Since 2014, apprentices registered with the Scottish Building Apprenticeship & Training Council (SBATC) have received a red CSCS Apprentice card confirming the apprentice was indentured and had completed health and safety awareness training, with the programme being valued by both employers and apprentices for reducing costs and streamlining processes.

However, changes to construction apprenticeship arrangements in 2017 mean SBATC is no longer able to quickly and easily guarantee that each apprentice has completed the necessary health and safety training, meaning they cannot automatically be issued with the CSCS card.

SBATC and CSCS have been working together to try to find different mechanisms which would allow the programme to continue but have been forced to accept that it is no longer practical.  As a result, with immediate effect, apprentices will no longer be issued with a red CSCS Apprentice card as part of their SBATC registration.  The one-off SBATC apprentice registration fee will drop to £50+VAT as the card is no longer provided.

SBATC employers’ secretary, Vaughan Hart, said: “I want to thank CSCS for working with us on this initiative for the past seven years as we know it has been valued by employers and apprentices alike. We had hoped to find a way forward that would allow this initiative to continue but unfortunately this has not been possible.

“However, we will continue to champion meaningful health and safety training for vulnerable groups entering the industry and employers can still indenture their apprentices with SBATC for a reduced fee in order to benefit from standard terms and conditions and employment support.”

CSCS service delivery manager, Garry Mortimer, said: “We have worked closely with SBATC to help meet the needs of employers and apprentices. Changes outside the control of either ourselves or SBATC mean that effective immediately apprentices registered with SBATC will no longer be issued with a CSCS card as part of that process.”