Puretech is taking active steps to protect both compliance and capability as the impact of CSCS grows.

CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) is the leading skills accreditation scheme within the UK construction industry. With its main purpose to provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they carry out, it helps to improve standards and safety across the industry.

While no one would argue that this is a good scheme, recent changes to CSCS requirements are creating unintended and severe consequences for the skilled workforce.

What has changed?

The removal of ‘Grandfather Rights’ (in the context of the CSCS scheme refers to the ability of individuals to obtain a CSCS card without having to go through the usual certification process) under the new revised rules means, regardless of age or experience, trade-based individuals must now hold a relevant NVQ qualification to obtain a CSCS card. There are some small exceptions to alternative entry qualifications, but the ease of access, proof and acceptance is difficult, time consuming and not guaranteed to be granted.

For context, every major contractor requires all site personnel to carry a valid CSCS card. No card, no site access.

This means the most highly experienced engineers, welders and pipefitters – many with decades of hands-on expertise and qualifications that significantly exceed NVQ level, will now have to retrain and formally achieve an NVQ in order to continue working on sites.

The cost beyond compliance

While this may appear to be a simple procedural update, it actually means:

• Additional cost to individuals and employers
• Time away from projects to complete assessments
• Administrative burden across the supply chain

But more concerning than the financial impact is the human one.

Many skilled tradespeople approaching sixty – individuals who have spent their whole working life mastering their craft – are simply unwilling to undergo retraining to prove competence, so rather than requalify, some are choosing to leave the industry altogether.

A wider workforce problem

The UK construction and engineering sectors are already under pressure from:

• Skills shortages
• An ageing workforce
• Increasing project demand
• Reduced number of apprenticeships over the past 2-3 decades

Forcing skilled professionals out of the workforce over administrative technicalities runs a real risk of accelerating the skills gap.

Beyond project delivery, there is another long-term consequence: knowledge transfer.

Experienced tradespeople do more than complete work to a high standard. They mentor apprentices, troubleshoot complex problems instinctively, and pass on practical insight that cannot be learned solely in a classroom environment. When they leave, they take that expertise with them.

Protecting standards without losing experience

Maintaining safety and competency standards is indisputable, but the industry must ensure that compliance frameworks do not inadvertently threaten the very workforce they are designed to protect. Typically, a central factor in most serious accidents and near misses, you will find the causes to be a lack of knowledge and/or experience. Both of those skill sets are obtained over many years of training, but we are be forcing out the very individuals with the most skills and experience, by solely relying on an NVQ based system.

There is an obvious need for a sensible approach – one that recognises demonstrable experience that runs concurrently with formal qualifications, particularly for those who have already proven their competence over decades of safe, high-quality work.

As the industry navigates these changes, the question remains: how do we safeguard standards without losing the skilled people who uphold them every day?

For many engineering and specialist contractors, what was once a theoretical discussion is now an operational reality. For more information on how Puretech Systems Limited are doing to address the problem, please see the following article.