JIB attends Skills England roundtable on digital passports

On 13 July 2026, Andy Reakes, JIB Acting CEO, took part in a roundtable discussion about digital skills passports. The event was hosted by Chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) People and Skills Workstream, Mark Farmer, and Skills England, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Skills England is keen to assess existing digital solutions in the built environment – which act as a record of skills, qualifications and other credentials – and can be accessed by employers and clients across different jobs, sectors and regions. The aim is to enable those entering the workforce, seeking new roles or looking to change careers to demonstrate their competence and accomplishments.

Jason Poulter, National Officer for Construction at Unite, attended the event, alongside CEOs from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB); Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS); NOCN Group; Certchain; Certass; the Construction Plant-Hire Association (CPA); and representatives from the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and the New Hospitals Project (NHP).

ECS is recognised by industry 

Andy Reakes shared the JIB’s perspective with practical insights from the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS). ECS is aligned to sector-specific frameworks, developed in response to the Building Safety Act 2022, and informed by the Construction Leadership Council, Building Safety Regulator and wider industry bodies.

It allows industry-governed, structured routes to competence to be verified digitally, allowing individuals to evidence on demand their skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEB). This brings confidence – to employers, clients and the public – that work is being carried out safely, competently and to standards recognised by the industry.

Verification at source, including API integration with awarding organisations and assessment bodies, ensures that information is authentic and current. Identity-document verification and AI-enabled assessment invigilation protect against fraud. It also encompasses employment and grading history, continuing professional development (CPD) and revalidation pathways.

As a member of the CSCS Alliance, ECS cards can be verified through CSCS Smart Check – the industry platform for checking all cards bearing the CSCS logo. More detailed contract-compliance, audit and supply-chain functionality is also available through ECS Check. Together, these interoperable services support site access, fraud prevention, procurement and auditable assurance of competence.

The role of the JIB

ECS is administered by the Joint Industry Board (JIB). Its credentials are strengthened by the long-standing JIB Collective Agreement which defines occupational grading, standards of competence, and employment conditions. This embeds demonstration of competence within a framework of fair work, training, progression and accountability.

Speaking after the roundtable event, Andy Reakes said:

“ECS is a successful, long-established example of how a skills passport solution can encompass an occupational standards-based approach; enable individuals to demonstrate their competence; and support workforce quality, safety and retention. It brings qualifications, apprenticeship and assessment verification together with employer and training provider endorsements. It can show decades of employment history and CPD.

“The level of interoperability and trust achieved through the MyECS App and its integration into the wider CSCS Smart Check system should be a core design principle of any national initiative. A standards-based approach to digital competency is needed to help raise the bar across whole industry.”

JIB looks forward to continuing the conversation with Government and industry stakeholders. To find out more about ECS, please visit ecscard.org.uk.

jib.org.uk