CSCS welcomes Dame Janet Paraskeva as new Chair of Board

Published: April 18, 2024

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dame Janet Paraskeva as the new Chair of its Board with effect from 1st May 2024.

A former civil service commissioner and ex-Chief Executive of the Law Society, Janet has extensive experience of high-profile national Boards and organisations including a non-executive Director role at the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Janet will succeed current CSCS Chair, Carolyn Uphill.

Janet said: “I am looking forward to leading the CSCS Board during this pivotal time for the industry. The Board has a role to play in ensuring the principles which underpin the Building Safety Act are delivered.

“This is particularly important as in the future we anticipate individuals will be required to prove not just their qualifications and training, but also their ongoing development of skills and knowledge as defined by the Industry Competence Steering Committee Working Groups, particularly Working Group 2 and their work on developing competence frameworks. All of which we envisage will be verified by the relevant card scheme displaying the CSCS logo and electronically checked on site using the CSCS Smart Check software.”

After six years leading the CSCS Board, Chair Carolyn Uphill will be retiring at the end of April.

Commenting on Janet’s appointment, Carolyn said: “I warmly welcome this appointment and I wish Janet every success at this important time for the industry. I would like to thank my fellow Board members and the CSCS executive team for their continued commitment and hard work during my time as Chair. It is their collective vision and determination to qualify the workforce that is leading to improved standards and safety on UK construction sites.”

CSCS is a not-for-profit distribution organisation, which is registered as a company limited by guarantee and without shareholders. CSCS is owned by three employer and two union organisations representing the breadth of the construction industry. CSCS’s seven non-executive Directors are nominated from the owner organisations and also represented on the Board are two independent non-executive Directors nominated by the Construction Industry Council and the Construction Clients Group.

Janet continued: “Carolyn has expertly led the Board for six years and in that time over 600,000 previously unqualified workers have gained a recognised qualification, a tremendous achievement. I look forward to progressing Carolyn’s work and pushing the industry ever closer to a fully trained and qualified workforce.”

For further information on CSCS’s role within the industry, visit: www.cscs.uk.com.