Involvement in Initiatives

• Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) – Professional Membership Route
• Quality Schemes

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) – Professional Membership Route

Following requests from members for professional qualifications to be recognised as a route to achieving CSCS cards, CIC conducted a pilot project to develop Professional Membership Routes for CSCS. Following the successful pilot, Professional Institutions are invited to map their membership requirements against recognised NVQs/SVQs. Submission by Professional Institutions of successful first and second stage applications to CSCS (via CIC with accompanying fees) enables Professional Membership Routes to CSCS to be opened for particular occupations. This enables members of relevant Professional Institutions working in the disciplines for which a route is open, to apply for CSCS cards without needing to hold an NVQ/SVQ. To date, the following Professional bodies have opened Professional Membership Routes for one or more occupations: CIAT, CIOB, CIBSE, ICE, ICES, IHT, IHIE, IMBM, ISE, RIBA and RICS.

The requirement to complete the CSCS Health and Safety test applies via the Professional Membership Route as with other routes to CSCS. CIC, through the CSCS Technical, Supervisory and Management Group, is continuing to represent members’ interests in respect of both suggested revisions to the Health and Safety test and access to CSCS for professionals who are not covered by Professional Membership Routes.

The CSCS website is at: www.cscs.uk.com

For more information about CIC involvement contact dcracknell@cic.org.uk

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Quality Schemes

CIC was a member of the ‘Shadow Owners Group’ for the Department for Trade and industry’s Quality Mark Scheme and supported this unsuccessful initiative, which failed to get ‘buy in’ from enough small firms and tradesmen. Quality Mark ended on 31 December 2004 and has been followed phoenix like by Quality Schemes.

Government is working with reputable industry organisations to develop a framework for new schemes covering builders and specialist firms that work on the home. These will be approved by a Board of Government, industry and consumer representatives. They will require firms to work competently and treat customers fairly. The new schemes will pick up firms who registered with Quality Mark.

TrustMark is a new, award-winning scheme supported by the Government, consumer groups and building industry to help consumers find reputable firms to do repair, maintenance and improvement work inside and outside the home.

More information is available on a new website at: http://www.trustmark.org.uk/ or from rbiggs@cic.org.uk