How live online CITB courses work
Course guides 4 min read Updated
Live online courses are taught in real time by a tutor, with the same content and certificate as the classroom. Here's what to expect on the day and what you'll need.
A live online course is a classroom course delivered over video. You join from home or the site office, a tutor teaches the group in real time, and you take part in the discussions, exercises and assessment just as you would in a training room. It isn't a recorded video or a self-study module you click through on your own.
CITB courses such as SMSTS, SSSTS and Health and Safety Awareness can be delivered this way, and the certificate you receive is the same CITB certificate you'd get in the classroom.
What a typical day looks like
- Joining. You join the video session a little before the start, so the tutor can check your sound and camera.
- Identity check. The tutor confirms who you are, usually by asking you to hold your photo ID up to the camera. Have it ready.
- Teaching sessions run much as they do in a classroom: the tutor presents, asks questions and works through real examples from site.
- Group work happens in smaller breakout rooms, where you discuss scenarios with other delegates before reporting back.
- Breaks are scheduled through the day, including lunch.
- Assessment. Where the course has an exam, you take it online at the end, with the tutor supervising.
What you'll need
- A laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, a microphone, and speakers or a headset. A phone screen is too small for the exercises and the exam, so it isn't suitable.
- An internet connection that can hold a video call for the whole day.
- A quiet space where you won't be interrupted. A site office can work if you can shut the door; a canteen won't.
- Your photo ID, and a pen and paper. Many people find written notes easier than switching between windows.
We send the joining link and instructions before the course starts. If you haven't used the video platform before, test it on the same device and connection you'll use on the day.
Camera on, all day
On CITB courses your camera needs to stay on throughout, so the tutor can see you're present and taking part. Attendance counts in the same way it does in a classroom: if you drop out for long stretches, you may not be able to complete the course. If your connection fails, rejoin as quickly as you can and let the tutor know what happened.
Is online as good as the classroom?
For most people, yes. The content, the tutor and the assessment are the same, and you save the travel time. Online suits people who are comfortable using a computer and can set aside a quiet space for the day.
The classroom may suit you better if:
- you don't have a reliable computer or connection
- you find it hard to concentrate on a screen for a full day
- you'd value meeting the other delegates face to face
There's no wrong answer: both routes lead to the same certificate. In South Yorkshire, most of our CITB courses also run in the classroom at our Rotherham venue at Bradmarsh Business Park, about 20 minutes' drive from Sheffield city centre outside rush hour. See training across South Yorkshire for how people from Doncaster, Barnsley and Chesterfield get there.
IOSH and NEBOSH run live online too
It isn't only CITB. IOSH Managing Safely runs live online over three days and IOSH Working Safely over one. The NEBOSH General Certificate and the NEBOSH Construction Certificate run live online over ten days, with the same set-up described here.
Online courses are not distance learning
We also offer distance learning, which is different: self-study you can start on any day and work through at your own pace, with a tutor to contact if you need help. The NEBOSH General Certificate by distance learning is one example. Live online courses have fixed dates and a tutor teaching you in real time.
Before the course
- Check the start and finish times for every day, and block them out in your diary.
- Tell the people you work with that you're on a course, so you're not called back to site.
- Charge your laptop, and join from the same place each day if you can, so your set-up is tried and tested.
Finding an online date
Online courses run in the same patterns as classroom ones: consecutive days, one day a week or weekends. You can see every live online date, or call us if you'd like help checking your set-up before you book.
Published by Site Safety Training on 27 September 2026, last updated 14 October 2026. Course rules and card schemes can change: if you're unsure what applies to you, call 07939 593032 or check with the awarding body.