As a self employed UK construction worker, your CSCS Card is vital. Without it your prospective employers (particularly contractors who subcontract their work to you, or UK site owners) have no way of knowing if you are capable of performing your trade to the level that you claim.
The CSCS Card initiative was started in earnest in the early part of the 21st century, as a response to industry worries about the reliability of trade workers at all levels. It was thought that creating a universal standard would enable potential employers to always find the right workers for their projects - thus raising the overall standard of construction in Britain to a predictable level.
These days, possession of a CSCS Card has become essential to finding work on any UK construction site.
Working for a UK Building Company and Working on Your Own
Self employment in the UK construction industry can be satisfying and lucrative. The only way to prepare for self employment in any British building trade is to pass the relevant Construction NVQ to a level whereby you are qualified as what the CSCS would call a Skilled Worker. There are two kinds of CSCS Card for Skilled Workers: the CSCS Blue Card and the CSCS Gold Card. In both cases, the level of skill and experience they represent is significant. By holding a Blue CSCS Card or a Gold CSCS Card you are able to show larger contracting firms, as well as potential clients, that you have the knowledge and experience necessary to run your own company well.
Working for a larger concern has different advantages. While self employed UK building trade workers are able to source their own work and control the direction in which their company goes, qualified trades people working for other companies never need worry about going out and looking for work. The company finds the work and you do it. To work for a UK building company you will still need to achieve the Construction NVQ Level apposite to the CSCS Card you want - from Green CSCS Cards for Site Operatives, through Red CSCS Cards for Trainees and up to Blue or Gold CSCS Cards for Experienced Workers.
The Construction NVQ and Self Employment
The construction NVQ is designed to help you develop the skills and behaviours you need in order to become successfully self employed. As you rise through the Levels of NVQ you will find that your learning starts to cover administrative and legal aspects of self employment, and of employing other people, as well as the practical skills of your chosen trade. A Construction NVQ Level 4, for example, which will make you eligible to hold a CSCS Black Card for Skilled Workers, is designed to give you information about hiring and firing; about your legal rights as an employer and your employee's legal standing; and about delivering the kind of customer care and service that develops the reputation your company needs.
The CSCS Card initiative was started in earnest in the early part of the 21st century, as a response to industry worries about the reliability of trade workers at all levels. It was thought that creating a universal standard would enable potential employers to always find the right workers for their projects - thus raising the overall standard of construction in Britain to a predictable level.
These days, possession of a CSCS Card has become essential to finding work on any UK construction site.
Working for a UK Building Company and Working on Your Own
Self employment in the UK construction industry can be satisfying and lucrative. The only way to prepare for self employment in any British building trade is to pass the relevant Construction NVQ to a level whereby you are qualified as what the CSCS would call a Skilled Worker. There are two kinds of CSCS Card for Skilled Workers: the CSCS Blue Card and the CSCS Gold Card. In both cases, the level of skill and experience they represent is significant. By holding a Blue CSCS Card or a Gold CSCS Card you are able to show larger contracting firms, as well as potential clients, that you have the knowledge and experience necessary to run your own company well.
Working for a larger concern has different advantages. While self employed UK building trade workers are able to source their own work and control the direction in which their company goes, qualified trades people working for other companies never need worry about going out and looking for work. The company finds the work and you do it. To work for a UK building company you will still need to achieve the Construction NVQ Level apposite to the CSCS Card you want - from Green CSCS Cards for Site Operatives, through Red CSCS Cards for Trainees and up to Blue or Gold CSCS Cards for Experienced Workers.
The Construction NVQ and Self Employment
The construction NVQ is designed to help you develop the skills and behaviours you need in order to become successfully self employed. As you rise through the Levels of NVQ you will find that your learning starts to cover administrative and legal aspects of self employment, and of employing other people, as well as the practical skills of your chosen trade. A Construction NVQ Level 4, for example, which will make you eligible to hold a CSCS Black Card for Skilled Workers, is designed to give you information about hiring and firing; about your legal rights as an employer and your employee's legal standing; and about delivering the kind of customer care and service that develops the reputation your company needs.
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