Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS)
The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) from NOCN Group provides proof that operatives have the required training, qualifications and skills to operate plant machinery on UK construction sites and allied industries.
CPCS was originally launched in 2003 at the request of employers to help them comply with regulations and requirements, and aims to apply common standards for all plant operators. It is the Plant partner Card Scheme of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).
Hundreds of thousands of CPCS Cards have been issued across more than 60 categories of construction plant and related occupations, and it is now the most widely recognised as the preferred Skills Card of the construction plant industry.
As a highly experienced international skils charity founded in 1987 and specialising in the construction sector, NOCN Group quality assures and administers all CPCS testing, card issuing, and card renewals.
The CPCS Technical Review Group, working on behalf of and in response to industry and key stakeholders (including Health & Safety Executive and Sector Skills Councils), continually review and amend the Scheme in light of ongoing feedback and external factors such as the latest occupational health issues, technology advances, and new plant types.
According to research carried out in August 2024, CPCS is the most advanced 'Digital SMART Card' Skills Scheme in the world.
CPCS aims and benefits:
- provide identification for plant operators and those involved with plant operations by recognising skills, knowledge and understanding, competence and qualifications
- raise health, safety & environment standards through a programme of testing to prove workers have met minimum requirements
- provide standards of learning and assessment to equip individuals with relevant skills and knowledge to seek employment within the industry
- provide or improve employment prospects for individuals and experienced operatives
- keep a record of workers in the construction and allied industries who have achieved a recognised level of operating ability and competence
- be self-financing; with any surplus funds being used for the benefit of the construction industry
- encourage construction and allied employers to use certificated and competent plant operators
- provide certification for UK workers that could be accepted in Europe through agreements with other European national schemes to mutually recognise qualifications.