Are There Any Australian Scaffolders Out There? (1 Viewer)

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Are There Any Australian Scaffolders Out There?
 
oz scaffs

there are loads of them in london, and kiwis,mainly all good scaffs, and some great blokes.perhaps the ones in oz not aware of this forum yet.
 
Aussie Scaffolder

Gday, my name is Dylan and I'm new to London but have been scaffolding in Australia for 12 years.
 
Gday Dylan and Welcome To The Scaffolder Forum!

Its good to have an Aussie scaff on board!

SF Admin
 
Tickets held

Hi there,

I've got an Australian Advanced Scaffold Ticket which is as valuable as a used bus ticket in the UK. I was informed prior to getting here I could transfer it over but this is incorrect.

I've now done the Scaffold Part 1 course through the Construction Skills college at Erith and I've also got the CSCS health and safety card. I have to wait 6 months before I can do the Part 2.

I've come to UK to try learn the British ways but I could not have come at a worse time to get a job. I'm based in Central London and have found it impossible to get a job. I'm hoping something gives real soon otherwise I'll be heading back home. It's about who you know at times and unfortunatly I don't know to many people here. Australia was booming in the lead up for years in to the olympics and I thought things would have been the same here. If anyone can help me get a start it would be very much appreciated and I would kindly reciprocate in the future if someone was to come my way.

Dylan
 
dont give up mate, its hard for all of us at the moment, especially with the more crap than usual weather.might be able to help you out in the next week or two, keep in touch.
 
Hi there,

I've got an Australian Advanced Scaffold Ticket which is as valuable as a used bus ticket in the UK. I was informed prior to getting here I could transfer it over but this is incorrect.

Dylan

You'd think the Multi-National construction companies would come up with some sort of standardized training accreditation by now, I mean a scaffolder in Britain has to go through the CITB courses for scaffolding, but in Canada its part of being a Carpenter and in Oz you also get Rigging in with being a Scaff. All this just means you can be a Scaff for 40 years and switch countries and be a fecking labourer again.
 
Schoie

Im all for Competancy/Capabilitiy levels being confirimed by the issuing of a Record of Work/Training credentials in the form of an official Document ( CSCS Card ), HOWEVER, as we live in a Global Community and in the interest of cross border collaberation, I would have thought that an affiliation with other Countries would eleviate the plight of our overseas cousins.

A simple Trade Test undertaken at the prospective Employers Depot would
sort out any imposter, the CITB make enough money with Courses and re-validating of existing Scaffs cridentials---it's got to the stage, no card no job, it's like paying protection money---what other Disapline has to pay for the courses and the re-validation of the same every few years ? :mad:---nae much !.

Garry...
 
There was once some collaberation until about 2 years ago when the CISRS changed it all. You could even do a 2 day refresher course on the weekend to get you the Advance ticket, but they have even put a stop to that.

Protection money YES! £895 I paid myself to do the Part 1 which included 2 weeks full time in class. Plus £94 for travel to Erith. Now I got to wait a minimum 6 months until I can do the Part 2 which I believe is another £895 and 2 weeks in the class. Then after that I have to wait another minimum of 12 months until I can do the advance course at another cost of I'm guessing £895 and 2 weeks.

Then I ring up now to get a job and people go what ticket you got, I say Part 1 and you can tell by there tone it's like they think I don't know what I'm doing cause I don't have the right card.

I've got loads of experiences in the industry on and off the tools but here without the relevant card or cards you are going nowhere in a hurry except probably home! It's RIDICOULOUS!
 
Schoie

RIDICULOUSE, indeed given that it is NOT a Statutory requirement to hold a CITB/CISRS Card---Statutory Instruments require the Scaffolder to be Competant and Capable to Erect Scaffold Structures to Statutory Requirements. I have offen wondered what would happen if an Experienced Scaffolder applied for a job and he got knocked back because he did not have his Card---would this be grounds for discrimination, given that it is NOT a Statutory requirement to have one---just because some one has a CITB/CISRS Card does not make him a Scaffoler---my Grandmother had a hump on her back but that did not make her a camel ;)


I started with SGB in 1972, trained for two years, worked my way up to Scaffold Erector, I had six years under my belt the in 1978 the CITB Scaffold Record Scheam came into force. I was obliged to attend a CITB Centre in March 1978 to get my Card.
 
It just seems to me that we will always be looked upon as a easy target for a money making opportunities ie new courses,refreshers,etc,because to those who arent directly involved in the trade think we have some sort of deathwish.
We are still looked upon as lunitics by a lot of other trades for performing the job we do,that stigma will always stick,hence so called safety experts always being on our backs,and people outside of the trade coming up with more suggestions of other cash consuming courses.
 
Garry, Thanks for that.

At the end of the day this is the system, I'm guessing, we have to abide to which I've come to terms with. It's just been a little frustrating.

Cuz, Where do you want to head to in Australia? I can definitly get you names and numbers of where to try. I'm from Sydney so I know there pretty well.
 
daz

To the uninitiated,--- Scaffs are perceived as being crazy mercenaries and bone from the neck up, however, never judge a book by it's cover eh daz ;).

As for H&S Monitoring: I have no problem with Scaffolders enhancing their Career path by studing for H&S Qualifications Via NEBOSH and gaining entry to either IOSH or IIRSM. Where I do have a problem is when an Candidate ( with little to no Technical knowledge or Practical experiance of Scaffold Structures associated Safe Systems of Work, Method Statements, Risk Assessments, Safety Management Strategies, ect, ect, ect... ) completes a two week NEBOSH Course then hit's the Sites and starts on the Scaffs ( an easy target ).

So called registered charities, Trade Associations and Approved Organizations have made a pretty tidy sum Delivering Training---yet, has this improved the Terms and Conditions of the Scaffolder ?. Little has changed in the techniques required to erect a Scaffold Structure since Master Mariner Henry J Palmer ( one of the 3 founder Members of the National Association of Scaffolding Contractors ) led his matalots ashore to erect the Scaffold to construct Buckingham Palace---yet there seems to be more Administers, Course Providers, Safety Practitioners, ect---the Scaffolding Industry support all of these allied dispense, indeed, every man and his dog appear to have an opinion, and all on the backs of the Scaff...

---------- Post added at 11:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 PM ----------

Schoie

Aye, I dare say thats the system, frustrating though it may be. Moreover, its a situation of our own making---we let them away with it. :sad2:
 
Result of Part 1 application for the Australian

After completing the Part 1 course which I paid £895 for then sending my form to the CSCS at Bircham along with another £27 to apply for my card I then have had my application form returned.

Quote 'Unfortuatly we are unable to process this due to the following reasons. Section C1 has been self-certified. This Section must be completed and signed by your employer, previous employer, main contractor or immediate line manager.'

Firstly I'm told I can't get a job or employment because I don't have a Part 1 card now I'm told I can't get my Part 1 card unless my card is filled in by an employer.

Not happy!
 
Schoie

Have you worked with a Scaffolding C.o. since you came to the U.K. ?---and if so, in what capacity---was you Erecting ?. Can't you get a record of employment.

Garry...
 
citb are strange, when i did my advanced i was self employed & did an assessed route at weekends, i didnt have to have it signed by an employer, surely you can get a local firm to sign form for you?


on a seperate note me & my mrs wanted to emigrate to oz but australia dont recognize scafolding as a bonefide trade, i have been scaffolding for 22 years now, but it dont mean nowt :sad:

could you pass any numbers or contacts you may have in australia would still like to go, would prefer perth really thanks & good luck with citb:)
 
hello mate, west oz is booming due to oil, gas and mining.queensland especially brisbane has its moments.sydney is ok but as i found out during the recession they look after their own, shame we dont.can give you some numbers, but you can google the same when you know where you want to live.the oz in this thread could possibly give you names, good luck
 
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