Developing People, Raising Standards: Rob Boardman's focus for NASC

As he settles into the role, Rob speaks about his background, what attracted him to NASC, and the priorities he will be focusing on for members and the wider scaffolding community.

Getting to know Rob

For members who haven't met you yet, can you tell us a little about your background?

My background is rooted in the training sector. I spent most of the last decade at 3B Training, now Morson Nexus, a construction-related health and safety training business that was also a CISRS-approved centre. Most recently, I was Operations Director, and that gave me significant experience of how training centres operate, the pressures they face and the amount of work they put in to deliver our scheme to the highest standard.

What has that experience taught you about the role training centres play in the scaffolding sector?

Training centres play a key role in delivering for our industry. They understand the learners, the employers and the practical realities of delivering high-quality training. We are going to need their expertise to help expand our talent pool and ensure our standards continue to improve.

Joining at a time of change

You have joined NASC and CISRS at a time of change. What kind of opportunity does that present?

I have joined the organisation at an exciting time, with an existing programme of modernisation already under way. That presents a chance to make early progress, while also allowing me to bring my own perspective and help shape what the future will look like. I expect healthy debate about many of the initiatives I'll be working on, and I have no doubt that will help shape a better future for training and education in scaffolding.

Priorities for the year ahead

What are the main priorities you will be working on over the rest of this year?

One of the key projects is the CISRS Train the Trainer programme. This will be an industry-leading development programme that offers experienced scaffolders a clear route to becoming CISRS trainers. Trainers are the backbone of everything we deliver, and I'm determined that CISRS will not only offer them a high-quality entry point into delivery, but also provide ongoing support throughout their new career.

How do you see CPD developing for scaffolding professionals?

We are an industry of highly skilled people who deserve more opportunities to expand their knowledge and develop their careers. CPD needs to be ongoing and offer genuine opportunities for learning. I will be consulting widely on the details, and I am looking forward to hearing from people across the industry to help shape what ongoing development looks like for our sector.

Technology and access to learning

Technology is also part of the training conversation. What changes can members expect?

There is ongoing work to roll out a new Learner Management System in the coming months. This will bring benefits to training centres, learners and employers, offering new ways of accessing course materials as well as CPD opportunities. It will support the type of access to learning that many other sectors already enjoy, and scaffolding should be no different.

A message to members

Finally, what message would you like to share with NASC members?

I am here because I want to make our training and education offer to the scaffolding industry better. We have very well-established high standards, and everything we do must continue to drive that forward. There are many stakeholders across our industry who will be key to shaping these ideas, and it is vital that we make the most of the experience we have and the ideas people bring.

I am very much looking forward to the work ahead, and I am confident that we will be able to look back in 12 months' time and see a training and education offering that has changed for the better.