Fully Funded Construction / Plant NVQs in the Black Country

Essential Site Skill is currently advertising the availability of fully-funded access to Construction and Plant NVQs in the Black Country. More specifically, in East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, and Tees Valley in conjunction with Calderdale College.

There are also free NVQs to upgrade to a blue CSCS or CPCS card.

As Essential Site Skills explains in an email, "We can now provide Construction SMEs based in the above locations with less than 250 employees free construction NVQs through our Skills Support for the Workforce programme, funded by the European Social Fund. Participants must be legally resident in the UK or able to take employment in a European Union Member State."

If you would like further information, please call 0115 8970 529 or email training@essentialsiteskills.com

NDTG announce details of CCDO card renewals

The current CCDO card renewal system has been reviewed in consultation with CSCS following lengthy and detailed negotiations. I am pleased to advise the following:

1. Existing Industry cards that have been achieved without an NVQ qualification may be renewed up to 2020 with the new CCDO Smart Card. These cards will not now require the NVQ qualification until 2020, however, a Refresher Course will still need to be undertaken.

2. The NDTG, in accordance with CSCS guidance, will renew the following cards:

• Blue -D2B- Topman
• Gold -D3B -Supervisor

3. CSCS will continue to review the process and advise any further requirements for card renewal post 2020.

CSCS Moving All Industry Accreditation (IA) to a Recognised Qualification.

Essential Site Skills emailed us details of a move to a recognised qualification, which we have shared below for your convenience:

CSCS has announced it is developing plans to move all Industry Accreditation (IA) also known as Grandfathers rights cardholders to a recognised qualification.

What does this mean for current card holders?
In the meantime existing IA card holders can continue to renew their cards in accordance with the scheme rules. These cards will include Blue Skilled worker, Gold Supervisory, and Black Managers cards that state on the back of the card gained through Industry accreditation.

The withdrawal of Industry Accreditation will be the final step towards achieving the Construction Leaderships Councils requirement of ensuring nationally recognised qualifications are in place for all occupations.

What can you do now to get ahead of the scheme?
If you are a CITB registered Employer - take advantage of the CITB Flexible Skills & Training Fund to gain the relevant qualification whilst funds are available to cover the cost before the option to renew is removed and the requirement to complete the appropriate qualification is mandatory.

Applications for CITB Flexible Skills and Training Fund opened on the 7th February 2017 and will remain open until the 20th November 2017.

Who can apply?
CITB registered construction employers with fewer than 100 direct employees.

How to apply?
Essential Site Skills (ESS) can offer advice and support with the application and any training requirements involved. Call 0115 8970 529 or email training@essentialsiteskills.com.

Eligible applicants can submit an application at any time from 7 February 2017 to 20 November 2017, and accumulated applications will be scored at six points in the window:

• Window opens - 7 February 2017
• Review date 1 - 6 March 2017
• Review date 2 - 24 April 2017
• Review date 3 - 29 May 2017
• Review date 4 - 17 July 2017
• Review date 5 - 2 October 2017
• Review date 6 - 20 November 2017
• Window closes - 20 November 2017

At each scheduled point, all applications which have accumulated since the last point will be evaluated and those applicants will be notified of decisions.

How much can I apply for?

• Up to 10k – less than 100 direct employees
• Up to 7.5k – less than 75 direct employees
• Up to 5k – less than 50 employees

What training activities can I apply for?
Skills and training activities that are vital for the construction industry, which identify you are reducing a skills gap, reducing skills shortages, and improving access to the right training. For example, in the last round of funding we have had successful applications for CPCS training/testing, First Aid and Construction NVQs.

Restrictions:
Only one bid allowed per CITB registered employer each per 12 month period. The CITB Grants Scheme rules aligns grant eligibility to those employees that appear on a Levy Return covering the period in which training is provided; therefore, funding bids for training where CITB grant is currently available will not be allowed/approved in respect of any individuals included in the bid who are specifically excluded from eligibility under the Grants Scheme rules, for example, but not restricted to, training provided to gross paid CIS subcontractors.

New CSCS card and qualification being introduced July 1st

Tomorrow is the first day that the new CSCS card and qualification for construction site labourers is being introduced. With that in mind, it's important to understand the implications of the new card and supporting training.

The main point of the new card and qualification is to better assess labourers working on site, and ensure they are trained and assessed as being competent to work in such an environment.

SHP has written a detailed overview of what the cards are for, how they came about, and why this is a good move for the industry. If you'd like to know more about the cards then visit the CSCS UK website.

CSCS modify their CSCS Construction Site Operative Cards to address issues

From July 1st this year it has been decided that the green Construction Site Operative Card (CSO) will no longer be issued. This news comes following issues that were raised regarding how many were in the scheme coupled with the fact no assessment was required to receive one.

From July, a mandatory Health and Safety Level 1 qualification will be required to get into the CSCS scheme. There's also a requirement to pass the CITB Operatives Health, Safety and Environment test within two years of applying for a new card.

To find out more about how the standards are being raised by the CSCS, please visit the CSCS website, which has much more detail on what is happening in July.

Source: NDTG

Do we need to train our security teams?

We have received the above question at our site today from a Demolition Contractor who needs a security team for one of their projects, so after answering them directly I thought it was worthy sharing the reply with all of our readers.

The answer to the question is YES.

For security teams we recommend the following training:-

• All guys trained in accordance with the SIA requirements.
• All guys to hold CSCS cards.
• All guys that need to work on jobs where there is asbestos present should have undertaken asbestos awareness training.
• All must have a site induction, relative to their role.
• If working alone the risk assessment must reflect the lone working status and plans must be in place to deal with any emergency.
• Also, depending upon the contract ( a school perhaps) they will need Disclosure and Barring Service checks (previously known as CRB checks)

When C&D require security on sites where we are involved we turn to Security T&T Services of Wolverhampton who supplied security for the recent DemoExpo exhibition. They can be contacted at sttsltd1@aol.co.uk, on 01902 823905, and via twitter @sttsltd1

If you need your own teams trained please contact john.woodward@demolishdismantle.co.uk

CIOB Sheffield & South Yorkshire Centre event reminder

I’d like to remind you that the CIOB Sheffield & South Yorkshire Centre has an event taking place on Thursday 23 May 2013 – an update on the CSCS Card.

Gordon Jenkins, director of operations at CSCS, will be providing an update on developments with the competence card scheme and will focus on CSCS’ renewed relationship with ConstructionSkills, changing requirements for applying for cards and uses of the CSCS smartcard including the range of free apps available.

The event is a breakfast seminar starting at 8.00am in Owen 1031, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB. To confirm your place/s email fevans@ciob.org.uk.

Please be aware that you will not be able to gain a CSCS card at this event.

Remember this event is open to non-members of the CIOB, so please promote to others who may be interested in attending.

This CSCS Update is also taking place in Hull on 21st May and Leeds on 22nd May – see the CIOB website for details.

C&D Consultancy are now able to offer the one day Site Safety Plus Course

We are pleased to announce that C&D are now able to deliver the CSCS one day Site Safety Plus course as well as IOSH Managing Safety and SMSTS courses.

The first of the new courses was delivered on Saturday 13th April to DSM Demolition in Rotherham.

For further details of the course please contact john.woodward@demolishdismantle.co.uk

CSCS Cards required on public sector construction sites

The Scottish Government has introduced a new policy with regards to the assessment of skills, competence and safety standards on construction sites.

The Scottish Building Federation has asked for and got the Scottish Government to agree to the following:

"All companies engaged in new public sector construction contracts must ensure that on-site staff are registered with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) or an equivalent."

According to Michael Levack, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Federation, this is a great move:

"This is an important step in a continued drive to ensure everyone working in the Scottish construction industry is properly qualified and accredited. We welcome all efforts the Scottish Government can make to support firms with getting their workforce signed up to recognised schemes."

Source: Scotland.gov.uk