CSCS Green Card | Guide to the Labourer Card
What Are The Benefits of Having a CSCS Green Card?
Future Career With a Green Card
This article will discuss the CSCS, what they do and their purpose. Moreover, we will focus on the CSCS Green Card which is one of their card options for those working in the construction industry. We hope that this information will be useful for those who have questions about the green card including what it is, how to get one and the benefits of having one.
What is the CSCS?
The CSCS is the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. This scheme awards coloured ID cards to construction workers. There are Red, Green, Gold, Blue, Black and White cards. The aim of the CSCS is to ensure that workers hold the appropriate experience and qualifications for their job position. This experience and knowledge are primarily required for health and safety purposes. Therefore, requiring that all workers hold a valid CSCS card protects employers, employees and businesses from health and safety risks.
The CSCS card is not obligatory, but many businesses choose to make it a requirement that all of their workers hold one. In addition, the different types of card can help employers differentiate between different experience levels that have been proven. For example, someone holding a green card is qualified as a labourer with all the necessary health and safety information they must know for that role. Moreover, to get a supervisory card, you need to have passed the supervisor’s health and safety tests.
What is the CITB HS&E Test?
For all cards, it is required that you pass the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test. There are three different tests depending on the card that you are applying for and your level of experience. These are:
- Operative
- Management and Professional
- Specialist
The tests are run in Pearson Professional Centres in the UK.
The CSCS Green Card
Requirements
Now that we have the background information out of the way, we can discuss the green card in specific. This is the labourer card. It is a card for those who are trained to do manual work on a construction site. Those who want to obtain the labourer card will have to satisfy the following requirements:
- Pass the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test for operatives
AND, hold one of the following:
- An RQF Level 1/SCQF Level 4 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment
- An SCQF Level 5 REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Certificate.
- A CSCS approved alternative qualification
(source: https://www.cscs.uk.com/card-type/labourer/)
How Do You Get a CSCS Green Card?
To start the process of obtaining a green card you should apply to the CSCS directly on their online application service.
You will need to book your HS&E test with the CITB and pass this test before you make your application to the CSCS. This test costs £22 and you can book it on the CITB website to take at your nearest available centre.
After this, you will need to provide your test ID number to ensure that you have completed the correct test for the type of card you are applying for (in this case the operatives test).
During your application to the CSCS, you will be required to submit a scanned copy of your qualifications and pay a fee of £36 for the card itself.
What Are The Benefits of Having a CSCS Green Card?
There are a huge variety of benefits that come with having a CSCS Green Card. Here is a list of just a few, you can use this list to determine whether it is most suitable for you.
It Improves Your Opportunities
Many construction companies will only employ labourers who have a CSCS Card due to its guarantee that you have the required level of health and safety experience. Therefore, if you want to be in with more work opportunities, potentially with some of the best construction companies that work on famous infrastructure, it is highly beneficial to have a green card.
Protect Yourself and Others
The CSCS Green Card is not only used for employability or to show credibility. It is also used to protect the holder and those that they work with. Having a card ensures that you know how to keep yourself safe and others safe.
It Can Be Used to Consolidate Your Qualifications
Having a green card can be used as a tool to indicate which qualifications you have without having to show all the relevant certificates. This is because your certificates are checked when you apply for the card. It can be used to quickly indicate to employers which qualifications you have. The card includes a chip that states your work history, qualifications and skills.
You Are Promoting the Continuation of Improving Standards
The CSCS cards the main purpose is to increase health and safety on site. However, it is also in place to improve construction site standards. This ensures that all of those on a construction reaches a certain level of standard. Further, this ensures that workers are competent, there is less likely for mistakes and less likely for injuries. Therefore, by choosing to get a CSCS Green Card you will be helping CSCS continue this essential work.
Increased Pay
It is thought that employers are willing to pay more for those who hold a CSCS card than they would for someone without.
Your Future Career With a Green Card
Obtaining the CSCS Green Card is just one of the steps towards a highly rewarding long term career. You can progress your construction career through a combination of experience and qualifications and perhaps upgrade your CSCS Card too.
If you are currently a labourer who has their green card or is going to apply for one after reading this article, there are a few courses that we offer that may be of interest.
Labourers can progress to be site supervisors, managers, or even progress into different areas such as engineering, quantity surveying and more. One of the great things about the construction industry is that there are multiple different routes that you can choose to go down.
Here are a few relevant courses:
CIOB Level 3 Diploma in Site Supervisory
This course would be great for those who have been labourers in a construction site for a few years. This would allow you to progress to a supervisory position where you would be responsible for overseeing some of the other labourers.
CIOB Level 4 Diploma in Site Management
The Site Manager course is the perfect choice for those that are currently labourers and want to enter a managerial position.
Advanced Diploma in Project Management
Moreover, for those who would like to be involved in the project management side of construction, the Advanced Diploma in Project Management is best for you.
We also offer courses in Quantity Surveying, Engineering and Forensic Scheduling.
Other CSCS Cards
All of these courses can help you to develop beyond CSCS Green Card status.
Gold Card
The Gold Supervisory CSCS Card could be yours if you progress to become a Site Supervisor.
Black Card
The Black CSCS card is for fully qualified managers. This is one of the most reputable cards to obtain and are very desirable to employers. With a Black Card, you are able to open yourself up to more opportunities and higher paid jobs.
Red Card
Currently, there are many different red cards. Some of them are for experienced workers or apprentices.
Final Thoughts
This article has discussed the importance of the CSCS Green Card. It outlined what it is used for, how you can get one, and the many benefits of having one. Furthermore, it discussed your future career progression after obtaining your CSCS Green Card. We have also written many other articles on CSCS and their cards, if you are interested to learn more beyond the realms of this article, then check out some of the following:
Card Checker | The Ultimate Guide
Everything You Need To Know About CSCS