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30 Years of CSCS: A New Era Begins with My CSCS and CSCS Smart Check 

Published: June 4, 2025

By Sean Kearns, CSCS Group Chief Executive 

This year marks 30 years since the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) was founded — and I couldn’t be prouder to reflect on how far we’ve come, and where we’re going next. 

It’s been a privilege to celebrate this milestone with so many of our colleagues, partners and industry champions. But as we acknowledge three decades of progress, we must also recognise that this is not just a moment of reflection — it’s a turning point. 

We are entering a new era of workforce assurance. And at the heart of this next chapter are two critical developments: the new-look My CSCS app and the expanding capabilities of CSCS Smart Check. 

CSCS at 30: More Than Just a Card Scheme

When CSCS was created in 1995, it was built on a powerful idea: that everyone working on a UK construction site should be properly trained, appropriately qualified — and able to prove it. 

Since then, we’ve issued over six million cards, supported countless careers, and helped the industry embed a culture of safety, competence, and professionalism. 

But CSCS has always been more than just a card. It represents trust — earned trust — that workers have the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to do their jobs safely and competently. That’s what we’ve built together over the last three decades. 

Launching the Future: Introducing My CSCS

Today, I’m proud to officially launch the new My CSCS app – your Digital Skills Passport for all your construction training records. 

This is more than a digital version of a card. It’s a secure, portable, and evolving record of a worker’s qualifications, training, CPD, and occupational experience. It will grow alongside careers, from apprentice to site manager, and provide real-time visibility of every milestone. 

The My CSCS app is designed to empower individuals and employers alike: 

  • Workers can take control of their own professional development. 
  • Site managers can make critical safety decisions based on accurate, verified data. 
  • Employers can streamline onboarding and ensure full compliance. 
  • Clients and dutyholders can demonstrate clear evidence of a trained and qualified workforce. 

In short, this is a transformative tool for our sector – one that reflects the professionalism we expect and the transparency we now require. 

My CSCS - Your Digital Skills Passport

Introducing the new My CSCS app. where cardholders can store all their construction qualifications, skills and training records, apply for a card or access their digital CSCS card to enter site.
Watch and subscribe via YouTube.com/@OfficialCSCS

Seamless Site Entry: The Power of CSCS Smart Check

Alongside the app, CSCS Smart Check continues to strengthen the integrity of site access across the UK and is used by the UK’s biggest contractors. 

Much like a border control checkpoint, CSCS Smart Check provides on-the-spot verification of a worker’s digital skills passport — based on their credentials, training, and qualifications. It works with the My CSCS app, integrates with existing site systems, and removes the delays and uncertainty often caused by manual checks or inconsistent records. 

CSCS Smart Check is already used across major sites nationwide and with the rise of the Digital Skills Passport, its role will only grow, enabling employers to make faster, safer, and more informed decisions. 

A Response to the Building Safety Act

These innovations come at a time of growing responsibility. The Building Safety Act is reshaping how we view competence, and rightly so. It places accountability and professional standards at the core of our industry. 

This aligns perfectly with CSCS’s mission. We’re moving beyond simply confirming a qualification and test pass. We’re here to support a more holistic understanding of a worker’s Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Behaviours (SKEB), and capturing that consistently over time in line with how individual sectors define their routes to competence. 

Built by the Industry, for the Industry

What makes me especially proud is that these systems have not been developed in isolation. They are the result of real collaboration — with the CSCS Alliance, government departments, trade unions, employers, and industry leaders. 

They have been built by the industry, for the industry. And they are designed to serve every part of it, from trades and site professionals to office-based staff and built environment specialists. 

The data insights we’ll gather from this joined-up approach will be invaluable, not just for compliance, but for strategic workforce planning, skills forecasting, and policy development. 

The Path Ahead

As we look ahead to the next 30 years, CSCS remains committed to helping Britain build safely, smartly, and professionally. Our focus is clear: 

  • To support the development of a fully trained and continuously improving workforce. 
  • To give employers and clients the confidence that they are meeting their legal responsibilities. 
  • To ensure every worker, no matter their role, has the recognition and opportunity they deserve. 

This isn’t just about digital transformation. It’s about cultural leadership. It’s about creating a system that celebrates progress, values skills, and enables growth. 

Join Us

The future we envision is one where: 

  • Every worker carries a secure, verifiable Digital Skills Passport. 
  • Every site has instant, trustworthy access control via CSCS Smart Check. 
  • Every employer and client makes decisions backed by clear, accurate data. 
  • And every career in construction is built safely on a foundation of pride and professionalism. 

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far. And to those who will shape what comes next — we’re with you. 

Here’s to the next chapter, to smarter tools, to higher standards and to a better way to build. 

Ready to access your Digital Skills Passport?

Download the My CSCS app today and take the next step in your professional journey. 

Visit CSCS.uk.com/MyCSCS