Construction Skills Certification Scheme

By ensuring the workforce are appropriately qualified the card plays its part in improving standards and safety on UK construction sites.

However, most principal contractors and major house builders require construction workers on their sites to hold a valid card.

[3] The original aim of the scheme was to ensure that all construction workers in the UK receive training and achieve qualifications suitable to their role and have a means of proving this.

[4] In the mid 2000s a spate of deaths in the construction industry led to the threat of government action on major contractors.

As these were non-qualified roles the scheme had drifted away from one of its key original objectives – providing recognition for construction qualifications – and was seen merely as a "hoop that had to be jumped through to get workers onto site".

[6] In 2012, Graham Wren joined CSCS as chief executive and decided to move the scheme back towards a focus on qualifications.

[3][5] Graham Wren retired as CSCS Chief Executive Officer in July 2022 after 10 years of service.