The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) aims to provide plant operators with proof of their skills and abilities. The training and successfully gaining a card demonstrate that you have a good mix of professional competence, experience on site and health and safety awareness, which are essential qualities for operating plant machinery.

What Is the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS)?

The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) provides skills cards for the plant sector of the Construction and allied industries. It was launched in 2003 and since then over 300,000 cards have been issued across 60 categories of plant and related occupations.  The CPCS Management Committee continually review and amend the scheme in the light of on-going Industry feedback, and external factors such latest occupational health issues, technology advances and new plant types.

How Do I Get a CPCS Card?

To gain a CPCS card, you must gain a relevant qualification by undertaking a CPCS accredited course.

There are two types of card Essential Site Skills can help you achieve - the trained operator card and the competent operator card. To gain either of these cards requires theoretical and practical tests that can be taken at an approved test centre.

To gain the red card you need to pass the CPCS theory and Practical Tests.

To upgrade from the red to the blue card you need to achieve the relevant Plant NVQ Qualification.

The trained operator card, also known as the red card, is the first step of the CPCS scheme, and upon completing a relevant course the card is issued for a non-renewable two-year period. After that, the competent operator card, also known as the blue card, is valid for five years and is renewable, making this the preferred card type for many plant operator positions that are to be held over a longer period of time.

Have a look at this infographic for detailed information on how to achieve a CPCS card.

CPCS Courses

As a fully accredited CPCS test centre, Essential Site Skills offers a wide range of CPCS plant testing categories such as:

• A09 Forward Tipping Dumper
• A31 Ride on Roller
• A12 Excavator 180 above 5 Tonne
• A59 Excavator 360 above 10 Tonne
• A17 Telehandler
• A40 Slinger Signaller
• A61 Appointed Person
• A62 Crane Supervisor
• A60 Mobile Crane
• A64 Overhead Travelling Crane
• A04C Pedestrian Operated Tower Crane
• A73 Plant and Vehicle Marshaller

Our highly experienced CPCS trainers and testers are there for our learners to provide expert advice and guidance. Ensuring that all course participants leave with everything they need to be safe and efficient in the workplace and gain the type of CPCS card they want.

As an NVQ centre, we can also offer the relevant NVQ on completion to upgrade to your blue CPCS Competence card.

View all of our CPCS courses

Do I Need a CPCS Card?

If you are working in construction in the UK, then most probably yes. Build UK insists that operatives working on their sites must hold a CPCS card. Many other employers are also demanding the same requiring their employees to hold relevant cards to prove their skills. However, you may find that not all employers will insist on CPCS certification especially those in non-construction industries.

Read more about CPCS cards here.