Wollongong business KJ Scaffolding is taking on up to a dozen scaffolding trainees and is encouraging more people to consider it as a career.
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With the company increasingly involved in projects in the Illawarra and Sydney it is working with HVTC to find more trainees for 2020. But it is getting harder to fill the number of positions KJ is creating.
HVTC Southern Region manager Michael Ruddock said other apprenticeships and trainee opportunities are easier for the group training company to fill. But he said scaffolding is a great career opportunity definitely worth considering.
HVTC has hosted trainees with KJ for 12 years and generally looks for 12 a year. Many from the first year are still working with the company. But despite that success it is not always easy to find suitable applicants.
"We have varying success rates. Because of some of the stat requirements for the role applicants have to be 18," Mr Ruddock said.
KJ Scaffolding general manager Adam Oswald said one of the challenges is people don't have to have their HSC to become a scaffolder. But by the time many turn 18 they have taken another career path. And often those who do their HSC are thinking of university.
Mr Ruddock said many people don't even think about scaffolding as a career. Yet it pays well and offers secure employment.
"I am yet to meet an applicant who grows up wanting to be a scaffolder. Whereas with your traditional trades such as electricians, fitters and boilermakers, people have them in mind growing up. But what they don't realise is the opportunity scaffolding affords. It is a two year traineeship doing a Certificate III in scaffolding. The plan then is they make the transition to KJ. After two years they are fully qualified scaffolders and their earning capacity is really good. It is often better than some other trades with a four year apprenticeship".
Mr Ruddock said during the next four weeks HVTC is targeting potential scaffolding trainees through its hvtc.com.au website where they can apply. It is also uses Seek and social media.
"It is a huge opportunity generally for young people to get a foot into a career with permanent work. Training is nationally accredited. The traineeship includes basic and intermediate scaffolding, forklift and there is working at heights training in it as well. They get formal qualifications they can take with them anywhere".
To date there has never had a female applicant for scaffolding but there is a huge push for diversity in KJ and HVTC, according to Mr Ruddock.
KJ Scaffolding is now a 51 per cent owned and operated Aboriginal company and recently took on a female employee in its yard.
Mr Ruddock nominated KJ Scaffolding in the NSW Training Awards for medium sized Employer of the Year and IT was named one of three finalists from a field of hundreds of applicants.
"That was a huge achievement," Mr Ruddock said.
HVTC itself won awards for Large Employer and Innovation in conjunction with Service NSW and John Holland.
Read more:
- How Wollongong business KJ Industrial Scaffolding has won work on Australia's iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge
- How the skills shortage is growing in the Illawarra and what some employers are doing about it
- Employees with a disability important to KJ Scaffolding
- Firm seals contract, secures 100 new jobs
- KJ Scaffolding wins HVTC award
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
