Part 1 vs Part 2 Scaffolder: What's the Difference?

Part 1 means you have done the first stage of scaffolder training and are working towards qualifying, usually under supervision. Part 2 means you are a fully qualified CISRS scaffolder, trusted to erect, alter and dismantle standard scaffolds. Part 2 is the level most "scaffolder" adverts are really asking for, and it pays more.

Here is how the two stages differ, and what it takes to move from one to the other.

	Part 1 scaffolder	Part 2 scaffolder
Status	Trainee, still qualifying	Fully qualified CISRS scaffolder
Training	Part 1 course (two weeks / ten days)	Part 2 course, NVQ Level 2 and a one-day skills test
On site	Works under supervision	Erects, alters and dismantles standard scaffolds
What adverts want	Some trainee roles	The level most "scaffolder" adverts mean
Pay	Lower in the range	The bulk of standard scaffolding rates

Where do Part 1 and Part 2 sit in the CISRS ladder?

Both are rungs on the same CISRS ladder. In order, it runs roughly: Labourer, then Trainee (Part 1 trained), then Scaffolder (Part 2 qualified), then Advanced. Part 1 and Part 2 are the two halves of becoming a qualified scaffolder, with real site experience logged in between. Our guide to CISRS cards covers the full set of levels.

What is a Part 1 scaffolder?

Part 1 is where you learn to build basic scaffold. According to CISRS, the Part 1 course runs over two weeks (ten consecutive days) at an accredited training centre, and before you can attend it you need to have held a CISRS Labourer card for at least three months and gained relevant site experience.

Once you have passed Part 1 you are a trainee scaffolder. You can do real scaffolding work, but you are still training towards the full qualification and will usually work under the eye of a qualified scaffolder. If you are just starting out, our guide on how to become a scaffolder covers the steps before this one.

What is a Part 2 scaffolder?

Part 2 is the qualifying stage. After you have logged more site experience as a Part 1 trainee, you complete the Part 2 course, the NVQ Level 2 in Access and Rigging Operations, and a CISRS one-day skills test. Pass all of that and you hold a CISRS Scaffolder card.

That card is the one that says you are a competent, qualified scaffolder who can erect, alter and dismantle standard scaffolds. It is the level most employers mean when they advertise for a "scaffolder", which is why it opens up far more of the work.

Why does the gap matter for pay and jobs?

The jump from Part 1 to Part 2 is one of the clearest pay steps in the trade. A trainee on a Part 1 card sits lower in the range; a qualified Part 2 scaffolder moves up into the bulk of standard scaffolding rates, with advanced and supervisory levels above that. For the actual numbers, see how much scaffolders earn in the UK.

If you are working towards your Part 2, the most useful thing you can do is rack up varied, well-supervised site experience between the courses. That is what the qualification is really testing.

When you are ready to put your level to work, see who is hiring now and apply to the firms that need your ticket.