From 31 March 2017, the CRO card issued by Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) will cease. All CRO cards issued after October 2015 will expire on 30 September 2017 whereas cards issued before October 2015 will remain valid until their expiry date.

According to the CSCS website the withdrawal of the Construction Related Occupation card will affect over 230,000 CRO card holders, however there are solutions for the following scenarios:

– If you already have an approved qualification you will be eligible to apply for a skilled worker card without having to complete any further qualifications.

– There are over 70 occupations that are better represented by one of CSCS’s Partner Card Schemes. If your occupation is listed on this form you need to contact the appropriate scheme to discuss the application requirements.

– A number of CRO occupations are classified as labouring and should be moved to the green Labourer Card. If you are a CRO cardholder working in a labouring occupation, you must complete an approved qualification and apply for the green Labourer Card.

– There are over 60 occupations classed as non-construction related and will be removed from the scheme. If you fall within one of these occupations it will be the responsibility of site managers to induct you as a non-construction related worker and escort you where appropriate in order to carry out work safely on site.

In order to comply with the Construction Leadership Council’s requirement, further investigation and collaboration will continue in the following two areas:

– There are a number of CRO occupations with existing qualifications that do not meet the nationally recognised standards for those skilled occupations. Industry is working together to bring these qualifications up to the agreed nationally recognised standards.

– Industry has identified 25 CRO occupations that require further investigation before making a decision. If your occupation is one of these, CSCS are asking for individuals or sector representatives involved in these occupations to get in touch with the CSCS team.

To find out more, visit the CSCS website.