From the pledge to the site: Sean Doyle Scaffolding hosts work experience day in London
NASC member Sean Doyle Scaffolding has followed through on its Work Experience Pledge commitment, hosting nine young people for a full day on a live City of London project.
The St Albans and Alton based contractor signed up to the NASC Work Experience Pledge in June, committing to two placements. The open day, held at Salisbury Square in central London, where Legendre UK is principal contractor, went considerably further.
The day began with a presentation on what scaffolding actually is and where a career in it can lead. That second point was the one the team were keenest to land. Scaffolding is often assumed to begin and end with life on the tools, when in practice it opens routes into supervision, project management, health and safety, design, commercial roles and senior management.
From there the delegates were taken on a tour of the project to see the different types of scaffold in use, before the project manager and site supervisor demonstrated how to erect an eight-foot tower.
The afternoon turned practical. The group took part in interactive activities using a K'Nex kit and the VR headset provided by NASC, and each delegate had a one-to-one discussion with the company's Contracts Director about their own interests and what a route into the industry might look like for them.
Shawn Richardson, Contracts Director at Sean Doyle Scaffolding, said:
"I started in scaffolding as a 16-year-old apprentice, so I know first-hand the opportunities this industry can provide. The aim of the day was to show the young people that scaffolding is a skilled profession with clear pathways into supervision, project management, health and safety, design, commercial roles and senior management. By combining the presentation with a live site visit and practical activities, we wanted them to leave with a genuine understanding of the industry and the long-term careers available."
The company plans to hold another open day before the end of the year.
The NASC Work Experience Pledge, delivered in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, aims to create 5,000 work experience opportunities across the scaffolding and access sector by the end of 2026. Days like this one are exactly what that target is for. Getting young people onto a live site, in front of people who have built careers in the industry, does more to shift perceptions than any amount of literature.
Members who have not yet signed up to the Work Experience Pledge can find out more by emailing: [email protected]
