🔧 From Every Walk of Life: The Many Ways into Scaffolding

It’s Day 3 of National Scaffolding Week 2025, and today we’re celebrating the many routes into scaffolding, because no matter where you start, there’s a place for everyone in this industry.

Scaffolding offers opportunities for people from every background. It’s a career that values skill, commitment, and teamwork above all else, and one that continues to open doors for those willing to learn, work hard, and grow.

Across the country, scaffolders are sharing their stories today. Some found their way into the trade straight from school, while others came from completely different careers. Some were looking for a second chance, and others were building on skills learned through military service.

Each story is different, but every one reflects the same thing: pride, purpose, and progress.

🎓 Apprenticeships
Training providers like SIMIAN are helping shape the next generation of scaffolders through structured, hands-on apprenticeships. These programmes combine practical experience with classroom learning, giving apprentices the confidence and competence they need to work safely and professionally from day one. Apprenticeships are also helping businesses grow their workforce and close the skills gap, investing in a future that’s safe, skilled, and sustainable.

🎖️ Veterans
Many former members of the Armed Forces have built successful careers in scaffolding. The discipline, teamwork, and precision learned in service translate directly into this industry. Veterans bring reliability, leadership, and strong safety awareness, qualities that are invaluable on site and within management teams. Their experience enriches the industry and strengthens teams at every level.

🔁 Ex-offenders
Scaffolding has long been an industry that offers second chances. Real stories, like that of Joseph McNabb, show how meaningful employment and trust can help people rebuild their lives. Since his release, Joseph has helped more than 80 people find work through his role at Fulcrum Scaffold Safety & Training, proving that scaffolding is about more than construction,  it’s about community, belief, and opportunity.

🧰 Career Changers
Scaffolding also attracts those looking for a new start or a change of direction. Whether coming from other trades, engineering, logistics, or even office-based roles, many are finding rewarding careers that combine physical work, teamwork, and visible results. The industry values transferable skills — like problem-solving, leadership, and communication, just as much as technical ability.

Scaffolding offers more than a job. It’s a profession built on skill, respect, and collaboration, a career that rewards hard work, ambition, and commitment.

Wherever your journey begins, scaffolding gives you the chance to build a future, be part of a community, and make a difference.

💬 We’d love to hear your story.

Share your journey or tag someone who inspired you using #MyScaffoldingStory and #NationalScaffoldingWeek.