Emma Claassen, founder of the Women in Scaffolding Association (WiSA), has responded to an article by Adrian Chiles on the recruitment crisis in scaffolding, arguing that the industry should focus less on who traditionally became a scaffolder and more on who is willing and able to learn the trade.
Widening the Talent Pool
Claassen agrees with Chiles that scaffolding is hard work, demanding physical resilience, skill, judgment and proper training. She notes that this naturally means it is not a job for everyone, whether men or women.
Given the significant shortfall already facing the industry, Claassen says the pool of people who can see scaffolding as a genuine career needs to be widened. This includes women, but the bigger issue is attracting capable people into the trade, training them properly and keeping standards high.
WiSA's Role and Standards
WiSA supports women already working on the tools, makes them visible and connected, and shows women and girls that scaffolding is a genuine skilled career. The association also works to bring more people into construction generally.
Claassen stresses that nobody is suggesting lowering the bar. Scaffolding requires strength, but also technique, teamwork, training and considerable skill. The standards should remain the standards.
AI and the Future of Scaffolding
Claassen also highlights Chiles's point about AI. Scaffolding is practical, skilled work that cannot simply be automated away. Britain still needs people who can build, solve problems and work safely with their hands. If scaffolders are becoming a dying breed, the answer may be to look more widely for the next generation, and some of them will be women.
