No products in the basket.
If your workforce still holds the Green Labourer CSCS card, recent CSCS rule changes mean it’s time to review.
For many employers, this is the perfect opportunity to upgrade skilled or experienced operatives to the right trade-based NVQ — and secure their Blue Skilled Worker cards for life.
A properly chosen NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) for skilled or experienced operatives gains a skilled / experienced CSCS card that:
An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) isn’t a course you attend — it’s a structured assessment of the skills and experience you already have.
There are no classroom sessions or written exams — instead, you demonstrate your competence through your normal day-to-day work.
You’re assessed against national occupational standards for your trade (e.g. Carpentry, Formwork, Groundworks)
How it works for the operative
You’re assessed against national occupational standards in your trade (for example, groundworks, plant operation or civil engineering operations).
For instance, the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Construction and Civil Engineering Operations (Construction) covers roles such as:
Here’s how the costs stack up for many employers/individuals (typical values for levy registered employers):
| Option | Duration / Renewal | Typical Cost | CITB Grant* | Approx. Net Cost (after grant) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Health & Safety Awareness (Green card route) | Repeat every 5 years | £140 + VAT | £60 | £80 + VAT (every 5 years) |
| NVQ (Level 2) | Lifetime qualification | £995 + VAT | £600 | £395 + VAT (once) |
Bottom line: After just one renewal cycle, the NVQ route already makes financial sense. Over a full working life, it’s the clear winner in both time and cost.
Special L2 NVQ Rate — Mirrors 70% Employer Network Funding
For a short period, we are matching the Employer Network 70% funding model on Level 2 NVQs.
Equivalent Employer Network funded price: £857 + VAT
How it works:
£257 + VAT Start Payment
£600 + VAT completion payment
Effectively 70% funded — identical employer contribution to EN funding.
Deadline & Funding Conditions
Why act now?
Secure the Employer Network equivalent rate and current £600 grant value before the funding rules change.
The Green Labourer card is designed for those carrying out basic site labouring tasks — it confirms health & safety awareness, not trade competence.
If your operatives are experienced in a skilled trade (for example groundworks, formwork, or plant operation), they should ideally progress to the Blue Skilled Worker card by completing the relevant Level 2 NVQ.
This upgrade not only ensures they’re recognised as competent for their trade, but also helps you demonstrate to clients and principal contractors that your workforce meets current competence and compliance standards — without repeatedly sending them on short courses every few years.
The Green Labourer card is designed for those carrying out basic site labouring tasks — it confirms health & safety awareness, not trade competence.
If your operatives are experienced in a skilled trade (for example groundworks, formwork, or plant operation), they should ideally progress to the Blue Skilled Worker card by completing the relevant Level 2 NVQ.
This upgrade not only ensures they’re recognised as competent for their trade, but also helps you demonstrate to clients and principal contractors that your workforce meets current competence and compliance standards — without repeatedly sending them on short courses every few years.
Yes. To qualify for a Blue Skilled Worker CSCS card, your operatives must hold the correct trade-specific NVQ qualification — usually a Level 2 NVQ for most operative roles — and have passed the CITB Health, Safety & Environment (HS&E) test within the last two years.
The Blue CSCS card is recognised across the construction industry as proof of occupational competence, showing that your workforce has been assessed against national standards rather than just completing short-term training.
If your business works under CSCS Partner Card Schemes such as NPORS, CPCS, or CCDO, additional or alternative requirements may apply. Our team can help you identify the right NVQ route for each trade and ensure your employees achieve the appropriate CSCS or Partner Card for their role.
For experienced workers, an NVQ doesn’t take months of training — it’s an assessment process built around their existing skills and job role.
In most cases, the qualification can be completed over just two to three on-site visits once the right evidence is captured.
The actual face-to-face assessment time is often less than a full working day spread across those visits, minimising downtime and disruption.
Because the assessment is based on real workplace activity, experienced operatives can usually progress quickly, achieving their NVQ and Blue CSCS card eligibility without stepping away from site work.
The CITB Short Qualification Grant offers financial support for construction related NVQ’s at £600 per person at completion (value confirmed until April 2026)
No — an NVQ is a lifetime qualification. Once your employees achieve their NVQ, it never expires and does not need to be repeated every few years.
From an employer’s perspective, that means a one-time investment that permanently proves competence for the role.
Only the CSCS card itself (and the CITB Health, Safety & Environment test) needs to be renewed periodically, in line with CSCS renewal rules.
No — completing an NVQ won’t interrupt normal site operations. The process is designed to fit around your employees’ day-to-day work, not take them away from it.
Assessors visit site to observe and gather evidence while the operative carries out their usual duties. For experienced workers, this often takes just two to three short visits, with less than a day of total face-to-face time.
From an employer’s point of view, that means no lost productivity — your team stays on site, earning, and progressing toward their Blue Skilled Worker CSCS cards at the same time.
Many employers aren’t sure which NVQs or CSCS card routes apply to each trade — especially when job titles or duties vary on site.
Our team can help you map each role within your workforce to the correct trade-specific NVQ, ensuring every operative is on the right Skilled Worker or Partner Card pathway (for example NPORS, CPCS, or CCDO).
By reviewing the type of work your operatives actually carry out — such as groundworks, drainage, formwork, or plant operation — we’ll identify the most suitable qualification level and any available CITB grant or funding support.
This approach gives you confidence that your team’s cards reflect true occupational competence and that your business stays compliant with current site and client requirements.