Skills matrix template: what to put in it, with an example

"Who can I put on the telehandler tomorrow?" If answering that means three phone calls, you need a skills matrix: one grid that shows which skills and tickets each role needs and who has them. Here's what to put in it.

Skills matrix or training matrix?

The two terms get mixed up, and the difference matters:

• A training matrix tracks evidence with an expiry date: CSCS cards, IPAF, first aid at work, Driver CPC.
• A skills matrix is broader: it also covers abilities without a certificate, such as reading drawings, setting out or supervising a gang, usually with a level from 1 (learning) to 4 (can train others).

The principal contractor at the gate asks for the training part. So build that first, and add skill levels where they help you plan.

The columns that belong in it

1. Name and role. The role decides what's required; the person decides what's there.
2. Mandatory tickets per role, from three sources: the law (Driver CPC, asbestos awareness), your clients (CSCS, SMSTS or SSSTS for supervisors) and your own policy (first aid cover per site).
3. Expiry date per ticket, not just a tick. A matrix without dates is a snapshot.
4. Skill levels for the abilities that matter in planning, if you use them.
5. Status: valid, expiring within 30 days, missing or expired.

Example for a small construction firm

Name	Role	CSCS	SSSTS	IPAF 3a	First aid	Telehandler (CPCS/NPORS)
Dave	Site supervisor	✅ 03/2028	✅ 11/2026	—	✅ 06/2027	—
Tomasz	Carpenter	🟠 12/2026	—	✅ 06/2029	—	—
Lee	Plant operator	✅ 09/2027	—	—	—	✅ 04/2027
Sam	Labourer	❌ missing	—	—	—	—

"—" means not required for this role. ❌ means required but missing. 🟠 means expiring within 30 days.

The step most spreadsheets miss: requirements per client

One client wants a CSCS card for everyone; another also wants SMSTS for every supervisor and a site-specific induction. The question then shifts from "who has what?" to "who can I send to which client?" That's a second grid: people against clients, each cell ready or not ready. It's where most spreadsheets break, because every client adds another set of columns.

For the full build, including the weekly check routine, see how to build a construction training matrix that actually works.

From template to a matrix that maintains itself

For a handful of people, a spreadsheet is enough. Start with the free training matrix template; it uses the same columns Certly recognises on import.

When it grows, Certly does the work above for you. You record which documents each role requires, and the dashboard shows not only what's expiring but also what's missing. Reminders go out at 90, 60 and 30 days before every expiry, to you and to the worker. With the client matrix (Certly Pro) you see per client who you can send there today, with the reason when you can't. Your existing spreadsheet, or a folder of scanned certificates, goes in in one go. For how long to keep those records afterwards, see how long to keep training records.