NOCN Group, the leading Construction NVQ Awarding Organisation, has launched the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) ‘Competence Interview’ in response to Construction Leadership Council (CLC) requirements for CPCS ‘Competent Operator’ blue card holders to hold relevant Level 2 Vocational Qualifications (VQ) from January 2020, with all existing cards that don’t meet the new standards being removed by 31 December 2024.

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The ‘CPCS Competence Interview’ has been developed by NOCN in collaboration with the CPCS Management Committee to support the construction sector in its industry-wide phasing out of existing ‘Competent Operator’ blue cards gained through ‘Grandfather Rights’; the term used for those cards originally gained by skilled construction plant operators on the grounds of industry knowledge and employer recommendation without a formal qualification. It will allow these existing blue card holders to continue work on-site from 2025 without the need to either switch to a red ‘Trained Operator’ card or complete a Level 2 Qualification. Those undertaking the one-off Competence Interview will be issued with a new smart card that is ‘topped up’ to its original expiry date to ensure a smooth transition. It is recommended that the interview is completed by June 2024, no less than six months in advance of the December 2024 deadline.

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The Chairman of the CPCS Management Committee explains: “The current blue cardholders’ status will be unchanged up to and including 2024. CPCS is currently working with industry to ensure that those blue card holders not holding a NVQ/SVQ at Level 2 will be supported to ensure their current status will be retained.”

Those who undertake the NOCN CPCS Competence Interview will use their knowledge, skills and experience to answer questions that cover the following areas:

• Effective Communication: oral, written, listening, body language, presentation.

• Team Work: work effectively with others with limited supervision.

• Independant Working: take responsiblity of your own work

• Logical Thinking: use clean and valid reasoning when making decisions to undertake work instructions.

• Work Effectively: undertale the work in a reliable and productive manor.

• Time Management: use own time effectively to complete the work instrcuctions to schedule.

• Adaptability: be able to adjust to changes to the work instructions.

• Assertiveness and confidence: able to resist pressures to work following unsafe practices

• Respect: apply equality, diversity, and inclusion in dealing with others.

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