Functional Competence consultation
CITB is proposing a change to how the current skills system operates. We want to work with industry to make existing routes to competence work better for employers and individuals, by diagnosing where problems genuinely exist, enabling proportionate solutions and applying that learning across the system over time. And we want your feedback to help us do this.
Why change is needed
Construction is changing fast. New building methods, advancing technology and the greater focus on competence arising from the Building Safety Act are reshaping the skills our industry needs and how they are demonstrated. This creates an exciting opportunity to reform the skills system, opening clearer and more flexible routes for people from all backgrounds to enter construction, develop their careers and demonstrate their competence.
CITB is exploring how the skills system can better respond to this and recognise the skills and experience people already have, support progression and support the practical needs of employers. This could benefit new entrants, career changers and experienced workers alike, helping the industry attract talent and build the competent workforce it needs for the future.
We're introducing the concept of Functional Competence (FC), which would recognise competence at a task-based level, linked to specific functions or activities within an occupation rather than requiring competence across an entire role. Potentially this could reduce duplication, improve consistency and remove unnecessary barriers to entry and progression, while still being assessed to the same rigorous standard as full occupational competence.
Pathways to competence
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What is Functional Competence?
Functional Competence (FC) is part of our proposed solution. It would recognise that someone is competent at a more task-based level, linked to specific functions or activities within an occupation rather than requiring competence across an entire role.
It would be assessed and quality assured to the same standard as occupational competence, using industry-agreed standards and independent assessment.
For FC to work and support industry, we believe it should:
Recognise competence in specific functions or activities
Be assessed and quality assured to the same standard of rigour as occupational competence
Give employers and individuals greater flexibility where there is a genuine industry need
Support progression where occupational requirements and dependencies are met
Provide evidence to support competence decisions.
FC should not be:
A replacement for qualifications or apprenticeships
A shortcut to occupational competence
A replacement of the responsibility of employers and other duty holders to determine whether an individual is competent to undertake specific work in a particular context.
We'll work with the organisations that would be affected by this change, including employers, training providers, awarding bodies and card schemes, to explore whether and where FC might be useful, how it might fit alongside other parts of the skills system such as carding, and where there are risks and obstacles that need to be considered carefully.
The consultation
Introducing FC would represent a significant change to the current competence system. Because of this, we want to test the idea with industry before going any further.
We're running an industry-wide consultation between 12 October 2026 and 15 January 2027 to gather feedback on the opportunities FC could offer, as well as any risks or challenges. Once we've gathered this feedback, we’ll take our findings to the appropriate industry leadership forum(s) to agree whether and how this can be implemented.
Have your say
Whether you're an employer, training provider, or part of the existing workforce, your feedback will help shape whether and how FC is introduced.
The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete and closes on 15 January 2027.
Key principles
The model must be flexible enough to work across different occupations but controlled enough to avoid fragmentation or dilution of standards.
Principle | What this means in plain language |
|---|---|
Industry-defined standards | Functional Competence must be derived from the relevant Competence Framework and agreed through industry devleopment groups. |
Coherent groupings | Functions must be meaningful, assessable and aligned to real work, not fragmented into micro-tasks. |
Defined scope | Functional Competence means full competence within a defined scope of work, not partial competence. |
Independent assessment | Recognition must be based on assessment and quality assurance by an independent third party, not informal employer-only sign-off. |
Transferability | Recognition should be standardised and portable across employers, providers and nations where the same function is undertaken. |
No shortcut | Functional Competence must not automatically imply skilled or occupational card status. |
Progression | Achievements should be capable of supporting progression where occupational rules, prerequisites and dependencies are satisfied. |
Selective implementation | Functional Competence should be used where it adds value and where occupational readiness and risk make it appropriate. |
How Functional Competence could be used
Functional Competence could add value by making the competence system more flexible, reducing duplication and supporting clearer recognition and progression.
Explore the scenarios below to see how Functional Competence could work in practice:
An experienced worker may want to move into a related role and already be competent in some of the functions it requires. Functional Competence could recognise their relevant existing competence, identify any remaining development or assessment needed and reduce unnecessary duplication. Recognition would apply only to the functions independently assessed and would not automatically confirm competence across the whole occupation.
Standards, methods and workplace requirements can change over time. Functional Competence could provide a focused way for workers to maintain or update specific areas of competence, with the same expectations for assessment and quality assurance. This could support continuing professional development without requiring someone to repeat learning or assessment that remains current.
A competent worker may need to add a specialist activity that sits alongside their existing occupation. Functional Competence could allow them to develop and gain independent recognition for that defined activity, where there is a clear industry need and any prerequisites or dependencies are met. It would extend their recognised scope without implying competence in unrelated activities.
Some people may develop competence progressively rather than through a single route. Functional Competence could recognise meaningful groups of activities as they are achieved and help show what further development or evidence is needed to work towards wider occupational competence. Any progression would remain subject to the requirements and dependencies agreed for the occupation.
"Recognising competence in defined areas of work, assessed to the same standard as full occupational competence, could make our system more precise and easier to trust. The detail matters, and it must be shaped by those who do the work, so I would urge everyone with a stake in construction competence to respond to CITB's consultation."
Jon Vanstone – Director of Tech Influence and Chair of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC)
"CSCS welcomes the opportunity to work with CITB, members of the CSCS Alliance and other industry partners, to explore the concept of functional competence and the role it can play within a wider competence framework.
Functional competence has the potential to recognise specialist skills, support ongoing professional development and competence maintenance, while providing greater flexibility for employers and the workforce. Importantly, it should complement, rather than replace, the achievement of full occupational competence."
Sean Kearns – CSCS Group Chief Executive
"Breaking down barriers to upskilling and multiskilling would give industry the tools it needs to ensure that competence can be built and recognised throughout an individual’s working life."
Kate Milford – Director of Milford & Marah Ltd, Fire Stopping Competence Working Group and Chair of the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG)