CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > May 2019 15 ASSOCIATIONNEWS: 5 Back in January the CPA hosted a series of open meetings around the country to encourage a national discussion about the interaction of plant-based card schemes in construction. The aim of each meeting was to discuss how card schemes should engage with industry and how they will meet employers’ needs in the future, particularly with new card schemes coming into the sector. The CPA organised the open meetings as a result of discussions at a CPA-hosted Training on Plant in Construction (TOPIC) event in April 2018 which, based on confusion over card schemes, identified that CPA members and other delegates would welcome further clarification and updates on the current status of plant-based card schemes and their interface with construction sector employers. One driver for discussion was the announcement made last August by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), as part of its Vision 2020 reform programme, to divest the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) card scheme for plant operators to an external organisation. The new owner is the NOCN Group, an awarding organisation that offers a range of construction-based qualifications, and was also the buyer in 2017 for CITB’s awarding organisation, CSkills Awards. The card scheme roadshows were hosted at venues in Reading, Solihull, Leeds and Stirling respectively and were open to anyone with an interest in card schemes, not just CPA members. Approximately 40 delegates had pre-registered for each event, with a proportional mix of employers, contractors, training providers, card scheme representatives and clients, and CSCS and HSE staff attending some of the meetings. Each meeting was chaired by CPA Chief Executive Kevin Minton who outlined the objective of the discussions to share knowledge, concerns and experiences. He also clarified the Association’s position regarding the recent change of ownership of CPCS. The CPA has had a long association with CPCS, and many CPA members have employees who hold CPCS cards. Much of the equipment owned by CPA members will at some time be operated by a CPCS accredited operator and the scheme is an important part of many hire companies’ businesses. Kevin outlined that the CPA wants to ensure that the investment CPA members have made in training and competence is protected, and clarified that the CPA has offered support to NOCN to help achieve a successful and smooth transition from CITB ownership into the third sector. At the beginning of each meeting, all attendees were given the opportunity to use a web-based Q&A and polling platform for meetings and events. With a given web address and a dedicated event code, delegates were able to pose individual questions to be addressed by the speakers at a session towards the end of the meetings. The CPA’s Technical Manager Peter Brown set the scene by relaying through a number of presentations the history of card schemes in construction starting from 1986 when plant card schemes were first originated by industry to the present day. He talked about the number of card schemes operating within the sector, clarifying what card schemes currently offer and do not offer and explained the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) criteria for use of the CSCS logo on card schemes in construction. This opened discussions on a range of topics, with each meeting raising and discussing consistent issues. These included: • A lack of understanding of what card schemes offer in terms of certification • The inconsistency of standards and delivery methods associated with card schemes • The lack of transparency of card schemes • A lack of common national standards across card schemes • A lack of code of conduct • The choice of cards schemes was dictated in numerous cases by clients (or Tier 1 contractors) • The impact of the NOCN ownership of CPCS • The value and effectiveness of the CLC criteria • The lack of experienced and qualified instructors • The role of CITB as a standard setting body and its own expertise on technical plant-related matters • The view of competency and how it should be ascertained. Rob Squires, Training and Safety Manager at the CPA, went on to provide an update on the current CITB consultation process on plant-related grants and the forthcoming training standards. At each meeting, a theme emerged during progression of the discussions towards the seeking of, or a formation of, an overarching body to control the standards required by employers and harmonise the number of non-mandated card schemes within the sector. This was corroborated through the question-based platform about the role of a Sector Representative Organisation (SRO) which is identified within the CLC criteria. As such an organisation doesn’t currently exist in the construction plant sector, several delegates suggested that the CPA should become the SRO. Kevin Minton stated that it would be wrong and unrepresentative of the CPA to Card Schemes Roadshows Report