How powerful is a construction NVQ?

Many individuals look to further their construction career but find the thought of undertaking an NQV (National Vocational Qualification) quite daunting. In today’s fast paced world, it’s no surprise that anyone looking to put the commitment in to an NVQ must understand exactly what they will achieve should they pass successfully, and just how powerful an NVQ in the construction field can be.

A Construction NVQ is a powerful qualification as it stands as proof of competence in your chosen field. An NVQ is based on real work performance and your actual skills, not just theory or exams and as such demonstrates you can actually do the job to industry standards, not just write about it. Also, once you’ve earned an NVQ, it doesn’t expire. It’s a lifelong qualification that travels with you through your career.

In addition, many construction sites sites and contractors require NVQs as proof that workers are competent and compliant with current health & safety regulations. This also unlocks further career progression routes, as NVQ qualifications enable workers to move from labourer to skilled worker, skilled worker to supervisor or supervisor to manager. Higher-level NVQs (Level 6 & 7) can even lead to Chartered Membership of CIOB (MCIOB) or IOSH for health & safety roles. In addition, higher NVQs (Levels 6 and 7) are equivalent to holding degrees, and can lead to higher education opportunities and professional accreditation.

Access to CSCS Cards:

As above, undertaking an NVQ is essential for career progression and one element of that is obtaining a CSCS card. These start with the Labourer card but move up to higher level cards with extra NVQ training, such as the:

- Blue Skilled Worker (Level 2)
- Gold Advanced Craft/Supervisor (Level 3/4) 
- Black Manager Card (Level 5+)

Without these cards, you often can't event access construction sites, especially on larger projects