Course overview
Running a construction site in Aberdeen carries responsibilities that go well beyond keeping the programme on track. The city’s building work is unusually varied for its size: energy-sector contracts and the offshore wind and hydrogen supply chain that has grown around the transition, the ongoing regeneration of the city centre and Union Street, harbour and infrastructure work, new housing across Aberdeenshire commuter towns such as Westhill, Inverurie and Portlethen, and the constant refurbishment demands of a granite city where much of the building stock is over a century old. Whoever manages those sites carries legal responsibility for the health and safety of everyone on them, and principal contractors across the north-east expect that person to hold a current CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) certificate.
Our CITB SMSTS course for Aberdeen delegates is delivered live online over five consecutive weekdays, Monday to Friday, by a video link via Zoom. You train in real time with a CITB-approved tutor and a group of fellow delegates, sit the official CITB exam at the end of the week, and come away with exactly the same SMSTS certificate you would earn in a classroom. The course costs £430, and because there is no venue to get to, there is no fighting through Anderson Drive at half past seven in the morning, no hunting for parking near a training centre, and no hotel bill for anyone attending from further out in Aberdeenshire.
That last point matters more in the north-east than almost anywhere else in the UK. Aberdeen sits a long way from the central belt, and site managers based in Peterhead, Ellon, Banchory or Stonehaven have historically faced either a long daily commute or a week away from home to get a five-day management qualification done. The live online format removes that problem completely. You log in from home or a site office, train through the working day, and are still on hand for your family and, where needed, your site each evening.
Who the SMSTS course is for
The SMSTS is the CITB Site Safety Plus qualification for the person who runs the site, rather than the person who supervises a single gang or work front. It is designed for:
- Site managers with day-to-day responsibility for a construction site and everyone working on it
- Project managers who plan, organise and monitor construction work and carry accountability for how it is delivered
- Site supervisors stepping up into a management role who need the broader legal and planning knowledge the job demands
- Business owners and directors of construction firms who oversee sites themselves and carry the legal duties that come with that
Across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire that covers a wide spread of people: managers on commercial fit-outs and office refurbishments in the city centre, agents on housing developments in the shire, managers running civil engineering and infrastructure packages, and the owners of established local contractors who still run their own jobs. If your role is to plan the work, coordinate the trades and answer for safety across the whole site, the SMSTS is the qualification employers and principal contractors will ask to see.
It is worth being clear about the distinction with the SMSTS’s shorter sibling, because the two are often confused. The two-day SSSTS is for supervisors who lead a team on the ground under someone else’s site management. The five-day SMSTS is for the person with overall responsibility for the site. If major contractors, clients or tender documents in the Aberdeen market are asking you for a site manager’s qualification, SMSTS is the one they mean.
What you’ll learn
Over the five days the course builds a complete picture of what the law expects from a construction site manager and how to deliver it in practice. Rather than list every module here (the full breakdown appears further down this page), the week broadly covers three connected areas.
First, the legal framework: the Health and Safety at Work Act, the CDM Regulations and the supporting legislation that defines your duties as a site manager, what enforcement looks like, and what the consequences of getting it wrong are for you personally and for your company. This applies in exactly the same way on an Aberdeen site as it does anywhere else in Britain, which is one reason the certificate travels so well.
Second, the management systems that turn legal duties into a safely run site: risk assessments and method statements, site inductions, toolbox talks, inspections, record keeping, and how to plan and monitor work so problems are caught before they become incidents. Third, the high-risk activities that cause the most serious harm in construction, including working at height, excavations, demolition, confined spaces, temporary works, scaffolding and occupational health, and the specific controls a manager is expected to have in place for each.
The teaching style is deliberately practical. Your tutor is an experienced construction professional, and the week is built around discussion, case studies and group exercises rather than someone reading regulations at you. Delegates are encouraged to bring situations from their own sites into the sessions, which is where a live course, online or otherwise, earns its keep. All delegates also receive the official CITB course materials, which remain a useful working reference long after the course ends.
How the course runs
The course runs over five consecutive midweek days, Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm each day, with breaks built in. You attend by live video link via Zoom, joining the same tutor and the same group of delegates each morning, so the week has the continuity of a classroom course and you can pick discussions back up where they left off.
This is a genuinely interactive class, not a recorded webinar or a self-study package. You appear on camera, ask questions as they occur to you, work through exercises with the other delegates and take part in the group discussions that make up a large part of the CITB syllabus. Attendance on all five days is required, exactly as it would be in a physical classroom, and your tutor tracks participation throughout the week.
To take part you need a reliable internet connection and a suitable device: a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam and microphone works best, though a tablet can do the job. You also need a reasonably quiet place to work from for the week. Most Aberdeen delegates join from home; others use a site office or a spare meeting room. A good standard of spoken and written English is required, as the course and the exam are delivered in English, and while there are no formal entry qualifications, some experience of working on a construction site helps you get the most from the discussions.
Assessment and the SMSTS exam
The qualification is assessed at the end of the course by a formal CITB exam. The paper is made up of multiple-choice questions, multi-response questions and short written-answer questions, it lasts approximately 30 minutes, and the pass mark is 81%. Alongside the exam, you must attend all five days and take part in the exercises and case studies during the week.
That pass mark sounds demanding, but the exam tests the material you have just spent five days working through with your tutor, and it is designed to confirm understanding rather than to catch people out. Our trainers prepare delegates for the format as the week goes on, and it shows in the results: Skills Training Group delegates pass the SMSTS at a rate of 98.7%.
If you want to see the style of question before you book, or check your readiness during the course week, we publish a free SMSTS mock test you can sit online in a few minutes. It is a good way to take the mystery out of the exam and identify any topics worth extra attention.
Why train online from Aberdeen
We are straightforward about this: we do not operate a training centre in Aberdeen, and this course has no physical venue. It is delivered entirely by live video link, and for a five-day management course that is an advantage rather than a compromise, particularly in this part of the country.
A five-day classroom course means five return journeys, or a week in a hotel for anyone based beyond easy commuting distance. From Peterhead or Fraserburgh that is a serious daily round trip; even from Bridge of Don, Dyce or Kingswells, a week of peak-hour traffic and city-centre parking adds real cost and dead time to the course. Training online removes all of it. Delegates from Aberdeen city centre, Westhill, Inverurie, Ellon, Stonehaven, Banchory, Portlethen, Peterhead and right across Aberdeenshire and the north-east join the same class on the same terms, with no travel time, no mileage, no parking and no accommodation.
The qualification you earn is identical. CITB sets one SMSTS syllabus and one exam, and the certificate issued after a live online course is the same certificate issued after a classroom course, recognised by the same contractors and clients. There is no asterisk on it and no lesser status; principal contractors on Aberdeen sites accept it exactly as they would a classroom-earned card.
There is also a benefit that surprises many delegates: the mix of people in the virtual classroom. Rather than training only alongside others from your immediate area, you share the week with site managers from across the UK, working on different types of projects under different clients. For managers in the Aberdeen market, hearing how sites are run elsewhere in the country adds a perspective a purely local classroom rarely provides.
If you would prefer training delivered to your own team, we can also arrange in-house SMSTS courses for companies in Aberdeen and the surrounding area with six or more delegates.
Certification and five-year validity
On passing the exam you receive the official CITB SMSTS certificate, part of the CITB Site Safety Plus scheme and recognised across the UK construction industry. It is the standard evidence of site management safety competence asked for by principal contractors, and it is equally valid whether the site you walk onto is in Aberdeen, Glasgow or London, which matters in a regional market where managers often move between local work and contracts elsewhere in the country.
The certificate is valid for five years. Before it expires you can renew it by completing the two-day CITB SMSTS refresher course, which updates your knowledge of legislation and current practice and extends your certification for a further five years. It pays to diarise the expiry date as soon as your certificate arrives: if the certificate is allowed to lapse, the refresher route closes and the full five-day course must be taken again, at considerably greater cost in both money and time away from site.
CITB grant funding
The SMSTS is a CITB grant-claimable course. Employers registered with CITB and up to date with the levy may be able to claim a CITB grant towards the cost of each delegate’s training, subject to CITB approval. For an Aberdeen contractor putting two or three managers through the course, that support meaningfully reduces the net cost of getting the management team qualified.
Claiming is straightforward. During registration we ask for your company name, registered business address and CITB levy number, and approved grant payments are made by CITB directly to the employer. If you are unsure whether your business is eligible, our team can talk you through the process before you book.
How to book your SMSTS course
Booking takes a few minutes. You can view upcoming SMSTS course dates and book online, choosing the Monday-to-Friday week that fits around your project commitments. Because the course is delivered live online, Aberdeen delegates can join any scheduled date rather than waiting for a local classroom course to be arranged, which usually means there is a start date within a week or two of deciding to book.
If you would rather book by phone, or you want advice on group bookings, in-house delivery or CITB grant eligibility before committing, call our team free on 0808 164 2780. Once you are booked you will receive confirmation and joining instructions for the Zoom classroom, along with everything you need to be ready for the Monday morning start.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SMSTS certificate recognised on construction sites in Aberdeen?
Yes. The SMSTS is a national CITB qualification, and the certificate is recognised by principal contractors and clients on sites in Aberdeen and across the UK. It is routinely listed as a requirement for site management roles in the north-east, from city-centre commercial projects to housing and infrastructure work across Aberdeenshire.
Do I need to travel to a training centre in Aberdeen?
No. This course has no physical venue. It is delivered entirely by live video link via Zoom, so you attend from home or a site office anywhere in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire or the wider north-east. You need a reliable internet connection, a device with a webcam and microphone, and a quiet place to work from for the five days.
Will Aberdeen employers accept an SMSTS certificate earned online?
Yes. CITB sets a single SMSTS syllabus and exam, and the certificate issued after a live online course is identical to the one issued after a classroom course. Employers and principal contractors in the Aberdeen area accept it on exactly the same basis, because it is the same qualification.
How long does the SMSTS course take?
Five consecutive midweek days, Monday to Friday, running from 8:30am to 5:00pm each day. Attendance on all five days is required to sit the exam and gain the qualification, so it is best to book a week when you can be fully released from site duties during training hours.
How much does the SMSTS course cost?
The live online SMSTS course costs £430 per delegate. That covers the full five days of tutor-led training, your course materials and the end-of-course exam. Eligible CITB-registered employers may also be able to claim a CITB grant towards the cost.
What is the SMSTS exam like?
The exam is taken at the end of the fifth day and lasts approximately 30 minutes. It consists of multiple-choice, multi-response and short written-answer questions, with a pass mark of 81%. Your tutor prepares you for the format throughout the week, and you can try our free online SMSTS mock test at any time to get familiar with the style of questions. Our delegates pass at a rate of 98.7%.
What is the difference between SMSTS and SSSTS, and how do I stay qualified?
The SMSTS is the five-day CITB course for site managers, project managers and those with overall responsibility for running a site. The SSSTS is the two-day course for supervisors who lead a team under someone else’s site management. If you are accountable for the site as a whole, SMSTS is the correct qualification. Once you hold it, the certificate is valid for five years and is renewed with the two-day SMSTS refresher course before expiry.
Ready to get qualified? Book your live online SMSTS course today and train from Aberdeen without losing a week to travel, or call us free on 0808 164 2780 to talk through dates, group bookings and CITB grant funding with our team.
Modules breakdown
Across the five days, your tutor works through the full CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme syllabus, blending live teaching with group discussions, case studies and daily knowledge checks. Every module is taught with the site manager’s responsibilities in mind, covering the following key areas:
Health and safety legislation
- Health and Safety at Work Act fundamentals and their implications for construction
- Environmental legislation affecting construction sites
- Recent developments and new guidance in safety regulations
- Responsibilities under relevant legislation, and industry best practice beyond the legal minimum
Risk management
- Conducting thorough risk assessments and implementing the necessary control measures
- Ensuring safe working practices across different site activities
- Managing common safety issues on construction sites
- Creating systems for continual safety awareness
Leadership and communication
- Developing a positive safety culture on site
- Techniques for communicating safety protocols effectively
- Engaging the workforce in health and safety initiatives
- Managing subcontractors and supporting site supervisors in their safety responsibilities
Practical site management
- Day-to-day safety management techniques
- Responding to incidents and near misses
- Documentation and record-keeping requirements
- Site inspections, audits, toolbox talks and safety briefings
Special site hazards
- Working at height safety protocols
- Plant and equipment safety
- Excavation and groundworks safety
- Managing hazardous substances
- Electrical safety on construction sites
You attend all five training days, take part in the group activities and knowledge checks, then sit the final exam. On passing, you receive the official CITB SMSTS certificate, valid for five years, which you keep current with the two-day SMSTS Refresher Course before it expires. If you supervise rather than manage a site, the two-day SSSTS course may be the better fit – our team can help you choose.
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