CQI becomes a CSCS recognised professional body
The CQI has reached an agreement with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme to grant CQI members access to PQP and AQP cards as long as they meet eligibility criteria.
The Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) is now recognised by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), giving CQI members access to the CSCS cards that provides proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site.
In most cases, CSCS applicants are required to achieve a recognised construction related qualification (usually an NVQ or SVQ) as well as pass the Construction Industry Training Board’s health, safety and environment test within the last two years.
However, the CSCS also offer cards for members of approved professional bodies. Applicants for CSCS cards can use their professional body membership to prove their skills, rather than the achievement of an NVQ or other equivalent qualifications. CSCS recognises 65 professional bodies, a list that now includes the CQI.
Gareth Kingston, Head of Membership at the CQI said: “Members have been asking for this for a long time, and I’m delighted that CQI membership has now been recognised as being on a par with membership of other professional bodies.
“This will help to elevate the status of the profession within the construction industry, and I’d like to thank the CQI’s Construction Special Interest Group for their support in making this happen.”
CQI chartered members and fellows will be able to apply for the Professionally Qualified Persons (PQP) card. They should first obtain a letter from the CQI confirming their status and then apply online via the CSCS website.
Applicants for CSCS cards can use their professional body membership to prove their skills, rather than the achievement of an NVQ or other equivalent qualifications.
CQI affiliates and practitioners who hold a construction related qualification at level 4 or above can obtain an Academically Qualified Persons (AQP) card if they send details of their qualification to the CQI and in return receive a letter from the CQI confirming their eligibility.
Obtaining a CSCS card through a professional body membership is especially useful for those who currently hold CSCS cards under Industry Accreditation.
Industry Accreditation, also known as Grandfather Rights, allowed workers to obtain CSCS cards on the strength of an employers’ recommendation rather than the achievement of a recognised qualification. CSCS recently announced the closure of industry accreditation which means many card holders are now required to obtain a recognised qualification before CSCS can issue another card.
Industry Accreditation cardholders who are members of approved professional bodies such as the CQI will be able to transition onto a CSCS PQP card without having to complete any further qualifications and should contact the CQI in order to obtain a letter confirming their status.