The Shopfitting and Interior Contracting Competence Scheme SICCS

This is a national skills registration scheme that provides a single skills card for this sector within the global sphere of construction. What better time, therefore, for shopfitters and interior contractors to underline their independence and show the world at large the difference between themselves and the construction industry in general.

The NAS Skills Card was launched on 1st December 2009 at the request of employers, to allow them to further ally with regulations and requirements, and its goal is to apply common accredited standards for all occupations within the sector.

The NAS Skills card is branded and servcied by Construction Skills CSCS Card Health and Safety Test scheme. Applications will be processed by ConstructionSkills as NAS appointed Service Provider.

The Scheme is the recognition by the National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) and the Shopfitting Independent Training Forum (SITF) for an accredited, qualified and competent workforce from “Apprentice to Boardroom” within five years from its launch.

The aim of the SICCS Scheme:

• Keep a record of workers in the shopfitting and interior contracting sector within the global sphere of construction who have achieved a recognised level of accredited ability and competence, and that is underpinned by the issue of an accredited skills card
• Raise the standards of individuals applying who can demonstrate the  propriate knowledge of working safely in the sector, in addition to being able to demonstrate the prerequisite level of competence for the
• respective occupation being undertaken.
• Accredited prior learning and retained knowledge will be demonstrated by the respective individual’s ability to pass the ConstructionSkills Health and Safety Test.
• Encourage those who procure shopfitting and interior contracting to use certificated skilled workers.
• Be self financing; with any surplus funds being used for the benefit of  the shopfitting and interior contracting sector

The benefits of the SICCS scheme.

The Scheme (SICCS) aims to provide the following benefits to individuals:

• recognition of skills, competence and qualifications
• improved health and safety awareness
• improved employment prospects
• provision of training standards to equip individuals with relevant skills to be employed in the shopfitting and interior contracting sector

The Scheme (SICCS) aims to provide the following benefits to employers:

• identification of operatives with recognised industry skills, competence and qualkoifications.
• better quality of work
• improved health and safety awareness amongst the workforce of the shopfitting and interior contracting sector
• provision of training standards to equip individuals with relevant skill to enter the industry
• a move to a qualified and carded workforce, which will help to improve customer satisfaction and the industry’s image.

Need to learn more about the the NAS Skills card and the SICCS scheme contact us

About David Cant

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.