Eager to obtain your green CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card, but unsure whether you have the necessary qualifications, experience, or skills?
Regardless of whether you’re completely new to the construction industry, an employer has asked for evidence of your labouring skills and training, or your current green CSCS card has expired and you need a new one, the knowledgeable team at SB Skills Solutions can help.
These cards are essential for all individuals carrying out labouring duties on a construction site as they are used to prove to contactors that the holder possesses the relevant training, skills, and health and safety knowledge to work safely and effectively in this type of role.
Below, we explain more about the role of a green CSCS card for labourers, how you can apply for one, and whether the recent changes to the way in which some CSCS cards are renewed after 2024 will affect you.
What is a CSCS Green Card?
A CSCS labourer card, also known more commonly as a green CSCS card, can be applied for by workers that have successfully completed the relevant training to work safely and competently in a wide range of entry-level, general labour positions on a construction site.
Valid for five years, green CSCS cards are seen as essential certification if you work in any kind of labouring environment performing physical duties, including both building construction and destruction.
Some common job roles for individuals with green CSCS cards include general labourers, site cleaners, groundworkers, and demolition workers.
If you don’t hold a valid green CSCS card, then you may be denied entry to a construction site. This is because many employers and construction sites still require workers to hold a valid CSCS card – even though it’s not a legal requirement.
Obtaining a green CSCS card is therefore a great way to get involved in the construction industry and can be used as a stepping stone to help you achieve a higher-level card and more job opportunities.
How do you get a CSCS Green Card?
Getting a green CSCS card involves just two simple steps – obtaining the necessary training and certification and then heading online to apply.
Achieve the required training and certification
Before you can even begin the application process for a green CSCS card, you must ensure that you possess the relevant training, experience, and qualification for the construction job role you are applying for.
To be eligible to apply for your labourer green CSCS card, you will need to pass the necessary training and certification.
This training isn’t offered by CSCS and must therefore be provided by either a college of further education, training centre, or Jobcentre Plus.
According to CSCS, green card applicants should hold either:
- Level 1 (Scotland Level 4) Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment
- Scottish Level 5 REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Certificate
or have passed the NOCN (National Open College Network)/CSkills Awards Construction Health and Safety (F/618/0738) unit.
The Level 1 award was specifically created for labourers wanting to achieve a CSCS card.
However, there are alternative courses to this Level 1 award that CSCS will also accept if you want to apply for your green CSCS card.
It’s important to bear in mind, however, that alternative qualifications with an expiration date can be used only once.
As a result, you will need to retake them in the future when your green CSCS card expires after five years and you want to apply for a new one.
These alternative training courses are also provided by colleges of further education, training centres, and Jobcentre Plus’s.
There’s a long list of required courses that you can choose between, each with a different awarding organisation, course lifetime, and method of delivery (classroom or online).
Some of the accepted courses include:
- CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Health and Safety Awareness Course
- NOCN Health and Safety Awareness in Construction course
- NPORS (National Plant Operators Registration Scheme) Site Safety Awareness course
On top of holding one of these qualifications, all green CSCS card applicants must also pass the CITB health, safety, and environment (HS&E) test for operatives.
At SB Skills Solutions, we provide comprehensive training for the NPORS Site Safety Awareness course.
This course covers everything from defining and recognising occupational hazards and risks to understanding the legislated responsibilities of companies and how to reduce environmental impact.
If you’d like to find out more about the required training for obtaining your green CSCS card or you have a question regarding the assessment availability and pricing of any of our training courses, please don’t hesitate to contact the professional team at SB Skills Solutions today.
Apply online with CSCS
Once you’ve obtained one of the required qualifications, you can only apply for your green CSCS card by heading online to the official CSCS website.
Once you’ve logged in or registered for a new account, you’ll need to complete the online application form for the labourer CSCS card.
Alongside filling in this form, you will also need to provide a scanned copy of your certificate of one of the accepted qualifications as well as the test ID number from the top of your CITB HS&E test pass certificate.
Alternatively, you must provide proof of either registration to complete a qualification or professional body membership.
You will also be asked to prove your identity using either a passport or a driving licence and pay the CSCS card application fee via debit or credit card.
You may also need to include details regarding your current employment and a passport-size photo.
Please bear in mind, however, that these requirements may vary depending on your specific circumstances.
If you’re unsure how to apply for your green CSCS card, we recommend contacting CSCS directly for the most up-to-date guidance and clarification.
CSCS Green Card renewals after 2024
Is your existing green CSCS card about to expire?
As these cards are only valid for five years, you may be wondering how and when you can renew. CSCS state that these cards actually can’t be renewed – instead, you’ll simply need to apply for a new labourer card.
You can apply for a new labourer card online in the same way that you initially applied for your first green CSCS card.
You must start a new application instead of a renewal as the requirements to obtain this type of card are complex.
This is because there are numerous approved routes to achieving this type of card – including lifetime qualifications as well as training courses that must be renewed every few years.
As a result, the renewal process wouldn’t be the same for everyone that holds this type of card.
Concerned about whether recent changes to the CSCS card renewal process will impact your eligibility to apply for a new green CSCS card?
Fortunately, the recent changes made to the CSCS card renewal process (workers will no longer be allowed to renew their CSCS cards using Industry Accreditation (IA) after 2024) don’t affect labourer card holders.
These changes will only affect current IA card holders (typically, blue, gold or black CSCS card holders) that want to continue renewing their CSCS card after 2024.
Based on guidance from the CLC (Construction Leadership Council), IA CSCS cards that have been issued from January 1 2020 are set to expire on December 31 2024 and won’t be permitted to be replaced using IA.
While previously, IA allowed workers to receive recognition of their skills from the strength of an employers’ recommendation, they must now possess the relevant qualification or accreditation to ensure that they meet industry requirements and can competently and safely perform their role on the construction site.
Following these changes, this means current IA card holders will need to achieve a recognised qualification to apply for a new CSCS card, such as a relevant NVQ (National Vocational Qualification), SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification), apprenticeship, or an equivalent accreditation, like a higher national certificate or higher national diploma..
If you fall into the category of being an IA card holder without a recognised and accepted qualification for applying for a new CSCS card, then rest assured that our experienced team can help.
At SB Skills Solutions, we’ve helped countless construction industry workers achieve a wide range of qualifications and work-based NVQs starting at Level 2 and going all the way up to Level 7.
If you believe that your career in the construction industry could be impacted by the recent changes made to the way in which your CSCS card can be renewed, why not contact our professional team today?
By taking into account your level of experience as well as your skills and knowledge in your chosen role, our fully qualified trainers and assessors can help you to understand which qualifications you need and the best way to obtain them.
Can green CSCS card be upgraded to a higher level?
Yes, once you obtain your green CSCS card, you can always upgrade later to a higher level to meet your career goals.
While the green CSCS card is aimed at entry-level roles in the construction industry, other cards exist that align with your qualification, skills, and experience.
This includes the blue CSCS card (also known as the skilled workers card) which is aimed at skilled workers – those with special skills, training, and knowledge.
This also includes the more advanced gold CSCS card which is used to demonstrate that the holder has an even higher degree of capability and experience in their field of work.
However, in order to apply for these more advanced cards and progress your career in a way that works for you, you will need to meet the specific requirements.
For example, upgrading from a green CSCS card to a blue CSCS card would require the successful completion of either a Level 2 NVQ or SVQ, apprenticeship, or an equivalent qualification.
What can SB Skills do for your labourers?
At SB Skills Solutions, we provide national training, delivering CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme), NPORS, ITSSAR (Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register), in-house, NVQ, and Health and Safety Courses to many different industries, including the construction industry.
We work with both individuals as well as companies to help them achieve the necessary training and qualifications to further their career in the construction industry.
This includes supporting labourers who work on road surfacing, landscaping, and building construction projects.
Contact SB Skills Solutions today
Regardless of whether you’re seeking independent training to pursue a career in the construction industry or you want to upskill a group of your employees at once, SB Skills Solutions can assist.
Fortunately, our team of knowledgeable and experienced instructors can help you to achieve the required qualification to apply for your green CSCS card.
Alternatively, we can also help you to work towards applying for a higher-level card, such as the blue CSCS skilled worker card, if you already have your green CSCS card and want to upskill or move roles within the construction industry.
To do this, we provide assessment services for an extensive selection of NVQ qualifications, alongside our wide range of health and safety courses, including the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test, that workers must also hold if they want to obtain any CSCS card.
If you’d like to find out more about the different training courses and qualifications available through SB Skills Solutions, or you’re not sure which course would be best to help you obtain your green CSCS card, just ask.
To discuss your requirements with a member of our team, please feel free to call us today on 01695 558 420.
You can also send your enquiry via email to info@sbskills.co.uk or use our convenient online contact form or booking feature to register your interest.
