Course Overview
This NVQ Level 2 qualification in Formwork is aimed at construction professionals who specialise in erecting and striking formwork systems on-site. It’s designed for experienced operatives with at least 6 months of hands-on experience who want formal recognition of their skills to boost employment, secure CSCS Blue Skilled Worker card, or win higher-value contracts. This is a fast-track, remote-based assessment pathway tailored to those currently working on live construction sites across the UK.
Assessment:
- 100% work-based assessment
- Remote portfolio submission
- Optional on-site assessment (only if required)
- Evidence includes: site photos, videos, method statements, toolbox talks, risk assessments, professional discussions, witness testimonies
What It Covers:
- Erecting and striking formwork and falsework safely and effectively
- Working with proprietary and traditional timber formwork systems
- Interpreting drawings, specifications, and schedules
- Understanding reinforcement placement, load paths, and safety regulations
- Conforming to general and site-specific safety procedures
- Installing and removing shuttering, soffits, columns, slabs, and walls
- Collaborating with steel fixers, concrete gangs, and engineers
Eligibility:
- Minimum 6 months to 1 years of on-site formwork experience
- Aged 18+
- Actively working on a construction site (commercial, residential, civil)
Who It’s For:
- Formwork Carpenters
- Shuttering Joiners
- Concrete Frameworkers
- Site Operatives involved in formwork systems
- Subcontractors working on high-rise, highways, and civils projects
Duration:
2 to 4 months (flexible around work commitments)
Outcome:
On successful completion, you’ll be awarded the NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Formwork, which allows you to apply for the Blue CSCS Skilled Worker Card — essential for site access and progression in your trade.
Support Provided:
- One-to-one guidance from a qualified assessor
- WhatsApp and email-based support
- Feedback on each unit of your portfolio
- Optional site visit if additional evidence is needed
- Fast-tracked certification route for experienced tradesmen
Next Step:
Click “Apply Now” or book your Free 10-Minute Call to confirm your eligibility and get started.
CSCS Blue Skilled Worker Card
- Conforming to General Health, Safety and Welfare
- Conforming to Productive Working Practices
- Moving, Handling and Storing Resources
- Erecting and Striking Timber and Proprietary Formwork
- Producing and Assembling Formwork Components
- Working Safely with Formwork Tools and Systems
- Experienced formwork carpenters and shuttering joiners
- Site operatives are already installing and dismantling formwork
- Subcontractors and self-employed operatives needing CSCS Blue Card
- Workers with on-site experience but no formal qualifications
- Accurately reading and following formwork drawings
- Erecting and dismantling formwork safely and efficiently
- Working with timber, proprietary and system formwork
- Using tools and lifting equipment correctly
- Teamworking with concreters, steel fixers and engineers
- Following all site health, safety and environmental requirements
Most learners complete within 8–12 weeks, as the NVQ is fully assessed on live site evidence. Formworkers who are already active on concrete and shuttering projects often finish in under 10 weeks, faster than the average NVQ completion timeframe.
Around 65% of UK formworkers now hold a Level 2 NVQ or equivalent. This is one of the highest uptake rates across construction trades, reflecting how critical competency proof is in high-risk concrete and shuttering operations.
Yes — completing this NVQ qualifies you for the Blue Skilled Worker CSCS Card, which is mandatory on over 85% of UK construction sites. Without it, you cannot work independently as a formworker on most civil engineering and commercial projects.
Yes — demand is very strong, driven by major infrastructure, highways, and high-rise concrete builds. CITB forecasts show that formwork roles will grow by around 3.5% per year until 2030, with the skill remaining on the Construction Skills Shortage List due to high demand and limited supply of qualified operatives.
Formworkers with a Level 2 NVQ typically earn £160–£220 per day, depending on location and project scale. Large-scale infrastructure and commercial projects often pay at the higher end. Pay data shows NVQ-qualified operatives earn up to 15–20% more than those without formal qualifications.
