-the-job experience. To support students moving from the classroom, the construction industry is set to introduce the Industry Placement Card.

The card, which will display the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) logo, will be available from September 2021, and will be for learners aged 16 or over. Applicants should be registered with a recognised qualification or training programme which requires at least 30 days’ work placement which is intended to lead to employment within the construction sector and the built environment.

Alan O’Neile, Head of Communications at CSCS, said: “CSCS welcomes the introduction of the Industry Placement Card. Extended periods of work placement provide critical on-site experience for the learner whilst simultaneously providing employers with access to the latest talent entering the industry. The card enables the learner to access the site and start developing the practical and technical skills required by the future workforce.”

Initially, four card schemes – Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS), Engineering Services SKILLcard and JIB Plumbing, Mechanical Engineering Services (JIB-PMES) – will make the card available from September, with potentially more schemes to follow.

The card schemes are keen to highlight that it is important to apply to the card scheme relevant to the construction pathway undertaken by the learner. For example, a learner undertaking a T Level in Building Services Engineering with a specialist pathway in Protection Systems Engineering should apply to the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme.

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