The construction industry in London is broad and comprises numerous distinct trades ranging from carpenters and bricklayers to plumbers and electricians.

As such, the factors that will determine one’s career progression in the construction industry can be divided into generic drivers and trade-specific drivers. The generic factors are primarily NVQs, CSCS Cards and experience.

A CSCS Card is a key factor in getting a management job

Irrespective of which construction career one chooses to pursue in London, NVQs and London CSCS cards are now the de facto credentials before one is considered for a job with a reputable firm. Consequently, the more advanced the NVQs and CSCS Cards in London you possess the better your job prospects and the greater your chances of landing a management level position.

The Black CSCS Card London, which is the card one can apply for when they attain a Level 4 NVQ, is usually considered the ‘Manager CSCS Card’.  The path to the Level 4 NVQ and the Black CSCS Card is however a progressive one meaning you must have achieved the lower Level NVQs and cards before you qualify for the Level 4 NVQ.

When do you apply for a management-level London CSCS Card?

The path to management in the construction industry should thus start immediately you get your first job. It is at this point that you should start working towards applying for a Level 2 NVQ and the Blue CSCS Card London. The Level 2 NVQ is considered the lowest level NVQ that substantially assesses the skill of a person in the construction industry.

After the Level 2 NVQ and once you are confident you have the competence necessary to move to the next level, you should book the Level 3 NVQ and apply for the Gold CSCS Card in London. The Gold CSCS Card is the ‘Supervisor CSCS Card’ and is the prerequisite for applying for the Manager-level Black CSCS Card.

Other factors other than the CSCS Card

Other than the CSCS Cards in London, the breadth of your experience and your track record will also be a key factor employers will be looking at when evaluating you for a management role at a construction site or construction project.
There are trade-specific factors that determine career progression in the construction industry. For instance, electricians can complete a short training program referred to as Part-P which allows them to certify their own work as opposed to depending on a building inspector or a contractor to do so.

Management opportunities for CSCS Card holders

Management opportunities within the construction vary from one trade to the other. Electricians can advance to supervisor roles. Experienced electricians can also become engineering technicians, a role charged with resolving technical problems at construction sites or engineering companies.

Experienced bricklayers and plasterers can be considered for construction technician jobs and later progress onto a construction manager role or a clerk of works. Employed plumbers, carpenters, roofers and painters often advance to supervisory and team leader roles. Qualified and experienced welders may become supervisors and shift or workshop managers.