Industry Placement Card

CSCS logoed cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site. By ensuring the workforce are appropriately qualified the card plays its part in improving standards and safety on UK construction sites. Most principal contractors and major house builders require construction workers on their sites to hold a valid card.

How much depends on which of the four schemes you apply to (CSCS, ECS, PMES & SKILLcard). In CSCS’s case we charge £36.

However, in all cases, it is the Training Provider who pays, not the student.

The Department for Education have confirmed Providers are expected to pay for their students’ IP cards.

The money is available to them via their funding formulae, of which a proportion is to support facilitating work placements.

There are 38 recognised CSCS partner schemes, who collectively form the CSCS Alliance, and their details can be found here.

If an Industry Placement card displays the CSCS logo then it will allow access to site. It will be necessary for students to get their Industry Placement card from the certification scheme relevant to the curriculum being studied. This will ensure an efficient progression transition through the required cards. So, for example, transitioning from the Industry Placement card to an Apprentice card and then to a Skilled Worker card. Details of the different certification schemes and the occupations they cover can be found here.

No, students who have completed a T Level or Traineeship will not be eligible for a Skilled Card. If they are progressing onto an Apprenticeship, they will be eligible for an Apprentice card. If they are registering onto an N/SVQ or other recognised alternative occupational competence qualification, then they will be eligible for the Trainee card. Completion of a recognised Apprenticeship, N/SVQ or other recognised alternative occupational competence qualification will allow them a Skilled Card.

Examples of qualification and training programmes requiring a minimum of 30 days’ work placement include T Levels, Traineeships, Foundation and Progression Qualifications (Wales), Sandwich Degrees.

T Levels are an alternative to A levels, apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent to 3 A levels, a T Level is a two-year programme that focuses on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships. They also include a minimum 45 day work placement. Detailed information can be found here.

A traineeship is a course with work experience that gets you ready for work or an apprenticeship. It can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last for less than 6 months. Detailed information can be found here.

A Sandwich Degree is an academic degree course involving a practical work placement.

The short DWP work experience initiatives are not relevant to this card as they are not linked to any national qualification programme initiative such as T levels or Traineeships.