Emma Scott is regulator Ofqual\u2019s director of vocational and technical qualifications delivery<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Qualification fraud can lead to serious problems: safety risks, damaged reputations, and millions lost to rework and compensation claims.<\/span><\/p>\n In a recent survey carried out by Ofqual in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), we found that the vast majority of people in the sector understand these risks and the necessity of flagging suspected fraud. However, our polling also revealed a critical gap: many are simply unsure how to report their concerns or about what happens afterwards. This article aims to close that gap.<\/span><\/p>\n Qualification fraud may be committed in a number of ways, including by creating, buying or using fake certificates for regulated qualifications; delivering \u2018fast track\u2019 training that leaves out important and necessary content; issuing certificates without proper assessment; and helping learners cheat in tests by giving answers or taking a test on their behalf. This activity mostly takes place at training centres \u2013 and the results are poor performance on site.<\/span><\/p>\n It is vital to distinguish between card fraud and qualification fraud. Card fraud involves fake physical cards, which are easily rooted out via the use of CSCS\u2019s Smart Check platform. Qualification fraud is more subtle. Someone can hold a legitimate card based on a fraudulently obtained qualification \u2013 which is precisely why reporting suspected fraud is important, even when cards are verified.<\/span><\/p>\n The first step is to use CSCS Smart Check, which can be integrated directly into existing construction site access systems, or used as a free mobile app or website. It is the only platform to confirm instantly whether a CSCS-logoed card is valid and the worker should be on the site.<\/span><\/p>\n This should be done weekly as the CSCS will cancel cards if it is alerted to fraud. Without regular checks, you will not know if a card has been cancelled. Smart Check also includes a reporting mechanism if you suspect fraud in relation to the card being scanned.<\/span><\/p>\n Our survey found that 83 per cent of respondents were confident they could tell the difference between qualification fraud and poor performance. If a card is confirmed as genuine by CSCS Smart Check but a worker\u2019s real-life skills don\u2019t match the qualifications on the card, you can report this through the app or by emailing intel@cscs.co.uk.<\/span><\/p>\n You may also see instances of qualification fraud more directly while attending training sessions at centres. You can flag these cases confidentially to the CITB via report.it@citb.co.uk or on Ofqual\u2019s website, and we will raise the issue with the awarding organisation.<\/span><\/p>\n Qualification fraud is tackled across various organisations. Ofqual\u2019s role is to regulate awarding organisations \u2013 the bodies that issue certificates. We set the rules on how awarding organisations should operate and deliver qualifications; within these rules, those organisations are responsible for developing and delivering qualifications that lead to valid certificates. They are also responsible for identifying and investigating fraudulent activity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We investigate when awarding organisations get things wrong, and take action when they fail to adhere to our rules. These actions may include stopping them from issuing certificates, fining them or removing them from the market.<\/span><\/p>\n The CITB, through its training and skills development remit, can identify problems at training centres, especially in respect of its health, safety and environment test, which alongside other qualifications is used to obtain CSCS-affiliated cards.<\/span><\/p>\n The CSCS, as the leading skills-certification scheme in construction, ensures that when fraudulent certificates are discovered, immediate action can be taken to cancel cards and alert the industry.<\/span><\/p>\n When fraud is reported, we act. The CSCS can immediately cancel cards when fraud is confirmed, protecting sites from unqualified workers. Collectively, we also share intelligence between our organisations, meaning that when one identifies a problem, we can each take action through our different remits.<\/span><\/p>\n Ofqual regulates awarding organisations, which in turn will work with centres to ensure that appropriate training was delivered, assessments properly conducted, and certificates legitimately earned. Where this has not occurred, awarding organisations may face sanctions.<\/span><\/p>\n Such action takes time, so the effects of reporting qualification fraud may not be as immediately obvious as a card cancellation. The number of fraud cases is small, but the potential impact on safety, reputation, quality, and links to other types of crime, mean it is a fight we all need to engage in whenever we spot a problem.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Emma Scott is regulator Ofqual\u2019s director of vocational and technical qualifications delivery Qualification fraud can lead to serious problems: safety risks, damaged reputations, and millions lost to rework and compensation claims. In a recent survey carried out by Ofqual in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), we …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":534354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[578,567,575],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-534376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal","category-opinion","category-skills"],"yoast_head":"\nDefining the crime<\/span><\/h3>\n
How to report fraud<\/span><\/h3>\n
Who does what?<\/span><\/h3>\n
What happens next?<\/span><\/h3>\n