The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has issued revised contracts to training centres after months of negotiations, with its chair defending its proposed reforms.
The scheme, owned by the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC), has faced sustained criticism from some training providers over the planned reforms, leading to the breakaway Scaffolding Training Alliance (STA) being formed in May.
The alliance accused the CISRS of failing to consult properly and warned the proposed changes could damage the sector.
Wayne Connolly, who chairs the CISRS board, admitted the original draft agreements outlining changes to training with centres were too loosely defined and required redrafting.
“The training agreement wasn’t as clear cut as it should have been. We’re straightening that out,” he said.
Training centres were given the draft contracts in February, and were later invited to comment through a shared document, according to Connolly.
CISRS lawyers reviewed the feedback alongside providers’ own legal advice, making what Connolly described as “substantial” word changes on issues such as insurance clauses.
“We’ve gone above and beyond” to meet centres halfway, he said.
“One provider even gave us a paragraph from its lawyer that made sense, so we copied it in. The new contracts are now issued and we expect centres to come on the journey with us.”
Connolly admitted it was “impossible” to please all stakeholders in a scheme involving unions, employers and commercial training businesses.
But he insisted: “Doing nothing is not an option any more. I understand some groups will not like it, but we must move forward.”
The proposed reforms, initially outlined last year, include the introduction of an app and digital card system, while classroom time will be reduced in favour of more hands-on training supported by online learning.
Connolly said scaffolding’s need for practical content would not be lost, but that digital delivery would allow learners to progress at their own pace.
“We are behind the times. Lawyers can do exams online. Financial advisers can. Why not scaffolders?” he said.
Connolly argued online tools would help learners who struggled in group settings, while allowing centres to expand their offer.
“This is not about cutting centres out. They will deliver and sell the online courses,” he added.
The chair defended the decision-making process, pointing to an independent perception survey of NASC members commissioned in 2023. “That survey gave us the mandate to change,” he said. “This is not the board acting on a whim. We were mandated.”
But he conceded communication could have been handled better. “Perhaps we should have got the principals of training organisations in a room right at the start and said: this is happening.
“We tried a softer approach, but when change came in February people said, ‘I didn’t know that.’ Well, we had been signalling it since last summer.”
Connolly said he chaired a heated meeting with providers earlier this year but ruled out recognising the STA, which he described as an unclear “breakaway group”.
He added: “We cannot entertain splinter groups. We must talk to all centres together.”
Connolly said that CISRS was still uncertain about exactly who was formally involved in the STA, but confirmed a further online meeting with centres is scheduled for next week.
The dispute has delayed the rollout of reforms, but Connolly insisted the programme will continue.
“Nobody likes change, especially when their business model is built around the status quo. I am sympathetic, as a business owner myself, but we must make these changes,” he said.
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Colin Marrs