NPORS plant training
NPORS plant training in Dumfries
Excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, rollers, MEWPs and tractors. Courses for complete beginners, card renewals and experienced operators, with no more than three trainees per machine on most courses.
About NPORS
A card that gets you on site
NPORS, the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme, is one of the main UK card schemes for plant operators. NPORS cards carrying the CSCS logo are accepted on construction sites across the country, and are often asked for in agriculture, quarrying and waste.
Nithcree became a registered NPORS training and examination centre in 2024, building on more than twenty years of driver training. Read how plant training started.
Pass your test and you get a red Trained Operator card. Complete an NVQ or SVQ on the machine while you work and you can upgrade to the blue Competent Operator card. We will explain the route when you book.
- Novice
- For new operators. Full training on the machine, then the NPORS theory and practical tests.
- Refresher
- For card holders renewing, or operators returning to a machine after time away.
- Experienced worker test
- For skilled operators who have never held a card. Assessment and NPORS tests without the full course.
Earthmoving
Excavator, dumper and roller training
The machines that move ground on construction, groundworks, quarry and utilities jobs.
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N202Earthmoving
360° ExcavatorDig, load, grade and reinstate with a tracked 360° excavator.
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N204Earthmoving
Forward Tipping DumperMove and tip material safely with the site dumper.
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N205Earthmoving
Rear Tipping DumperOperate articulated rear-tipping dump trucks used on quarries and large sites.
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N214Earthmoving
Road RollerCompact sub-base and surfacing with ride-on rollers.
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N722Earthmoving
Material Re-HandlerHandle scrap, timber and bulk material with a re-handling machine.
Lifting & handling
Telehandler, loader and forklift training
Lift, place and load safely on site, in the yard and on the farm.
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N010Lifting & handling
Telescopic HandlerLift and place loads at height on site and on the farm.
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N209 J8Lifting & handling
Articulated Telescopic Loader (forks)Compact articulated loaders with fork arms, common in agriculture and builders' yards.
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N001Lifting & handling
Industrial Counterbalanced Lift TruckNPORS-carded counterbalance forklift training for industrial and site settings.
Access, agricultural & site
MEWP, harness, tractor and plant mover training
Work safely at height, operate farm tractors and move plant around site.
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N109Access & height safety
MEWP ScissorWork safely at height from a scissor lift.
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N108Access & height safety
MEWP BoomOperate boom-type mobile elevating work platforms on level and rough ground.
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N723Access & height safety
Harness and Fall ArrestChoose, fit, inspect and store harness and fall-arrest equipment.
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N601Agricultural & site
Agricultural TractorSafe tractor operation with trailers, mounted implements and PTO drives.
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N132Agricultural & site
Plant Mover (non-operational duties)Move plant around site, for example for maintenance or repositioning, without carrying out operational tasks.
For employers
Training your operators
Whether you run a contracting firm, a plant hire business, a farm or an estate, we can card new starters, renew existing cards and put experienced staff through the experienced worker test. Tell us which machines and how many people, and we will plan dates around your work.
Talk to us about team training- Small groups. Maximum three trainees per machine on most courses.
- Industry instructors. Every instructor has operated plant for a living.
- All routes. Novice, refresher and experienced worker tests.
- PUWER. Training on the regulations behind all work equipment. PUWER training
- Funding help. We check what funding applies before you book.
From our sister company
More NPORS and site safety courses
Our sister company, LWR Training & Services, is also an NPORS training provider and covers categories we don’t run at Dumfries.
See LWR’s NPORS courses, or call us on 01387 256528 and we will point you in the right direction.
Questions
Plant training questions
What is NPORS?
NPORS (National Plant Operators Registration Scheme) is one of the main UK card schemes for plant operators. NPORS cards carrying the CSCS logo are accepted on construction sites across the UK.
Should I book novice training, a refresher or an experienced worker test?
Novice training is for people who have never operated the machine. A refresher is for card holders renewing or brushing up. The experienced worker test is for operators who already have the skills but no card. Tell us your experience and we will book the right route.
What is the difference between the red and blue NPORS cards?
Passing your NPORS test gives you a red Trained Operator card. To upgrade to the blue Competent Operator card you complete an NVQ or SVQ while working on the machine. We can explain the route when you book.
Why do you only take three trainees on most plant courses?
Seat time. With three trainees per machine, everyone spends most of the day operating rather than watching. It is also the ratio that lets an instructor give each person proper attention.
Accredited and approved by
What our accreditations mean
NPORSNational Plant Operators Registration Scheme
RTITBWorkplace transport training accreditation
ALLMIAssociation of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Importers
SDSSkills Development Scotland
Ready when you are
Book a course or ask a question