First Scaff, based in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, has won the 2026 Business NSW State Award for Employer of Choice in the 20 employees and under category, with the scaffolding firm now calling for greater investment in training and higher industry standards.
The Ettamogah-based company received the award at the International Convention Centre in Sydney on Friday 30 October. It was one of 11 regional winners competing for the category’s state title at an event bringing together 216 finalists across 22 categories.
The result follows First Scaff’s wins at the Albury Wodonga and Riverina Murray awards earlier this year. The company was also a state finalist in Excellence in Small Business.
Director Mick Beaumont said the recognition belonged to the crew.
“This is the award that means the most to us because it’s about our people,” he said.
“People expect a tradie workplace to be tough and not much else. We want to show it can be a place where people grow, feel looked after and get home safe to their families.”
Four-year internal training
First Scaff says it has grown to a team of twelve since 2016, delivering scaffold and access work on power stations, dams, rail corridors and industrial sites across regional New South Wales and Victoria.
Its approach includes a four-year internal traineeship for every new full-time team member, tailored to their interests and starting skill level. The company says team leaders record a morale check at the end of each shift, with any drop followed up within 24 hours.
Regular one-to-one meetings and rosters that accommodate family commitments sit alongside quarterly team summit days. These bring together training, problem-solving and sessions with outside coaches, as well as time for staff to set personal goals for the following 90 days and beyond.
Beaumont said the business wanted future leaders to come from within its existing team.
“We don’t get everything right, and we’re not finished. We’ll keep improving how we train and support our people, and we want our next leaders to come from within our own crew,” he said.
Call for higher standards
First Scaff wants to use the award to press for more training, stronger standards and formal recognition of scaffolding as a skilled trade in Australia.
Beaumont said clients also needed to consider the experience, training and safety behind an access contractor’s price.
“Working at height is dangerous work, and our industry needs more from itself,” he said.
Business NSW Riverina Murray regional director Serena Hardwick said the award demonstrated the role employers could play in addressing the region’s skills shortage.
“First Scaff demonstrates that being an employer of choice is about creating an environment where people can develop their skills, build a career and feel valued by the organisation they work for,” she said.
Business NSW’s regional awards programme named First Scaff as its Employer of Choice winner before the company progressed to the state final.
