Scaffolding skills shortage could ease by attracting more women
Emma Claassen, founder of the Women in Scaffolding Association, has responded to commentary about Britain's scaffolding recruitment crisis by arguing that widening the talent pool to include women could help address the skills shortage. She agrees that scaffolding demands physical resilience, skill and training, meaning it is not suitable for everyone, but contends the focus should be on finding capable people willing to learn the trade rather than on traditional demographics.
Claassen emphasises that professional standards must remain unchanged and that WiSA's role is to support women already in the trade, increase their visibility, and demonstrate to women and girls that scaffolding is a genuine career path. She notes that whilst scaffolding is practical, skilled work that cannot be automated, the industry faces a significant shortfall and must look beyond traditional recruitment to find the next generation of workers.
- Women could help address scaffolding's recruitment crisis
- Standards must stay high; inclusion doesn't mean lowering expectations
- Skilled trade requires finding capable people from a wider pool
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Britain's construction industry is facing a shortage of scaffolding workers, which is creating challenges for ongoing building projects. Scaffolders are skilled tradespeople who design and erect temporary metal structures that support workers and materials during construction and renovation work.
Scaffolding is highly specialised work that requires physical capability and technical training, and crucially, it cannot be replaced by automation. The shortage of workers means the industry must find new ways to attract people to the profession and keep construction projects moving forward.
Scaffolding has historically been a male-dominated industry, and the sector is now examining how to broaden its approach to recruitment. This exploration of new recruitment strategies reflects the urgent need to find qualified workers willing to learn and develop in the trade.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Let’s build a better future for female scaffolders | Letter”.