About us

About Operative Hire

Operative Hire helps people get onto UK construction sites. We explain which card you need, how to get it, where to sit the test and how to pass it. Everything here is free.

By the Operative Hire team · Last updated

Who we are

We’re the team behind four UK construction job groups on Facebook, including CSCS CCDO Labourer Jobs UK, with more than 27,000 members between them. We’ve run these groups since 2016.

Every day we see the same questions from people trying to start or keep working on site:

  • Which card do I need for this job?
  • How do I book the test, and what does it cost?
  • My card has expired. What now?
  • Where’s my nearest test centre?

Operative Hire is where we answer them properly, in plain English, in one place.

What you’ll find here

Card guidesCSCS (every colour), CCDO, CISRS, JIB, Skillcard, plant and access cards Test centresWhere to sit the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test and how booking works Free mock testPractise before the real thing, with answers explained

How we keep it accurate

Card rules and prices change. We check our guides against the official sources (CITB, CSCS and the other card schemes) and show the date each page was last checked. If something’s wrong, tell us and we’ll fix it. Our editorial policy explains how.

We’re independent

Operative Hire is not part of, or endorsed by, CSCS, CITB or any card scheme. The site is funded by advertising, which never decides what we write. See our disclaimer.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections, or want to work with us? Use our contact form.