Building tomorrow’s workforce: Enigma-IS at Liberton High School

Attracting the next generation of scaffolders is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry. But for employers, one of the most effective ways to change perceptions and showcase the opportunities available is also one of the simplest: get involved with local schools and give young people the chance to experience the industry for themselves.

That is exactly what Enigma Industrial Services (Enigma-IS) has done in Edinburgh through its partnership with Liberton High School. Rather than limiting its engagement to a careers talk or a one-off site visit, Enigma-IS developed a structured Construction Career Pathway programme, combining classroom learning, interaction with industry professionals and practical, hands-on experience.

The results demonstrate what can be achieved when employers invest time in engaging with young people – with three participants subsequently entering discussions with Enigma-IS about potentially joining the business as apprentices. 12324 Libeton High School Train…

From school partnership to career pathway

The initiative began in early 2024 following an approach from Liberton High School. Enigma-IS worked with the school, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) and the City of Edinburgh Council to develop a programme for 10 young people.  

The programme launched on in September 2024 and ran until March 2025, with the clear objective of inspiring young people to consider careers in construction. Importantly, the programme was designed to provide much more than an introduction to the industry.

Monthly modules explored the construction sector, its different stakeholders and legislative requirements, while helping participants build their career awareness and practical skills. Working alongside experienced professionals also introduced the students to industry best practice and, crucially for scaffolding, the importance of safety.  

Practical involvement was central to the experience. Students were able to get out of the classroom and work in a controlled training environment with scaffolding equipment, alongside Enigma-IS employees.

Making scaffolding visible

For many young people, scaffolding is something they see every day without necessarily considering the people, skills and careers behind it. That makes employer engagement particularly valuable. By bringing students into the working environment, Enigma-IS was able to introduce them not simply to scaffolding as a trade, but to the standards, technical knowledge, safety culture and teamwork that underpin the wider industry.

The programme also gave students direct contact with people already building careers in the sector. Enigma-IS apprentice scaffolder Aaron Tait, for example, joined QSHE & Energy Director Roy Rogers in delivering a briefing to the Liberton pupils.  

Having apprentices involved can be particularly powerful. Young people considering their options can hear from someone closer to the beginning of their own career and see a tangible example of where an apprenticeship could take them.

More than work experience

Enigma-IS also wanted participants to recognise and articulate the skills they were developing. After each module, students recorded reflections in a programme workbook. These were then used to encourage conversations with their families about what they had learned and achieved.

Participants developed skills including problem solving, critical thinking and technical understanding, while the programme concluded with Successful Completion Awards and the development of draft CVs.

This is an important part of the model. Effective school engagement does not simply tell young people that scaffolding offers good career opportunities; it gives them experiences and achievements they can take away with them.

From engagement to apprenticeships

Perhaps the strongest measure of the programme's impact came at its conclusion.

Of the 10 young people who participated, three went on to engage with Enigma-IS's Edinburgh Access Branch General Manager about the possibility of joining the business as apprentices. That is a significant outcome from a relatively small, local initiative.

It also highlights the potential business case for school engagement. Employers need future scaffolders and other skilled employees. Schools want meaningful opportunities that help students understand the world of work. Bringing the two together can create benefits for both – while helping young people discover careers they may otherwise never have considered.

What can other scaffolding employers do?

The Liberton programme shows that engaging with schools does not have to begin with a huge national initiative. It can start with a conversation between an employer and a school in its local community.

Employers could invite students to a training centre or depot, offer practical demonstrations, provide work experience, attend school careers events or work with teachers and local careers organisations to develop a more structured programme. Existing apprentices and younger employees can also be excellent ambassadors for the industry.

What matters is making the experience meaningful, safe and engaging – and showing the breadth of opportunity available.

For an industry facing an ageing workforce and skills shortages, employers cannot rely on young people discovering scaffolding careers by accident. Enigma-IS recognised that providing structured work experience could help attract fresh talent while developing young people with the skills and adaptability needed by the industry. Liberton-p4 INSIGHT

The Liberton High School programme demonstrates what that can look like in practice.

For NASC members, the message is simple: talk to your local schools. Open your doors. Involve your apprentices. Show young people what modern scaffolding really looks like.

A few hours invested today could introduce a young person to a career they had never previously considered – and help create the scaffolding workforce of tomorrow.