CISRS launches major training reform

The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has unveiled a wide-ranging programme of training reform aimed at creating a more accessible, responsive, and future-ready scaffolding training system.

Announced on 10 May 2025, the new reforms follow an in-depth governance review and aim to expand training capacity, improve delivery quality, and support more young people—including school leavers—into scaffolding apprenticeships.

CISRS chair Wayne Connolly said: “The scaffolding sector needs a training system that is robust, inclusive and which can deliver the skilled workforce of tomorrow. This is the start of a progressive programme of change designed to strengthen CISRS, support our centres, and ensure that young people have more routes into our fantastic industry.”

The programme will be delivered in phases and includes:

• A new Quality Committee to oversee standards, course content and the management of approved training centres. The committee will include employer, education and centre representatives, chaired by an independent specialist.
• A revised Centre Specification from 1 June 2025, lowering minimum centre height requirements and enabling more flexible, enclosed learning spaces—especially in rural or high-cost areas like London.
• An 18-month moratorium on new OpenAir Craft Centres across mainland UK, giving current providers time to adapt to new quality expectations.
• Steps toward digitalising training records, improving customer data, and supporting better learner engagement and course development.

These changes, part of a wider strategy developed in partnership with NASC, follow recent feedback from an independent perception survey which highlighted the need to improve learner experience and satisfaction.

Connolly added: “Improving on relatively low satisfaction scores will be a key benchmark for our centres and trainers going forward. We’re also focused on data-driven improvements—capturing information on where learners struggle, and using that insight to adapt courses and support success.”

Owned by the NASC and run on a not-for-profit basis, CISRS is one of the most highly regarded vocational training schemes in UK construction. NASC was originally asked to manage the scheme by Unite the Union, and it continues to be recognised across the sector for its high safety and competence standards.

The latest reforms aim not only to future-proof CISRS’s training model but also to address regional disparities in access, strengthen the apprenticeship pipeline, and support broader industry ambitions for professional development and inclusion.

Further details, including implementation timelines and guidance for training providers, will be published in the coming months.