CSCS is required to conform with Construction Leadership Council (CLC) recommendations, which state the following:
Nationally recognised apprenticeships in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be accepted as meeting the minimum standard.
This allows all CSCS Alliance schemes to accept nationally recognised apprenticeships from all four UK nations, regardless of whether they include an N/SVQ.
This ensures that apprentices on more recently created apprenticeships programmes (such as the English Apprenticeship Standards) will be eligible for a free CSCS Apprentice card and, upon completion, the relevant skilled CSCS card.
For the recognition of any Apprenticeship when issuing a skilled card, it will be necessary for the applicant to have proof of successful completion of their Apprenticeship. This will normally be a completion certificate.
Further information
For England – Apprenticeship search / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
For Scotland – Apprenticeships.scot
For Wales – Find an apprenticeship | GOV.WALES
For Northern Ireland – Types of apprenticeships | nidirect
For the Isle of Man – Isle of Man Government – Apprenticeships
Official University and Professional Body accredited apprenticeships will also be accepted.
Historic Apprenticeships are also recognised and include:
- Relevant English Apprenticeship approved under Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in England (Pre 2020) or by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (2014 onwards)
- Relevant Welsh Apprenticeships approved under Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in Wales
- Relevant Scottish Apprenticeships approved by the Apprenticeship Approvals Group
- Relevant Northern Irish Apprenticeships approved by Northern Ireland Government Services
- Relevant Isle of Mann Apprenticeships approved by the Isle of Mann Government.
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education certificates, which are needed for CSCS skilled card applications are posted out by the Department for Education, usually after the End-Point Assessment in an apprenticeship.
If you haven’t received your certificate or the details on your certificate are incorrect, please contact helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk or click Certificate Queries in the dropdown menu on the IfATE website for further information.