Cscs card???

markbass

The Jobcentre have suggested i get a CSCS card to assist me in finding employment in the Carpentry and Joinery sector, i signed on today and they phoned the CSCS people there and then and now i'm due to start one of the courses, i am qualified to a city and guilds level one in joinery...but what i want to know is what will this course entail, is it a test are they teaching skills..what?

The woman at the jobcentre sounded a bit clueless to honest, all i know is that many employers want this CSCS card...i will add that i took my City and Guilds 20 years ago and am really not that up to scratch with the trade to be honest, it's just something i mentioned i wouldn't mind getting back in to...but i'm worried like it's some sort of Test i've been bamboozled in to here and instead perhaps a refresher course might have been the better option, trouble with the job centre is they are full of clueless idiots and i'm not talking about the poor sods signing on!!

pop_gun

markbass wrote: »

The Jobcentre have suggested i get a CSCS card to assist me in finding employment in the Carpentry and Joinery sector, i signed on today and they phoned the CSCS people there and then and now i'm due to start one of the courses, i am qualified to a city and guilds level one in joinery...but what i want to know is what will this course entail, is it a test are they teaching skills..what?

The woman at the jobcentre sounded a bit clueless to honest, all i know is that many employers want this CSCS card...i will add that i took my City and Guilds 20 years ago and am really not that up to scratch with the trade to be honest, it's just something i mentioned i wouldn't mind getting back in to...but i'm worried like it's some sort of Test i've been bamboozled in to here and instead perhaps a refresher course might have been the better option, trouble with the job centre is they are full of clueless idiots and i'm not talking about the poor sods signing on!!

i had to sit mine a few weeks ago. it a silly multiple choice, health and safety test. you'll be given the necessary material in order to pass the course. tbh you'll probably find it harder to remember your own name than to pass the test.

markbass

Thanks for the reply pop_gun, was yours set up by the job centre? and how long did the course/test take?

Littleblue_2

So the Job Centre have suggested you do a course (for free I assume) that will enhance your employment prospects, arranged for you to go on it and they are 'clueless idiots'?

Nice.

Kaaaaarl

I did mine recently through the job centre. They sent me to Chamber of Commerse in Wakefield, you have 4 days on a PC doing either Maths or English as you have to work towards City and Guilds Level 1 or 2 in Numeracy or Literacy, those days are from 9am to 5pm though sometimes you'll be let out early if you get your head down and crack on. On the 5th day, which will be a Friday, you'll be told to get there before 12pm and you'll do a multiple choice answer exam on a PC, pass and you get your CSCS. Its all common sense really but if you havent been on a building site for some time then I'd suggest googling help on CSCS questions.

markbass

Littleblue wrote: »

So the Job Centre have suggested you do a course (for free I assume) that will enhance your employment prospects, arranged for you to go on it and they are 'clueless idiots'?

Nice.

Shut up!!

I mean !!!!!!, if you can't assist in a helpful reply then mind your own business!! :shhh:

scottishf

The CSCS is a touch screen test to test your health and safety on construction site knowledge...there are varying levels, and as far as I know there is a charge for the test.

Kaaaaarl

Theres no charge if its through the job centre. You can pay, I think, £25, to miss out the 4 days Maths/English work if you wish though.

markbass

Kaaaaarl wrote: »

Theres no charge if its through the job centre. You can pay, I think, £25, to miss out the 4 days Maths/English work if you wish though.

What has Maths and English got to do with a CSCS card for joinery?? why on earth would i be required to sit Maths and English for, that makes no sense what so ever, i'm even more confused than before starting the thread!!

So it's either a Health and Safety course or a Maths and English course...oh !!!!!! ...lol:D

villabadger

As someone who employs chippies I can give you a bit of a clue of what you need, but first you need to be clear of what you are looking for.....if you are looking for work with a builder or carpentry firm that specialises in domestic work then a CSCS card will be of no benefit to you. However, it is a necessity for any commercial sites whether you are employed or work as a self employed chippie.

To obtain any level of CSCS card you need to pass the H & S Test. Then you need to establish your level of competancy of your trade which will determine which card you will need. As a starting point you will probably need to get the Operative card which is effectively a basic labourer's card - at least this will get you access to sites and allow you to start earning! The CSCS card scheme is not just for health and safety, it is also a statement of your ability to do your job - all of the other cards usually require testing of your abilities (Experienced Worker) or retraining to achieve an NVQ or City & Guilds qualification - this could be where the maths and english courses are relevant? The real annoying thing with this system is that guys who have previously passed apprenticeships years ago still have to eventually go down the NVQ route.

So, to summarise, if you want to keep things simple try to get work with builders who work on house extensions etc. If you are looking for site work be prepared to jump through all of the hoops that are placed before you!

Good luck!

btw - am happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Zazen999

A CSCS card for a carpenter is both a H&S test and a level of qualification. For you, with a C&G L1 - you will be needing a Red Card if anything.

Go and get your basic H&S test passed.

Then, you can enrol onto an S/NVQ L2 and apply for the Red card.

Red

You will qualify for this card if you are a trainee, and registered for an NVQ or SVQ (or Construction Award) but have not yet achieved level 2 or 3 and have met current CSCS Health and Safety requirements.

You will have the card for 3 years, in which time you will need to pass the S/NVQ L2 to qualify for a Blue Card or you won't be able to have a card at all.

When you get a job, get your employer to call up and get your NVQ through On Site Assessment and Training, where an assessor comes out and assess you rather than you go into a college. If you can fulfil the full C&J criteria - you can get this after 10 weeks. Then you have your qual and your card.

To keep your card, you just have to retake the H&S test every 5 years.

http://www.cscs.uk.com/