Orgma guides · Training records

What is a training matrix? And how to build one that stays up to date

A practical reference for planning and record keeping. Confirm current scheme and employer requirements before booking training or authorising work.

A training matrix is a grid that shows who in your team holds which training, and when each certificate runs out. People go down one side and training requirements go across the top. Each cell shows whether that person is in date, expiring soon, expired or missing the training altogether.

Principal contractors, clients and auditors may ask for a training matrix to review your team's training records. It supports a competence assessment, but certificates and dates alone do not prove competence. It's also how you spot a gap before it stops someone getting on site.

Why you need one

No law uses the words "training matrix". But UK health and safety law does expect you to show your people are trained for what they do:

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (regulation 13) require employers to give employees adequate health and safety training, and to repeat it periodically where appropriate.
On construction projects, CDM 2015 (regulation 15(7)) says a contractor must not employ or appoint anyone to work on a construction site unless they have, or are in the process of getting, the skills, knowledge, training and experience they need for their tasks.

A matrix can help organise that evidence and show what is coming up. It does not, on its own, establish compliance.

Training matrix, skills matrix or competency matrix?

People use these terms loosely, but there is a difference:

A training matrix tracks courses and certificates: what each person holds, and the dates.
A skills matrix tracks ability levels, such as "can operate the excavator unsupervised". It's often assessed by a supervisor rather than a certificate.
A competency matrix brings the two together. It sets out what each role needs (training, qualifications, experience and assessment), then shows who meets it.

A training matrix supports the training part of competence management. Experience, practical ability, supervision and task-specific assessment still need separate consideration.

What to include

People: employees and subcontractors, with their role and the site or team they're on
Requirements by role: for example, you might require supervisors to hold SSSTS, first aid and the right CSCS card, and operatives a CSCS card and asbestos awareness
Certificate details: the course, issuing body, certificate or card number, date completed and expiry date
Evidence: a copy of every certificate, so you can prove it without chasing anyone
Status: in date, due soon (we suggest within 90 days), expired, or missing
Notes: refresher booked, NVQ in progress, waiting for a card

How to build one in Excel

List your roles and decide what training each role needs.
List your people down the left, with their role.
Add a column for each requirement across the top.
Enter expiry dates, not just ticks. A tick tells you nothing about next year.
Add conditional formatting: red for expired, amber for due within 90 days, green for in date. Grey out training a role doesn't need.
Add codes for missing evidence, so "we think he has it" stands out from "we've seen it".
Pick an owner and review it monthly.

Or skip the setup. Our free training matrix template is an editable Excel workbook with expiry colours built in, 50 rows ready to fill in, codes for missing evidence and a short setup guide. There's no card, password or account needed.

Why spreadsheets slip

Most matrices are accurate the day they're built and out of date a few months later. The usual reasons are:

certificates arrive by email, WhatsApp or as a photo, and never make it into the spreadsheet
dates get typed wrong, or someone forgets that the IPAF date runs from the start of the course
nobody owns it, so nobody notices the amber cells
subcontractors' tickets aren't tracked at all
you only find out something's missing when an auditor or principal contractor asks

If you're tracking more than a handful of people, several sites or a lot of subcontractors, that's usually the point where software saves more time than it costs.

How Orgma does it

Orgma takes the admin off your hands. Upload a photo or PDF of a certificate and Orgma prepares the details for your review. Confirmed records and their original evidence stay together in your training matrix, with approaching expiry dates easier to see. You can set your own training requirements, and you can import your existing spreadsheet to get started.

It's free for up to 5 people with no card needed, and paid plans start from £59 a month + VAT, with no annual tie-in. Start free · See pricing

Common questions

Is a training matrix a legal requirement? Not by name. But you need to be able to show your people are trained and competent for their work, and a training matrix is the standard way to do that.

How often should a training matrix be updated? Every time someone completes training or joins the team, with a full review at least monthly so upcoming expiries get booked in time.

What's the difference between a training matrix and a training needs analysis? A training needs analysis works out what training each role or person needs. The training matrix then tracks who has it and when it expires.

What should a construction training matrix include? CSCS or partner scheme cards, SMSTS/SSSTS for managers and supervisors, first aid, plant and access tickets (such as CPCS, NPORS, IPAF and PASMA), plus any client-specific requirements. Our certificate expiry cheat sheet covers how long each one lasts.

Last checked: October 2026.