The CSCS Profiled Route is restricted to certain occupations and requires evidence of appropriate industry experience. Stringent standards apply, and prior to granting profiled-route status, CSCS auditors will carefully assess the documented evidence.
For contracting or residential Construction Site Managers, a successful profiled-route application leads to the award of a black Managers card. And for Construction Site Supervisors, both contracting and residential, a successful outcome leads to the award of a gold Supervisors card.
Given the rigorous nature of the application process, potential candidates should carefully consider the following points:
a) This is an occupation-specific route, and you must currently be employed by a principal contractor – or have recently been employed in that capacity – in a role as an experienced site supervisor, or experienced site manager.
Holders of a CSCS gold Supervisors card, or the CSCS black Managers card awarded for other occupations are ineligible.
b) The scheme applies only to experienced applicants and is an inappropriate route for newly appointed supervisors or managers who would be unable to meet the strict levels of evidence.
c) A total charge of £300 – applies to Profiled Route applications.
d) Any application submitted for consideration must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant’s CV.
e) All applicants must successfully complete whichever Health, Safety and Environment test is relevant. For gold card (supervisory) applicants this means the CITB – Construction Skills Supervisor Health, Safety and Environment Test; whilst black-card (managerial) applicants must take the CITB – Construction Skills Managerial and Professional (MAP) Health, Safety and Environment Test.
f) It is never acceptable for an applicant to adapt or copy another candidate’s answers. Every application is carefully scrutinised by CSCS staff and independent Auditors.
Should evidence of plagiarism emerge, the application will be immediately rejected, and it is possible that further action will be taken against those responsible for the submission – the applicant, employer and reviewer.
Profiled Route – application procedure
Profiled-route applications submitted require the applicant, employer and reviewer to devote time to the collating of all documentary evidence and significant information.
This must then be submitted for scrutiny and assessment by a CSCS auditor in accordance with the format specified.
In order to establish the time allocation required, the applicant should carefully study the following guidance, and also share the information with a line manager and employer before beginning the process.
Should the applicant be unable to demonstrate sufficient experience, or if the supporting evidence is not in the stipulated format, the application will be refused.
Guidance
i) For all profiled-route applications, the applicant must fill in the appropriate Applicant Evidence Sheet to furnish a detailed individual profile measured against an agreed list of competencies which address the appropriate National Occupational Standard.
ii) Once the relevant Applicant Evidence Sheet has been completed, this must then be carefully reviewed by a qualified reviewer who must also sign and fill in the relevant Reviewer Sign Off Sheet.
A reviewer must be either a competence-assessed associate of a CSCS recognised professional body, or be the holder of an S/NVQ qualification in Verification or Assessment (A1 or V1).
In addition, any application submitted must be accompanied by evidence of the reviewer’s qualifications, and CSCS reserves the right to verify such credentials when submitted in support of an application.
iii) Submissions must be forwarded to CSCS Ltd, The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT and contain the following:
- An Application Evidence Sheet – should supporting documentary evidence exceed 10 (A3/A4) pages, then this must be transferred to a memory stick instead.
- A Reviewer Sign Off Sheet – plus evidence of the reviewer’s qualifications.
- A CSCS Profiled Route Smartcard Application Form – plus the fee of £300
- A copy of the Applicant’s CV
Subsequent processing
A CSCS auditor reviews all applications and may request additional evidence where necessary. Successful applicants will receive their card within 28 working days. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised to register for the NVQ route.
No refund of fees applies, and incomplete applications will be returned. No original documents should be submitted – documents are destroyed once the process has been completed.
