Construction Workers Confused about How to Report Qualification Fraud

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS feel confident in spotting the signs of qualification fraud, but do not know how to report it.

Research found 473 construction companies overwhelmingly agreed that reporting suspected qualification fraud is important and helps protect safety on site.

However, they also admitted they have gaps in understanding about the reporting process.

Ofqual, the qualifications regulator, carried out the research with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).

Qualification Fraud

Qualification fraud can be committed by:

• creating, buying or using fake certificates for regulated qualifications
• delivering ‘fast track’ training which leaves out important and necessary content
• helping learners cheat in tests by giving answers or taking a test on their behalf

Fraudulent qualifications can then be used to obtain CSCS cards, allowing workers to access construction sites without the needed skills. While fraud can be spotted during training sessions, it can also be called out by workers on site who can see the difference between a worker’s real-life skills and the qualifications they claim to have.

Reporting Concerns

Employers and workers can take three simple steps when concerns arise:

1. Use CSCS Smart Check via API, app or website to verify a card’s validity.
2. Trust professional judgement: if someone’s real-life skills don’t match their qualifications – even if the card is valid – then report suspected qualification fraud.
3. Report concerns confidentially to intel@cscs.co.uk or via Ofqual’s complaints procedure.

Anonymous reporting is available for those concerned about workplace relationships, and reports are investigated based on evidence, not on who made the report.

Emma Scott, Director at Ofqual, said: “Construction workers recognise the importance of reporting suspected qualification fraud – which is committed by a small minority of people – but the evidence shows we need to make reporting channels clearer and emphasise that reports can be made confidentially.

“Tackling qualification fraud requires organisations working together with the eyes and ears of those on sites. If someone’s real-life skills don’t match those on their card, they may have obtained it through qualification fraud – and reporting this helps protect everyone.”

Sean Kearns, CEO of CSCS added: “These findings reinforce the need to communicate how simple it is to check CSCS card validity and report concerns. We’ve made tools like the CSCS Smart Check API, app and website available for exactly this reason – to enable all CSCS Alliance cards to be checked and validated through a single ‘border control’ process. If you suspect a CSCS card is fraudulent, check it using Smart Check and report it via the app or intel@cscs.co.uk. When we all play our part, we protect the safety and reputation of the entire industry.”

Other key findings of the research

• The majority of respondents (78%) don’t know the process for reporting suspected qualification fraud. Almost half, 45% said they had some idea but not sure of the exact process and 33% said they do not know how to report it at all.
• 81% strongly agreed that it was important to report suspected qualification fraud and 85% said they felt comfortable or very comfortable to raise concerns about fraud in their workplace.
• Respondents indicated that greater clarity about confidentiality would improve reporting rates.
• Managers and hiring managers have a vital role to play, as these were the routes most commonly selected by respondents when asked who they would report suspected fraud to.
• Responses came from site operatives (34%), site managers (27%) and senior managers (26%), with 39% working for large employers with over 250 employees.

>>Read more about CSCS cards in the news