From 1 August the following changes to CSCS Trainee cards will be introduced.

• Only one Trainee card (irrespective of occupation) will be available.
• The card will be red in colour and clearly marked ‘Trainee’.
• The occupation will not be displayed on the reverse of the card. It will simply say ‘Trainee’.
• The card will be valid for five years and will be non-renewable.
• Before applying for a card an applicant must register for a CSCS recognised construction-related qualification.
• SSSTS, SMSTS and NEBOSH General will not be accepted as routes to a Trainee card.
• Before applying for a Trainee Card, trainees must have already completed the appropriate CITB Health, Safety & Environment Test, and they have to have completed it within the previous two years.
• Applicants must complete their qualification before the Trainee card expires.
• On completion of their qualification, applicants can move on to applying for a Skilled CSCS card.

CSCS says that introducing a single Trainee card will remove some of the complexity that currently surrounds the scheme, both for trainees and their employers.

The card will be clearly marked ‘Trainee’ so that those in the process of obtaining formal qualifications are easily identifiable to others on site.

Ensuring Trainee cards are only issued to those who have registered for qualifications that lead to a skilled CSCS card is seen as a practical step towards achieving the industry’s desire for a fully qualified workforce.

For further information on applying for a Trainee card visit the Trainee Card Changes question and answer section on the CSCS website at bit.ly/CSCS-trainee.

Trainee cards are available to new entrants to the industry and are designed to allow workers access to sites while they undertake their construction related qualifications.