A team of seven apprentices from Scotland and Northern Ireland will compete at ScaffChamp 2026 in Vilnius this summer, after securing full backing from across the scaffolding industry.
The group, aged between 17 and 20, has been brought together by Ross Brown of I-Scaff and Robbie Andrews of Advanced NI Scaffolding, following a push to show what the trade can offer young people entering the sector.
All costs for the trip have been covered through industry support, with around £24,000 raised to fund flights, accommodation and daily expenses. Sponsors include companies with no direct link to the team, reflecting wider backing for the initiative.
The idea first took shape at ScaffEx in Manchester last year, where Brown and Andrews highlighted the need to better promote scaffolding careers to younger audiences.
Brown said the issue was not a lack of interest from young people, but a lack of awareness about the range of work available.
“Most young people only ever see a scaffold on the way to school,” he said. “They don’t see the bigger picture, whether that’s the Forth Bridge or other major infrastructure, offshore work or complex projects. Once they understand that, it changes how they look at the job.”
The apprentices were selected through an open call and time trials held at Advanced NI’s yard, before beginning a structured training programme across multiple locations. This included practical sessions in Scotland and Northern Ireland, along with SSPTS training delivered by Layher UK at its Letchworth headquarters.
Employers were also asked to support the project by allowing apprentices to attend training and the competition as paid working time.
Brown said the wider aim was to challenge perceptions within the industry around taking on apprentices.
“There are companies that still see apprentices as a risk,” he said. “This shows what can happen when you invest in them properly and give them the right opportunities.”
The team includes apprentices from several employers, many of whom had not previously heard of ScaffChamp before being selected.
The ScaffChamp competition, widely regarded as one of the leading international events for scaffolders, will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 5–6 June.
Organisers hope the initiative will help raise the profile of scaffolding as a long-term career option, particularly at a time when the industry continues to face skills shortages.
