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.

Learners on short work experience initiatives, such as those offered by the DWP do not require any card. In these instances, it is the employer responsibility to ensure the learners are inducted, always supervised and kept safe.

1. Be aged 16 or above.
2. Registered onto a further or higher education qualification or training programme that is not categorised as being ‘occupational competence’ and requires a minimum of 30 days’ work placement. The qualification being undertaken should be recognised as providing a pathway into construction and the built environment via an approved Apprenticeship, registration onto an approved occupational competence qualification such as an N/SVQ or is eligible for a CSCS logoed Academically Qualified Persons (AQP) card.
3. Short work experience initiatives such as the two-week statutory school curriculum requirement are not in scope.
4. Successfully pass the CITB Health,afety and Environment Operative test or one of the equivalent tests offered by CSCS Partner Schemes.

The card will be valid for three years and not be renewable.

In special circumstances, Certification Schemes will consider extending a cards validity. For example, this might be when a card holder has not been able to complete their work placement as planned through sickness or another valid reason.

It is expected that with T Levels and Traineeships, the training provider will apply for their student’s cards. This will be different with Degrees however where it is expected the student will apply. In all instances, students should check with their training providers before making an application.

Each card scheme has their own application processes which can be found on their websites.

Links to each CSCS Partner Card scheme websites can be found here.

A flowchart that demonstrates the general requirements for applying for a card can be seen below

Passing an independent Health and Safety test It is a requirement of all CSCS logoed cards. This ensures that everybody has the necessary core health and safety knowledge required to work safely on a construction site.

It will be necessary to pass the Health and Safety test relevant to the Certification Scheme that is issuing the Industry Placement card. The Construction Industry Training Boards (CITB) Health, Safety and Environment test is used by many schemes including CSCS. Details of this test can be found here.

The cost of getting an Industry Placement card differs across Certification Schemes and it will be necessary to check their websites to find out what they charge. CSCS charges £36 for the card and the separate CITB Health, safety and environment test costs £22.50.

If a student is undertaking T Levels or Traineeships, then the expectation is that the Training Provider will pay. It will be necessary to check who will have to pay with other qualification and training programme types.

CITB provides a grant to help employers facilitate work experience/placement. Details can be found here.

It should be noted however that this grant is being discontinued from October 2021.

There is a lot of advice and guidance available to help with work placements. This can be found at:

T Level industry placements delivery guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Annex D: Industry placement supplementary recommendations (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Home – T Levels and Industry Placements (employerindustryplacements.co.uk)