Got any good advice?

[philliosmaximus]

I agree with you bee , tickets dont make the man , experience does .In my opinion it takes 10 years before you really know what your doing and are fully competent to undertake any type of work , even then there will be work that you have no experience in .I always judge a man by what he does NOT what it says on his ticket

 

[aom]

This very topic has been rumbling round my big empty head for a while now. There is a bit of a catch 22 forming now with pressure on employers to have a fully carded and trained workforce and the centres training the boy's to scaffold chimney heads about 8' from the ground on a roof formed with scaffold boards and the spreader boards already in place. When I send them to do a chimney head it bears absolutely no resemblance to what they learned in college. I think it requires a completely different skill set to do what we do because of where we have to do it and I feel a bit more input from the centres could go along way to bridging the gulf between what they think they are doing and what they are actually churning out.

 

[Zotsey]

Your right Aom working in the real world is totally different to college. You have a good understanding but erecting scaffolds in an open space is totally different, no obstacles to take into account etc.
It was especially different for me when I left college early nineties straight into powerstations, totally alien.

 

[aom]

I was there on Friday at an award ceremony, the top guy went on for a good bit about their goals for the coming year whereby good wasn't good enough, well I've got a few ideas for them. Most of the ones who did let me bend their ear disappeared faster than snow off a dyke when I started.

 

[safehands]

When I first got into scaffolding as a Labourer it was only a job. It paid the bills. For the first year I found it interesting then it got boring. I had no interest in become a scaff. For the past 15 years I have been searching for a job that pays the same as this, but unfortunately for me I am not qualified enough for better salary.

I went through my tickets a few years ago because I did not want to leave after 15 years with nothing to show for it. Scaffolding is ***** full stop and if I could get out tomorrow then I would.

By the way my chargehand told me to go for my tickets after about 2 months but I simply was not interested.

that is ******** most of us know from the start its for us cause we are the way we are, if your not interested why the fcuk are you on this forum for SCAFFS. I have worked with what i class as very very good scaffs in my time, and to turn my back on there teachings would be a fcuking insult to them, this is a scaffs forum not just passing through forum

 

[skooko]

Hi, I'm 33 and been working as a labourer for a small compnay for the last 3 years. I started off carrying all the scaffolding to the scaffolders. The main bulider has now retired and I have moved up to helping build and strip the scaffold (kwickstage and some tube too). I'm paid as a labourer but when I asked around I got told that I'm working as a Scaff labourer and as a Part 1 scaffolder.
Yes ah got a toolbelt and all. Thing is, i really want to go on with the scaffolding but my boss won't put me through my tickets, nothing personal against me, seems he doesn't like any of us that work for him, not just me.
Thing is, I been saving money and got enough to put mysel through the Part1, got told it's best to do tube and fittings part1 but I mainly work with kwickstage. Don't want to fail the course and loose all that money cause I'm doing the wrong course but don't want to pay for the kwickstage course that is seems very limited as far as scaffolding is concerned.
Maybe after 3 years experince I could get a job with a scaff company and they'll put me through my tickets but then I have to start right at the bottom again.
Anybody please give me a few ideas or at least point me in the right direction, tired of just being a lab and sick of not getting paid/qualified but having to do the work.

go on the part one tube and fitting course mate no one has ever failed it when you come of your course try and get with a couple of old hands thats when you start learning and you never stop learning be very very wary of the blokes who know it all (my way or the high way mearchants ) ten minutes discusing the job before you start is where you get to put your input and thats where your told whether your right or wrong you might whant to get in touch with the tax office because ime almost shure all training is one hundred persent tax deductable

 

[Jason-Gibbs]

Hi, I'm 33 and been working as a labourer for a small compnay for the last 3 years.

Welcome to the forum mate.
Nice to see some new blood coming into the game.

The main bulider has now retired and I have moved up to helping build and strip the scaffold (kwickstage and some tube too). I'm paid as a labourer but when I asked around I got told that I'm working as a Scaff labourer and as a Part 1 scaffolder.

Your boss should pay you a Trainees rate now or atleast given a pay rise after 3 years loyal service to his firm and working your way up a bit.

Yes ah got a toolbelt and all. Thing is, i really want to go on with the scaffolding but my boss won't put me through my tickets, nothing personal against me, seems he doesn't like any of us that work for him, not just me.
Thing is, I been saving money and got enough to put mysel through the Part1, got told it's best to do tube and fittings part1 but I mainly work with kwickstage. Don't want to fail the course and loose all that money cause I'm doing the wrong course but don't want to pay for the kwickstage course that is seems very limited as far as scaffolding is concerned.

Nice mate, nice.

Most bosses dont wanna fork out for Scaffolding tickets for their men, even though ive been told they can claim about 90% back as a training grant from the government... - Easier to pay you peanuts and get you to do the Scaffolding work, then actually help you progress, which'll benefit both yourself and him.

A kwikstage course will limit you to what kind of Scaffolding you can or cant work on in the future. I recommend you go for your Tube and Fitting Part 1 (Scaffolding & Access) course instead, that way you can work for a whole number of Scaffolding firms in the future and not just ones that specialise in Kwikstage.
Its fairly easy to do and unless you do something disastrous like drop a tube on someone or something, you'll pass it easy.
Heres the link to their website: National Construction College.

Maybe after 3 years experince I could get a job with a scaff company and they'll put me through my tickets but then I have to start right at the bottom again.
Anybody please give me a few ideas or at least point me in the right direction, tired of just being a lab and sick of not getting paid/qualified but having to do the work.

Yes, unless they are overly generous or you click with their supervisor right away, they will more then likely try to get you to work as a Scaffolder for Labourers money, like the firm your working for atm.
Id go for the training course and get your Part 1 first, then in a few years go for your Part 2, then the world is your oyster.


Anyway, good luck with your training.
I hope it goes well.

Jay.

 

[Saffscaff]

This very topic has been rumbling round my big empty head for a while now. There is a bit of a catch 22 forming now with pressure on employers to have a fully carded and trained workforce and the centres training the boy's to scaffold chimney heads about 8' from the ground on a roof formed with scaffold boards and the spreader boards already in place. When I send them to do a chimney head it bears absolutely no resemblance to what they learned in college. I think it requires a completely different skill set to do what we do because of where we have to do it and I feel a bit more input from the centres could go along way to bridging the gulf between what they think they are doing and what they are actually churning out.

I've seen this with my own eyes, a boy came to us with his part1 and battled to put up a scaff around a 4 pot, L shaped chimney.

---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

Alright mate,
Your best off doing your part 1 tube and fitting, they cover quickstage in that course, or they did when I did it. Then do 6 month on site and go for your part 2. You will have many more options available to you this way. You can always do your advanced after that if you want to.
The quickstage course is only a couple of days and you will be extremely limited if that's all you do. If you can get on with GKN they will prob put you through the quickstage course anyway. They put me through when I worked for them.
But regardless give simian a call or contact them on here before you spunk any money on courses, they will tell you if there is any funding available to you. They're a great bunch of lads on here.
Good luck with it mate

Thanks for the advice! What/who is Simian though? not heard of it before, googled it and didn't see an appropriate link cause I don't know what it is and don't want to ask to many questions at work...

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 PM ----------

[/COLOR]Contact Construction skills about a modern apprenticeship and it wont cost you a penny for the courses.
I was a similar age to yourself when I chose to do my tickets and lucky for me my employer arranged it all.

He never paid for anything and neither did I. It is government backed. The only thing that costs you is the wages you lose for the time at NCC[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice

---------- Post added at 08:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:10 PM ----------

Thats it busy bee to some it is just a job no real interest,If you cannot motivate yourself you are as well out of the game

I was chomping at the bit to learn and progress from labourer to chargehand in a fast a time as I could, think it took me about 4 years The training in my day was quite different from today I was a foreman scaffolder in seven years.

I've had to wait my turn,had a shot at building/stripping when ever I could. Seen a couple of pure idiots with tickets come and scaffold only to see them paid off for arsing things up.
Until recently I've had to compete against two older labs for scaffolding rights (aah the crazy world of labourers), the one lost his nerve on taking off an upright/standard so I did it, that knocked him down to groundsman:laugh: still have to wait when the other old labourer is around cause he throws complete temper tantrums (pity theres not a smilie for ******!!)

---------- Post added at 08:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 PM ----------

Thanks for all the advice guys, been asking around all the scaffolds that I see and been phoning up local companies to hear their advice, keep hearing pretty much the same thing, so thanks loads.
After 3 years I know that theres still loads that I don't know but I want to learn.
Thanks for all the advice about my boss but that route is closed, turns out he put people through various courses many years ago and got shafted by them so he'll not do it again for anyone. I spoke to the CITB man and he gave me all the details, when I related it to my boss he told me 'not intrested, it's to much paper work'.
That's why I like the advice to do it myself then I don't owe my boss and free to look for other employment! Cheers fellas.

---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

Welcome to the forum mate.
Nice to see some new blood coming into the game.


Your boss should pay you a Trainees rate now or atleast given a pay rise after 3 years loyal service to his firm and working your way up a bit.


Nice mate, nice.

Most bosses dont wanna fork out for Scaffolding tickets for their men, even though ive been told they can claim about 90% back as a training grant from the government... - Easier to pay you peanuts and get you to do the Scaffolding work, then actually help you progress, which'll benefit both yourself and him.

A kwikstage course will limit you to what kind of Scaffolding you can or cant work on in the future. I recommend you go for your Tube and Fitting Part 1 (Scaffolding & Access) course instead, that way you can work for a whole number of Scaffolding firms in the future and not just ones that specialise in Kwikstage.
Its fairly easy to do and unless you do something disastrous like drop a tube on someone or something, you'll pass it easy.
Heres the link to their website: National Construction College.


Yes, unless they are overly generous or you click with their supervisor right away, they will more then likely try to get you to work as a Scaffolder for Labourers money, like the firm your working for atm.
Id go for the training course and get your Part 1 first, then in a few years go for your Part 2, then the world is your oyster.


Anyway, good luck with your training.
I hope it goes well.

Jay.

Thanks for this one mate, really appriciate it.

 

[aom]

Thanks for the advice! What/who is Simian though? not heard of it before, googled it and didn't see an appropriate link cause I don't know what it is and don't want to ask to many questions at work...

Simian Risk, they are site sponsors. Click their logo on the right hand of the page and that will take you to their site. They are quite often on here so if you PM them it shouldn't be too long before they get back to you.