FAQs about Industry Accreditation Closures
Our top 3 most asked questions about Industry Accreditation
1. What is ‘Industry Accreditation'?
Sometimes referred to as ‘Grandfather Rights,’ Industry Accreditation (IA,) allowed individuals to obtain CSCS-backed cards based on their experience without the need for a qualification. However, these will be phased out as of 31st December 2024 and all current cardholders will require relevant approved qualifications to maintain their access to site.
2. Why is this happening? Why do I need to do this (I’ve been in the trade for years)?
Following the Grenfell disaster and subsequent report authored by Dame Judith Hacket, it was evident that more needed to be done to ensure competence across the construction industry. This requirement has been put in place to ensure a fully trained and competent workforce in the sector and it was initially applied by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) in 2015.
CLC have provided four updates to their 2015 decision and despite lobbying from BESA, CSCS, and other card-issuing bodies, there is no reversal of the decision to abolish Industry Accreditation (or Grandfather Rights,) as a means of proving competence.
CLC have stated that proof of competence to enable an individual to obtain a CSCS / SKILLcard is by way of an apprenticeship, an NVQ or via an approved training programme.
The requirement to demonstrate and re-affirm competence is nothing new in the UK. Specialists in many areas already must renew their individual competencies on a cyclical basis: gas engineers, electricians, scaffolders, forklift truck drivers, doctors and nurses are examples of roles that already operate to competency rules.
3. Where can we do these courses?
We signpost to a number of providers, and some of the providers we signpost have discounts available. We are always looking for new partner providers to establish a relationship with. Our Skills Policy Service can engage with you on specific details over what you could do. Simply email: sas@thebesa.com or call 0800 917 8419.
Other questions you might have about Grandfather Rights
You don’t need to; a lot of training providers now send the assessors to you. Some even do remote monitoring so they can do a lot via a video call to check what you are doing and how you are working. ‘Experienced Worker’ programmes are available for some trades which don’t require College attendance – these require people to build a portfolio of evidence against a set criteria that is then assessed by a qualified assessor. (The experienced worker programmes are not complete NVQ’s but a number of units taken from an NVQ – they are an approved training programme)
BESA have no control over the pricing structures that Providers apply to these programmes. Providers have Assessor costs and registration fees that are part of the programme.
The Skills Policy Team are constantly looking to engage with new providers and establish relationships in order to provide best advice. Some of the Providers we signpost have discounts available. We are prioritising quality of training in our signposting in the first instance, and where it is reported that a Provider cannot supply a service of the quality required by our sector, then we would withdraw our signposting to that Provider.
You are obviously free to source your own training providers if you wish.
Some engineers qualify for a blue SKILLcard without the need for an N/SVQ/Apprenticeship Standard/Approved Training Programme.
o Gas fitter / Gas Engineer: Operative with Gas Safe Registration or Individual Accredited Gas Certification can get the blue card
o Welding: Operative with Coded welding within the last 3 years such as BESA welding, ASME SECTION IX, BS EN ISO 9106-1, BS EN ISO 487/2 and several BS EN coding
o Refrigeration: F gas category 1 qualified engineers can get the white ACRIB Refrigerant Handler 3-year card
BESA has appointed a new Skills Policy Team to provide information, advice and guidance to industry colleagues and to negotiate fair coverage of providers who can assist those affected to gain the necessary qualifications. The Skills Policy Team continue to attend, many events, webinars, forums to convey these messages to BESA Members and the wider industry. Email sas@theBESA.com or call 0800 917 8419.