Working as a scaffolder certainly comes with its risks. That’s why there are a number of training programmes and qualifications available, to make sure you and other members of your team are fully competent and able to carry out the job safely.
The Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS) provides training and qualifications for anyone and everyone in the construction industry, which showcases your competency and ability to get the job done in a safe and productive manner. Anyone that has been trained and has qualified from the certification scheme is issued with their very own CSCS card that can be used to prove their skills to a potential employee.
However, many scaffolders question just how important it is to obtain a CSCS card, as well as whether they would be employable without it. With that in mind, we’ve offered up some useful information concerning the CSCS card and whether or not it’s a necessity for scaffolders to operate in the UK.
What are the different certifications available to scaffolders?
The CSCS training isn’t the only certification available to scaffolders here in the UK. In fact, the most common training scheme is the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS), which is an industry recognised training programme and qualification that has been used in the UK for well over 40 years. The CISRS offers training specifically for scaffolders and has trained and qualified over 60,000 scaffolders since being introduced.
There are a number of different training programmes available, depending on your level of expertise and where you are hoping to grow to in your role as a scaffolder. From the labourer training course for those who want to support the scaffolding team on site, to the scaffolding supervisor course that equips senior scaffolders with the skills needed to effectively manage a scaffolding team. Each training programme focuses on making sure you have the necessary skills and competency to carry out the job you are looking to pursue.
Then of course, there’s the certification in question, the CSCS card and training. Unlike the CISRS programme which is directly relevant to scaffolders, the CSCS is a much more generic training scheme, open to a variety of workers in the construction industry. So if you might be interested in not only training in scaffolding, but building more varied skills for other roles, the CSCS programme might be a beneficial scheme for you.
Do scaffolders need to have a CSCS card to work in the UK?
Having a valid CSCS card is not currently a legal requirement to work as a scaffolder in the UK, but it certainly is beneficial. As time goes on, many more of the major contractors are making it a requirement for workers to have a CSCS qualification, if they wish to work on one of their sites. With that in mind, it’s well worth taking the time to gain the skills from the course and to bag yourself a CSCS card that will stand you in good stead for some of the best scaffolding jobs available.
It’s thoroughly recommended that you partake in both CISRS and CSCS training courses, to develop lifelong career skills that will fastrack you into some fantastic jobs and up the career ladder into management one day. It takes very little time, effort and money to qualify under the CSCS scheme and will greatly benefit your role as a scaffolder in the years to come.
