Duration
One day
08:00 – ~15:00
Group size
Max 8
Per trainer, per day
Delivery
On-site UK-wide
or our Wigan centre
Assessment
80% pass
Written + practical
Accredited & approved by
Certificate options
One course, your choice of badge
The content and assessment are identical whichever route you choose. Pick the certificate your scheme or client requires.
These are certificate fees, not the course price. They are charged per person, on top of the course fee. The course itself is quoted separately, based on your numbers and whether we deliver on-site or you take open-course seats.
Sygma certificate
Sygma In-House
Includedno certificate fee
Our own certificate of competence, issued on the day.
EUSR registration
EUSR Cat 1
+£34per person
Nationally recognised EUSR registration card.
Regulated award
ProQual Level 2
+£35per person
ProQual Level 2 Award — a regulated qualification.
21 Years
One Specialism
Underground utility location training is all we do.
70-80%
Increase in Genny Usage
Measured through locator data downloads after Sygma training.
Proven
Strike Reduction Record
Clients report measurable reductions in service strikes.
Dates & availability
Next available course dates
Open course places on our scheduled dates, or we deliver on your site on a date that suits you.
Open course places
From £121per delegate
Certificate fees are charged separately.
Most popular
On-site, at your premises
We come to you, anywhere in the UK, on a date that suits you — using your own equipment, your plans and your site. One fixed price for your group of up to 8, travel included. Contact us for a quote. You are not limited to the dates below.
Tell us your dates →Open public courses
Book individual places
Scheduled open courses for one or two delegates, or when you do not have a suitable site of your own. Priced per delegate. The next available dates are listed below.
See the dates ↓| Date | Course | Duration | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, 19 October 2026 | EUSR Cat 1 / CAT and GennySygma Solutions, Wigan | 1 day | 7 places | Book this date → |
| Mon, 9 November 2026 | EUSR Cat 1 / CAT and GennySygma Solutions, Wigan | 1 day | Places available | Book this date → |
| Mon, 7 December 2026 | EUSR Cat 1 / CAT and GennySygma Solutions, Wigan | 1 day | Places available | Book this date → |
Need a date that is not listed, or the whole course on your own site? We deliver UK-wide, travel included — tell us your dates.
Who Is This Course For
Who this course is for
Complete Beginners
No prior experience of Genny or CAT equipment. Zero to competent in 1-2 days.
Site Operatives and Groundworkers
Anyone who locates buried services before excavation. Required if your team breaks ground near underground services.
Civil Engineers and Supervisors
Understand the equipment your teams are using, supervise safely, and audit survey work on site.
Organisations Introducing Genny-First
Companies transitioning to Genny-First as the workforce-wide method.
Why This Course Exists
The Problem with Standard Training
Most standard courses teach operatives to press the on button and walk. They know what the beep means, but not why the signal behaves differently in wet or disturbed ground, what happens to accuracy near a joint, or why a passive Power-mode reading misleads. The result is certificates handed out without changing how operatives work on site.
Sygma built this CAT and Genny training course to fix that. The method puts the signal generator first, because that is the change that reduces service strikes: start with the Genny, exhaust every connection, verify what is in the ground before relying on passive modes.
Course at a Glance
Why We Say It Differently
Genny & CAT, Not CAT & Genny
The industry calls it CAT and Genny, or cable avoidance training. We say Genny & CAT because the order is the method: apply a known signal from the Genny, trace it across the site, and verify it before trusting passive readings. Active signals are reliable; passive signals are easily misread. Twenty-one years of post-strike data shows the same thing: most preventable strikes happen when operatives skip the Genny.
Delivery
Can this course be done online?
The full assessed qualification is delivered on site. The practical assessment is the reason: EUSR CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 both require hands-on operation on real buried services, and competence under HSG47 cannot be demonstrated from a screen. Online theory on its own will not give an operative the qualification.
Online does have a place. For the awareness layer, refreshers and supervisors who need to understand the equipment without operating it, For that, Sygma offers a CAT4 HSG47 Awareness Online course covering theory, data download and HSG47 compliance, designed to pair with on-site training rather than replace it.
Course Content
What the course covers
The classroom covers electromagnetic theory and the four detection modes. The practical session moves to site with the Genny tools (signal generator, induction clamp, sonde, earthing accessories) to apply active signals and trace underground utilities in real conditions. Cable plans and service drawings are cross-checked against locator readings throughout. This is the same course many clients book as cable avoidance training; the CAT and Genny training syllabus below is identical whichever badge you choose.
Classroom: Theory
The full technical and regulatory context
- ›Legislation and HSE guidance: HSG47, client and designer responsibilities
- ›Utility networks: cable and pipe types, materials, connectivity
- ›Buried service plans (STATS): interpreting plans and their limitations
- ›Electromagnetic theory: how a cable locator works, and its limitations
- ›Operation in all four modes (Power, Radio, Genny, Avoidance)
- ›Signal interpretation: joints, direction changes, depth, ambiguous readings
- ›Transmitter applications: dual frequency, capacitance, earthing, blind induction, nulling out
- ›Calibration, pre-use checks and data logging (CAT Manager)
- ›Permits and paperwork: permits to dig, safe systems of work
Site-Based: Practical
Every principle proved on real underground services
The practical session takes course attendees outside onto a real site to prove every safety procedure and practical skill taught in the classroom. Sygma uses your own site wherever possible, which means operatives are locating underground services on the same ground and the same utility types they will encounter daily.
- ›Reading service plans to plan the survey
- ›Site visual checks: above-ground indicators of buried services
- ›Applying a signal via direct connection, capacitance, and induction
- ›All four locating modes with Genny-First emphasis throughout
- ›Locating problem services: street lighting, LV, small comms, joints and direction changes
- ›Blind induction sweeps, earth positioning and nulling out nearby services
- ›Individual practical assessment against a documented standard
What You Get
CAT and Genny Certificate and Qualification Routes
Certification depends on the route chosen. The difference across our training courses is the awarding body and the type of ID card or certificate issued; the Sygma course content is the same across all formats.
EUSR CAT1 Accredited
The industry-standard EUSR CAT1 qualification. On successful completion, your cat and genny certificate is registered on the EUSR database and you receive an EUSR ID card valid for 3 years. Widely recognised across UK construction sites and required by most principal contractors and utility companies.
ProQual CAT1 Accredited
An externally accredited cat and genny qualification through ProQual, with all four EML modes assessed in the practical element. You receive a ProQual CAT1 certificate valid for 3 years. The ProQual CAT1 Plus two-day route includes the Genny-First methodology in its formal assessment criteria.
CITB Approved Training
Sygma Solutions is a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO). Every course is delivered to CITB ATO standards for content, assessment and record-keeping. Employers who pay the CITB levy may be eligible for funding support through the CITB Employer Network, and Sygma provides the documentation required for funding applications.
Sygma In-House Certified
Sygma's own cat and genny certificate of completion, covering the same comprehensive content as accredited routes but without awarding body fees. Includes written and practical assessment results, a detailed skills record, and personalised pathway guidance on which qualification to progress to next.
Formats Available
Course Formats
| Format | Duration | Max Delegates | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day in-house (certified) | 1 day | 8 | Written + practical |
| One-day EUSR CAT1 (accredited) | 1 day | 8 | Written + practical |
| One-day ProQual CAT1 (accredited) | 1 day | 8 | Written + practical |
| Two-day in-house (certified) | 2 days | 8 | Written + practical |
| Two-day ProQual CAT1 Plus (accredited) | 2 days | 8 | Written + practical |
| Two-day split - 3 months apart (certified) | Day 1 + Day 2 | 8 | Day 1 training, Day 2 assessment |
The two-day split format lets operatives apply classroom learning in real conditions before returning for their assessed practical day, with a ~3 month gap so behaviours bed in. All training courses delivered by a CITB Approved Training Organisation.
Site Requirements
What you need on the day
Sygma's dedicated training centre at Wigan is available as an alternative venue at no extra cost, with full welfare and catering facilities.
UK Delivery
Training Near You, Across the UK
Looking for CAT and Genny training near me? Sygma delivers at client sites anywhere in the UK, and travel is included with no hidden extras. Our trainers come to your depot, yard or project compound.
London and the South East. All London boroughs, Canary Wharf, the City of London and Westminster, plus Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and Sussex, and the Thames Valley and M25 corridor including Reading, Slough, Watford, Dartford, Croydon and Bromley.
Manchester and the North West. Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton, Bury, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan, plus Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton, Preston, Blackburn, Burnley and Lancaster, and Cheshire including Chester, Crewe, Warrington, Macclesfield, Northwich and Ellesmere Port.
Birmingham and the Midlands. Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull and Sandwell, plus Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Northampton, Lincoln and Loughborough, and the surrounding counties of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.
Bristol and the South West. Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, plus Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton, Truro, Torbay and Barnstaple, and Dorset and Wiltshire including Bournemouth, Poole, Salisbury, Swindon and Chippenham.
Scotland and across Northern England as well. Tell us where your team is based and we will come to you.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAT and Genny training?
The course teaches operatives to use a cable locator (CAT) and signal generator (Genny) to find underground services before excavation. Sygma teaches a Genny-First methodology and offers EUSR CAT1, ProQual CAT1, and in-house certification routes.
How long does a CAT and Genny course take?
One or two days. One-day format covers theory plus assessment for delegates with some experience. Two-day formats split classroom and site work, or add the ProQual CAT1 Plus Genny-First assessment on day two.
Can CAT and Genny training be done online?
Classroom theory can be delivered online for awareness and refreshers, Sygma offers a CAT4 HSG47 awareness online course for that. The full assessed qualification (EUSR CAT1 or ProQual CAT1) requires a real site practical and cannot be completed entirely online.
How much does a CAT and Genny course cost?
On site, one fixed price for your group of up to 8 delegates at your premises. Open courses are priced per delegate. Travel included, no hidden extras. CITB-levy employers may access funding via the CITB Employer Network. Contact us for a tailored quote.
Do you need to be trained to use a CAT scanner?
Yes. HSG47 requires anyone using cable and pipe locating equipment to be trained and competent. Most principal contractors and utility companies require a recognised qualification before allowing operatives to use locating equipment on site.
How long is the CAT and Genny qualification valid for?
EUSR CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 certificates are valid for 3 years. Sygma in-house certificates have no fixed expiry, but most employers require refresher training every 3 years.
Is EUSR CAT1 the same as EUS CAT1, or the same as CAT and Genny training?
EUSR CAT1 and EUS CAT1 are the same qualification. CAT and Genny training is the broader practical course; EUSR CAT1 is the specific accredited qualification many employers ask for. Sygma delivers both, plus ProQual CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 Plus.
What equipment do delegates need to bring?
Each operative should bring the locator and signal generator they use on site. Sygma provides Radiodetection CAT4 and Genny4 as backup. Any manufacturer (Vivax-Metrotech vLoc, Leica DSX, Radiodetection RD8200/RD8100) is suitable. Minimum 1 locator per 3 delegates if sharing.
Can the course be tailored to our sites and risk profile?
Yes. Include your permit-to-dig procedures, strike history, site-specific hazards, and documentation. The QTS surface-laid cables programme is one example of how we customise the course.
Is the course suitable for delegates with no previous locating experience?
Yes. Accessible to delegates at any level. Complete beginners should take the two-day format for sufficient practical time on site.
Can we combine this course with EUSR CAT2 Safe Dig?
Yes. Sygma offers combined formats with EUSR CAT1, CAT2 Safe Dig, and CAT and Genny content in a single programme. Contact us for combined booking options.
What qualifications do Sygma trainers hold?
Sygma trainers are utility location professionals with real-world field experience, not generalist H&S trainers. They are TAQA-qualified and bring PAS128 field experience and backgrounds in large-scale infrastructure, so you learn from people who have done the job.
What delegates say
Rated 4.88 out of 5 by delegates
From 173 post-course evaluations completed by delegates on our CAT and Genny courses.
“From not previously having used a cat and genny, I learnt everything needed to use one on site safely and confidently. The trainer was friendly and informative”
“Trainer was insightful and clearly had a knowledge far beyond just teaching the course. Learned something about the CAT and Genny 10 years after first use.”
“Have attended numerous previous courses, this was the best in establishing good practice with clear reasoning.”
“Really appreciated the combo of class and practical work. Andy was great”
“Thank you, very good course and picked up some new tips that will help me and keep me safe in my job role”
“Great course and Steve brings much needed humour and great knowledge of subject matter making course enjoyable”
Regulation
HSG47 Compliance
HSG47 is the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on avoiding danger from underground services. It places a clear duty on employers and supervisors to identify hazards, plan work safely, and ensure operatives can locate underground services before excavation. That means buried cables, gas mains, fibre and plastic pipes that passive detection alone often misses, where striking an electricity cable can cause fatal arc-flash injury and hitting a gas main risks the whole site.
This CAT and Genny training course maps every element back to a specific HSG47 requirement, with practical skills assessed on real buried gas, water, electricity, telecoms and district heating utilities during the site-based session. Operatives are formally assessed as competent in all four locating modes (Power, Radio, Genny and Avoidance), in reading and cross-checking buried service plans, and in a safe system of work before excavation.
Why Choose Sygma
Why Sygma for CAT and Genny Training
We go beyond qualification specifications. Our CAT and Genny training and wider cable avoidance courses are built on years of strike investigations, real-world field experience with civil engineers and utility contractors, and proven safety results for course attendees across UK infrastructure projects.
Methodology
Genny-First Methodology
70-80% increase in Genny usage among Sygma-trained operatives. Measured through locator data downloads.
People
Specialist Trainers
Directly employed. Ex-utility surveyors or ex-equipment manufacturer specialists. TAQA qualified.
Delivery
We Come to You
Delivered at your site. Travel included. No hidden extras. Independent: no surveys, no equipment sales, no manufacturer relationships.
Related Reading
Genny-First Methodology
Why Sygma teaches Genny-first and how it increases buried utility detection rates.
HSG47 Explained
The HSE guidance that underpins all cable avoidance work. What it says and why it matters.
Strike Prevention for Site Managers
Practical guidance for site managers on reducing utility strike risk on construction projects.
EUSR Card Renewal
When and how to renew your EUSR CAT1 card before it expires.
Detecting Plastic Gas Service Pipes: Methods and Their Limits
Where CAT and Genny stop working: plastic gas pipes are invisible to electromagnetic detection. Field note covering Gas Tracker II, sonde, GPR, and trial-hole methods. Prepared by Sygma for The Clancy Group.
Further Training
Related Cable Avoidance Training Courses
Sygma offers a range of cable avoidance training courses and utility location training programmes to suit different needs and regulatory requirements, from one-day courses for site operatives to multi-day qualifications for civil engineers and supervisors.
Qualification
EUSR CAT1
EUSR-registered qualification for operatives who need a formal card.
View Course →Assessment
ProQual CAT1
Accredited qualification with all four EML modes in the practical assessment.
View Course →Vivax-Metrotech
vScan & Tx Training
The Vivax-Metrotech vScan and transmitter equivalent of this course, using the same Sygma methodology.
View Course →See It In Action
The Genny First Approach on Site
Watch Pete Ashcroft walk through the Genny First methodology in practice, why the signal generator goes on before passive modes, how to apply it in different site conditions, and what the data shows about miss rates when it is left until last. This is the approach at the core of every Sygma course.
Read the full breakdown of the Genny First approach →Book Your CAT and Genny Training
Site-based training courses delivered nationwide, bespoke to your equipment, your plans and your risk profile. Practical skills built on real underground services. Contact us for a tailored quote.
Watch the method before you book it: