Meet Chris Woodley, our new Train the Trainer Programme Instructor

Chris Woodley has joined CISRS as Train the Trainer Programme Instructor, leading the recently launched pilot. He started out in scaffolding by agreeing to help a friend. We asked him how he got from there to here and what the new programme is for.

Tell us about your background. Where are you from, how did you get into scaffolding, and what brought you to CISRS?

Hi, I’m Chris Woodley and I live in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. I started scaffolding when I left school. My friend asked if I wanted to help in the yard for a weekend and that turned into a permanent job!

I loved it from day one and over my career I have worked in many areas up and down the country, from street work to site work, pristine jobs like St Paul’s Cathedral to major industrial work including a recycling plant. 

Starting my career, I wanted to make sure that I was fully qualified, so going on an apprenticeship was a natural step. After I completed my apprenticeship, I gained three years’ experience and went on to the advanced scaffolding course.

Whilst looking for my next adventure in scaffolding, I came across an advertisement for a trainer role, so I threw my hat in the ring and was successful! I worked my way up from instructor to programme manager for a national training provider.

I decided to apply for the Train the Trainer instructor role simply because I have so much passion for scaffolding and for getting new scaffolders on the ground.

What does the Train the Trainer Programme Instructor role involve day to day?

Day to day it includes working closely with Rob Boardman, Head of Training & Education to create an excellent standard that all instructors will be expected to teach to and going through potential applications to see whether applicants would be suitable to teach our great trade to trainee scaffolders.

I will also visit our CISRS centres to check that courses are being taught to the high standard scaffolding deserves. It will not only be inspection but support and guidance to.

The Train the Trainer pilot launched recently. For anyone who missed it, what is the programme for and why does the industry need it?

The programme is for any potential or existing instructors to do a four-week intensive course learning the CISRS core schemes. The idea is that all CISRS schemes are standardised and delivered to the highest standards.

It is also quicker than the time-consuming shadowing route currently in place. The industry needs this programme to help control standards of teaching and learning and to get new instructors trained up and delivering courses much quicker.

What is the hardest part of getting more instructors into the system?

The hardest part of recruiting new instructors is enticing them off the tools or when they think they will not have the confidence to stand up and deliver training to a group.

What is the best piece of advice you were given when you were starting out?

It was an older scaffolder at the time, who said to me, ‘stick at this even if you feel you are not getting the hang of it, because it takes five years to learn and ten years to get good at it’. That really stuck with me.

What are you most looking forward to over your first twelve months?

I am really excited to see what feedback we get from the first few months of the Train the Trainer programme and to go out and meet instructors for a chat and to support them.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I am a keen woodsman, I scuba dive and I  also like to go out on my motorbike with my friends and of course, spending time with my family.

Welcome to the team, Chris.