The durations and ratios for seven new plant training standards have been confirmed.

CITB and the Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO) have been working together closely to standardise plant training across the construction industry. This has seen the introduction of short-course training standards for plant categories that reflect the increased requirements and responsibilities for plant operators.

As part of phase four of this collaboration, the following standards will be launched on 29 September 2026:

• Vacuum Excavator – Non-LGV, Manual Arm

• Vacuum Excavator – Non-LGV, Semi-Powered Arm

• Vacuum Excavator – Trailer Mounted, Manual Arm

• Vacuum Excavator – Trailer Mounted, Semi-Powered Arm

• Vacuum Excavator – LGV, Semi-Powered Arm

• Vacuum Excavator – LGV, Fully Powered Arm

• Loader Compressor Training

View the durations and ratios of the new standards (PDF, 140KB).

The remaining standards from phase four (listed below) will launch on 27 October 2026:

• Appointed Person

• Tower Crane Operator – Trolley Jib – Cab Controlled

• Tower Crane Operator – Luffing Jib – Cab Controlled

• Tower Crane Operator – Trolley Jib – Remote Controlled

Once again, the standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups consisting of employers, training providers and federations. The changes will ensure employers see a return on their investment by producing competent, work-ready plant operators, who have received training from experts.

For Employers:

CITB Short Course Grants can help registered employers cover the cost of the standardised plant training. To be eligible for CITB grants for the updated plant categories, the following rules apply:

• All elements of the training and testing must align to the new training standard and to have taken place on or after September 29

• The training and testing must have been carried out by a Training Provider Network (TPN) member or an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) which is approved to deliver the new training standards

• The training needs to lead to a card carrying the CSCS logo

• The achievement needs to be uploaded by the relevant TPN member or ATO.

Previous training and test grants for these categories of plant will no longer be available for achievements awarded on or after September 29.

For Training Providers:

Only training delivered by a Training Provider Network (TPN) member or an ATO approved to deliver the new standards will be eligible for grant. In order to deliver the standardised training and testing:

CPCS Centres: You do not need to do anything. CITB will recognise your previous approvals and transfer them to the new Plant Training Standard(s).

NPORS Providers (including those delivering both CPCS and NPORS): Simply email quality.assurance@citb.co.uk with the categories you want to deliver and CITB will provide the required approvals to the new Plant Training Standard(s).

It is the TPN member or ATO’s responsibility for uploading the achievement in order to trigger any grant that the employer is entitled to (NPORS providers will need to do this via the Construction Training Register).