In 2015 the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) announced (via the Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025) that skills certification card schemes carrying the CSCS logo must operate with nationally recognised qualifications (NVQs or approved equivalents) in place for all occupations.

The CRO card was intended for those occupations for which there are no nationally recognised qualifications and as such does not meet the requirements of the CLC. As a consequence, CSCS will cease issuing the CRO card at the end of March 2017.

If your application is received on or before 31st March 2017, you will be able to obtain a CRO card. However, the card will expire on 30th September 2017 and will not be able to be renewed.

CSCS believes it isn’t appropriate to issue a card which is valid for less than six months as it would add additional and unecessary renewal costs to the card holder.

A card issued in March 2017 will last for six months and will not be renewable. Before it expires the CRO card holder must achieve or be registered for a recognised construction related qualification and apply for the appropriate CSCS card for their job.

Your card will remain valid until its expiry date. However, before it expires you must achieve or be registered for a recognised construction related qualification for your occupation.

The current list is here and will be unavailable once CRO cards cease to be issued on 31^st March 2017.

CRO card holders with approved qualifications will be able to move directly onto a skilled worker card without having to complete any further qualifications. A valid CITB Health, Safety and Environment test may be required. Click here for more information and a list of occupations with approved qualifications.

Following discussions with industry representatives, it has been agreed that a number of CRO occupations are better represented by transferring to one of CSCS’s Partner Card Schemes. Click here for more information and a list of occupations being transferred to our Partner Card Schemes.

Following discussions with Build UK (the employer association which represents many of the largest contractors and trade associations), it has been agreed that a number of CRO occupations are non-construction related and should be removed from the scheme entirely. Click here for more information and a list of occupations being removed from the scheme.

A number of CRO occupations have qualifications that currently don’t meet the nationally recognised standard for those skilled occupations. For many of these occupations the sector representatives and the standard setting bodies are working together to bring these qualifications up to the agreed national standards. Click here for more information and a list of occupations which require enhanced qualifications.

CSCS has identified 25 occupations that require further investigation and discussion with industry before deciding what to do next. We are asking for individuals or sector representatives involved in these occupations to get in touch with the CSCS team so we can better understand what it is these occupations do. Click here for more information and a full list of occupations which require further investigation