Celebrating National Skilled Trades Day – A Spotlight on Scaffolders
May 7, 2025
Today marks National Skilled Trades Day in the UK — a moment to recognise and celebrate the vital role that tradespeople play across every corner of our economy. From electricians to plumbers, bricklayers to welders — and crucially — scaffolders, the skilled trades keep our country running, quite literally from the ground up.
Why Scaffolders Deserve Recognition
Scaffolding is a profession that demands a unique blend of technical skill, physical capability, and unwavering commitment to safety. Scaffolders work in often challenging environments — at height, in all weather, and to tight deadlines — ensuring that construction and maintenance projects can proceed safely and efficiently.
Every scaffold structure erected is a testament to the skill, training, and judgement of a professional scaffolder. They are the first on-site and often the last to leave. Their work underpins the success of others — making scaffolders an indispensable part of the wider skilled trades workforce.
A Skilled Trade with a Future
As the UK faces growing skills shortages across construction, promoting careers in scaffolding has never been more important. At the Scaffolding Association, we are committed to raising awareness of the profession, supporting training and apprenticeships, and ensuring scaffolders receive the recognition and opportunities they deserve.
We believe scaffolding should be seen not just as a job — but as a respected and rewarding career path.
How You Can Get Involved
- 👏 Thank a scaffolder today for the work they do.
- 📣 Share your own journey in the scaffold industry on social media using #NationalSkilledTradesDay.
- 🎓 Encourage young people to explore the opportunities within skilled trades and scaffolding careers.
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Let’s celebrate those who build, support, and shape the world around us. Happy National Skilled Trades Day!
National Scaffolding Week is proud to support Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 , taking place from 12–18 May , led by the Mental Health Foundation — the UK’s leading charity for mental health. This year’s theme, “ Community ”, highlights something we know well in scaffolding: the power of connection, belonging, and everyday support. Whether you’re working at height, on the ground, or behind the scenes, community is what keeps our industry strong — and it’s what can help keep us mentally well too. Why Community Matters in Scaffolding Scaffolding is a team effort. From the early starts and long days, to the careful planning and physical demands of the job — no one does it alone. That sense of teamwork and trust is more than just good practice — it’s a lifeline. Scaffolding is built on teamwork. From the early starts and long days, to the careful planning and physical demands of the job — no one works in isolation. Checking in with a colleague, taking breaks together, or making time to talk when someone’s struggling, can make a real difference. Mental Health Is Everyone’s Business We echo the words of Robert Candy, Chief Executive of the Scaffolding Association, who said: “Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us that community is not just a word — it’s something we create through the way we treat each other, look out for one another, and make space to talk.” His message is a timely one. Mental health isn’t a side issue — it belongs on every toolbox talk, every company agenda, and every scaffolding site across the UK. Where to Get Support National Scaffolding Week proudly supports the work of these incredible organisations making a difference in our industry: Mates in Mind – Mental health education and support tailored to construction. Lighthouse Club – Financial, emotional and wellbeing help for construction workers and their families. Construction Sport – Using sport to create space for mental health conversations and connection. Working Minds Campaign (HSE) – Tools and resources to help employers tackle work-related stress. ManKind CIC – Peer support, mentoring and wellbeing programmes for tradespeople. Be Part of the Change Whether you’re an apprentice or a company director, you have a role to play in building a healthier, more connected scaffold community. During Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage everyone across the industry to: Start a conversation about mental health Share resources on site Recognise when someone might need support — and reach out Because in scaffolding, we don’t just build structures. We build people up too. Find more Mental Health Awareness Week resources here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week Mates in Mind – www.matesinmind.org Lighthouse Club – www.lighthouseclub.org Construction Sport – www.constructionsport.com Working Minds Campaign (HSE) – https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/campaigns/working-minds ManKind CIC – www.mankindcic.co.uk
Scaffolding Association Launches New Guidance on Scaffold Inspections to Raise Industry Standards The Scaffolding Association has published the first in a new series of guidance documents designed to support scaffolding professionals and promote safety best practice across the sector. The new guidance focuses on scaffold inspections, emphasising their essential role in ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of scaffolding structures on sites of all types. As part of its commitment to raising standards and enhancing the professional reputation of the scaffolding industry, the Association is developing a range of practical and accessible resources to assist both its members and the wider sector in understanding and applying best practice. Robert Candy, Chief Executive of the Scaffolding Association, commented: “We are committed to supporting our members with clear, practical resources that help maintain safe working environments and uphold the highest levels of professionalism. Scaffold inspections are fundamental to reducing risk and ensuring compliance, and we are proud to offer this guidance as part of our mission to promote best practice across the sector.” The Association encourages scaffolding companies to download, review, and implement the guidance within their organisations. It is designed to support internal safety initiatives such as toolbox talks, training programmes, and client engagement — helping businesses demonstrate alignment with current industry expectations. This publication marks the beginning of a broader programme of guidance materials that the Scaffolding Association will be releasing over the coming months. Each resource will focus on key aspects of scaffolding operations, supporting continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the profession. Download the Guidance
The Construction Skills Shortage and the Scaffolding Sector’s Missing Message The UK’s housing targets are under pressure. The construction sector faces a growing skills shortage, and as the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) recently highlighted, one of the root causes is alarmingly simple: young people aren’t hearing about careers in construction. But this problem runs even deeper than housebuilding. At National Scaffolding Week , we see how the lack of construction-focused careers advice affects the entire scaffolding and access sector. Scaffolding is the backbone of construction — from maintenance on heritage buildings to the delivery of modern megaprojects — yet the pathway into our industry remains under-promoted and often misunderstood. Breaking Down Barriers and Busting Myths Despite offering structured training, clear progression routes, and a wealth of skilled and professional opportunities, scaffolding still suffers from outdated stereotypes. Too many young people, teachers, and even parents see it as just a stopgap job, not the highly technical, safety-critical profession that it is. Scaffolding is so much more than tubes and boards. It's about design ingenuity, engineering precision, safety leadership, and project management excellence. It’s about problem-solving, teamwork, and making a visible difference to the world around us. Why Early Engagement Matters If we’re serious about tackling the skills shortage — and if we want to secure the future of the access and scaffolding sector — we need to start early. Careers advice in schools must reflect the real breadth of opportunities available across construction, including scaffolding. That means: Embedding scaffolding into careers education programmes. Creating engaging, relatable role models who can share their stories with young people. Showing the exciting projects and life-changing infrastructure that scaffolders help to make possible. National Scaffolding Week: Leading the Conversation Our mission at National Scaffolding Week is to make scaffolding visible, accessible, and aspirational. We’re here to champion the essential role our sector plays in building Britain — and to ensure that scaffolding is part of the careers conversation in every school and college. Because if young people can’t see it, they can’t be it. Let’s work together to showcase the skills, passion, and pride that drive the scaffolding industry — and inspire the next generation to help us build the future.