14/01/26
“There are many reasons for our investment in a new digital infrastructure for NASC and CISRS, which will allow for the first time the creation of a single, joined-up digital ecosystem,” explains Group CEO Clive Dickin. “But one massive factor is security.”
He goes on to explain that the new system will be built to incorporate the latest security standards, that will help to make life both easier and safer for anyone interacting with the new system. “By building on an existing, tried and tested platform that is specifically designed for membership organisations and trade bodies, we can incorporate elements such as Single Sign On (SSO) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). These are widely used standards that enhance both ease of use and security.”
The project has been led internally at NASC by Head of Technical Mark Collinson, who adds that the use of one system that is fully joined up and that complies with all the latest cyber security standards should be a plus for member firms. “Our members are used to having to meet Cyber Essentials plus and other, similar standards, especially if they want to tender for government work or public sector contracts. They are well established as procurement standards across the industry. It’s a massive plus for them to be confident that the entire new NASC and CISRS digital infrastructure, including the ePortal, meets these requirements and will be maintained to keep up to date as the standards develop over time.”
For too long NASC has survived, rather than thrived in the digital age. “We have had a lot of success in recent years, with the membership growing and more CISRS cardholders than ever. But our existing patchwork of standalone systems wasn’t able to scale easily and wasn’t fit for the future. We took the call that now was the right moment to switch to a single, stronger, more integrated system.”
From 26th January 2025, NASC members and CISRS cardholders will notice things look different when they visit either the NASC or CISRS website. These new “front end” websites are essentially new shop windows for both organisations. Members, cardholders and training centres will all have to login for the first and update their security credentials.
As with any transition to a new system there may be some extra effort required as part of the initial sign-in and set-up process. And thing will look a little different but should nevertheless still be familiar. Thereafter login to the whole ecosystem should be simpler and more straightforward, with SSO and 2FA combining to make systems more secure.
As Dickin puts it, “Since we started on this project we have seen several major disruptions, not least the Jaguar Land Rover hack, which halted production for several months. Through our ePortal, which is also part of this new platform, members are downloading some 14,000 compliance sheets a month. The impact of not being able to issue a compliance sheet for three months would be devastating.”
The new system is built on the concept of having one central location for everything. “This is the foundation of the new system,” explains Collinson. “The reality is that the way we interact with each other and with organisations has changed. This is the dawning of a new era for the scaffolding industry, one where we are really embracing the future and looking ahead to the needs of future generations of scaffolders.”
But for all this is a new era, it is also a logical next step for NASC, which has always embraced new technologies and has continually developed its ePortal over recent years, with the latest addition of TG30 helping to bring the total of downloaded compliance sheets over the half a million mark. As Collinson explains, “We’re very comfortable with the digital environment and we’ve seen firsthand that the industry is also keen to embrace it.”
A major advantage of the new ecosystem, which includes the launch of a dedicated new app – ScaffPal – will be ease of use. “A great example is the digitalisation of CISRS cards,” says Collinson. “From about March onwards, the ScaffPal app will be home to your digital CISRS card and as long as you have the app downloaded on your phone and have your phone on you, you will always have your CISRS card with you. No more hassle when you leave your wallet at home. You will be able to use your phone to get on site. We are also looking at a range of other practical tools to add in over time to make the app as valuable as possible.”
Dickin adds that this is also about making life as easy as possible for employers and training centres. “The digital cards will always be up to date with someone’s latest training and qualifications. It will make life easier and safer for everyone. There remain some major issues at the moment with the use of fraudulent cards and this should help to reduce that problem.
“We are also working hard so that the new ScaffAcademy, a digital learning management system (LMS), will eventually be a core part of the ecosystem. It means that everything is joined up, to the benefit of learners, training centres, employees and employers.”
Another upgrade will be a move away from generalised, broadcast publishing to more nuanced, personalised, targeted content. “When you go onto the website at the moment it’s a one-size-fits-all approach,” explains Collinson. “With the new system we’re using what’s called conditional content. This means that depending on your profile and the topics you have selected when you first register, you’ll only see the content and key messages that are most relevant to you.”
This more targeted approach will also carry through onto a new app – ScaffPal – launching next month. “This will really transform how we engage with and communicate with NASC members and the wider CISRS community,” says Dickin. “We have to recognise that the world has been mobile-first for some time now. It’s no longer enough to base our operations around the assumption that people want to read emails. People want information in lots of different ways, and we need to embrace that multi-channel culture if we want to keep engaging with the younger generation of scaffolders.”
Some benefits the new system will deliver:
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