Asking for a mate. He’s not working at the minute and needs to get a CSCS managers card to get any kind of work on construction sites. To get this you need NVQ but he has a degree. He can get an Academically Qualified one (white) to get a job on site and then possibly go down the nvq route (you need to be working as there’s work assessments involved in this). He’s booked the H&S test.
Looking at the form you need to get someone who works for an approved company to sign his application. He has no idea who can sign this. Any pointers from someone in the know?

I’ve been trying towork this one out too. I think all you need is a h&s test for a labours card but the website is shitand I tried ringing their helpline today and it hung up on me 3 times. Usless!

You need either experience, or, an appropriate qualification.
As well as the comedy CITB H&S test.

I dont think a degree will be enough to get any sort of Site Card, it is a building trades card, so a qualification in one of the building related subjects is required.
In his case, he may as well get the basic Labourers card – do the CITB test, do a one day H&S course, then you can have the card.
That gets you onto site the quickest.
He can then see what is needed to get a more ‘qualified’ card.

He has 10 years site experience in the uk as firstly an engineer then a manager. He decided to go to the US for 5 years now he’s back. The white card seem his best bet looking at the CSCS website.

http://www.cscs.uk.com/card-type/academically-qualified-person/

Its a bloody farce the CSCS system, I have a white one just to get me on site, just a generic “Engineer”.

Unless you have your tickets and all you paperwork and can bend a perfect 90 in a steel conduit etc. blindfolded forget getting anything else, as above a degree counts for nothing.

Its a farce that unfortunately cannot be ignored. Without a card these days it seems you have no chance of getting a job in construction. NVQ’s are very nice to have but surely experience is what actually matters. You need to be working to prove your experience but you cannot work until you get this card.
He can get the white but just wants to know who will sign his application if he’s not working (he’s actually still in the US – closing down his unsuccessful bar until he gets a job in the uk again).

did mine last year, got the white PQP card. i’m a landscape architect and a member of my professional body. if your mate is a member of the ICE and is going to stay on the management side of things it might be worth a try

http://www.cscs.uk.com/card-type/professionally-qualified-person/

Construction industry scam. That’s all.

Has he got a job or job offer yet ? if he has he can get them to sign off, however I assume he hasnt got the job yet, if he does the h&s test he can the hand the pass certificate to his new employer, they can use the cert number as proof of doing the test, most UK companies will allow him on site to sit induction if he has this number, his new employer can then vouch for him to CSCS with regard to what specialisation will be on his card, if he going into management he can go for the black card (not sure about the white) I would strongly advise if going for the black card to use either the cd/dvd or the book and go through each past test paper at least twice, I think there is about 500 questions in the question bank, if hes spent five years out of the uk he will need to do a bit of swotting, it can surprise a lot of people, I failed my first attempt thinking it was just a basic test.

HTH

Construction industry scam. That’s all.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up, the H&S test for the white card is pathetic.

He can get the white but just wants to know who will sign his application if he’s not working

Unfortunately only they will be able to answer that, and based on the amount of trouble the QHSE guys at our place have dealing with them i don’t expect a straight answer will be easy to get……

I wouldn’t bother with the white card, everybody knows it’s a shit system and the card you have means nothing. I had the same problem a few years ago. Just did the basic basic test, it’s never held me back. Get on site and prove your worth, references & reputation is all he will need to get where he wants.

I wouldn’t bother with the white card

Depending on the main contractor you can’t even get on the induction to get on the site to prove your worth in the first place without one, unless of course your are employed by the main contractor…….

That’s why you get the Labourer card.
Simple to get, no need to involve anyone else.
There are many 10,000’s of people who have that card, as it is all you need.
I’m a sparky, with 20+ years of experience, Design qualifications etc, but I cannot get a Trade card as I never completed an apprenticeship or NVQ3, so I’m a Labourer.
It isnt a problem, the card just allows you to get on a site, no-one is bothered about what card you have.

alani is right , get the basic green card, that gets you on any site,i work as a joiner , for over thirty years, green card was fine , same as always, if you cant do the job you’ll be off very quick—-if you can , good luck–it is a whole new branch , the health and safety industry, its designed to put the onus on the individual and provide a nice earner for all the so called training and accreditation companies ……another layer of leeches –economy is full of these dubious creatures –my mate runs one-he pays a ‘trainer £300 a day- he gets sent people for a one day course teaching them to suck eggs, charges £150 each-they all get shiny card, and permission to work on nuclear facility-my mate has no knowledge/experience himself……