New to Scaffolding or thinking about it as a career?

Here’s some advice from Safety Director, Dave Randles who started his career as a scaffolder.

Scaffolding can be a great career but the work is very physically demanding.  In fact it is perhaps one of the most physically demanding jobs around so the first thing I’d say to anyone thinking about embarking on a career in scaffolding is be prepared to work hard.  A good scaffolder is hard working, flexible and has an eye for detail.  It also helps if you are a good listener and have vision as you’ll need to be able to visualise how a completed scaffold will look when finished before it’s even started.

It is hard work but it can be a really rewarding. You’ll work as part of a team and there is usually great camaraderie between scaffolders onsite.  Once you have experience there are opportunities to move into supervisory roles, estimating, training or scaffolding design or to set up your own business.  If you are interested in travelling there are also opportunities to work overseas.

It’s an industry I’m passionate about but it probably isn’t the right career move for you if you are afraid of heights, aren’t prepared to work outdoors in the UK’s unpredictable weather or if you prefer a less physically demanding job.