When Emerantia Claassen, founder of the Women in Scaffolding Association (WiSA), asked for some much-needed spanner time, Browne’s Scaffolding was only too happy to help.
Already a qualified CISRS Part 1 scaffolder and working towards her Part 2, Emerantia has been joining our teams on site to gain valuable hands-on experience and discover more about the day-to-day operations of a busy scaffolding business.
And while we’re proud to support her, it’s also been a great opportunity to learn more about WiSA and its ambition to change perceptions of the industry.
“There must be more women out there”
Emerantia’s journey into scaffolding began with frustration over the quality of scaffolding being supplied to another business she was running.
Deciding to learn the trade herself, she soon discovered something unexpected: wherever she went, she was the only woman.
“I know I’m special, but I’m not that special. There must be more women out there.”
That realisation eventually led her to establish the Women in Scaffolding Association, dedicated to connecting, supporting and championing women working in the industry.
Changing perceptions
Ask Emerantia what’s stopping more women from entering scaffolding and her answer is immediate:
“Perception.”
She believes misconceptions about physical strength and the traditionally rough reputation of construction continue to discourage potential recruits.
But scaffolding, she explains, is fundamentally about teamwork, with different people bringing different strengths to the job.
And her experience of working alongside the Browne’s team has challenged some familiar industry stereotypes.
After her first day, Emerantia went home determined to compliment the team on their professionalism and welcoming attitude.
(Watch our full interview with Emerantia below to hear her story, learn about WiSA and discover why she believes scaffolding can offer a fantastic career for women.)
It’s the little things that count
For Emerantia, the opportunity to work alongside experienced scaffolders is about much more than gaining hours towards her next qualification.
“I’ve learnt a lot. So on my first day they actually taught me how to use my spanner correctly.”
From using her tools more effectively to picking up practical techniques for levelling scaffolds, it’s the kind of knowledge that only comes from time on site.
Equally importantly, the experience is helping her understand what other women working in scaffolding encounter day to day.
It’s this insight that she hopes will help WiSA provide even better support to women across the industry.
More than a job on the tools
Emerantia is passionate about encouraging young women to consider scaffolding as a deliberate career choice, rather than something they simply fall into.
And she is equally keen to highlight the wider opportunities the industry offers — from scaffolding and supervision through to management, estimating and surveying.
Through WiSA, she’s working to support women already in the trade, promote the career opportunities available and challenge outdated perceptions, including through outreach to schools and young people.
Proud to play our part
At Browne’s, developing the next generation of scaffolders is something we take seriously.
From our apprenticeship programme to our involvement in the recent NASC Teacher Tour, we believe that showing people what our industry has to offer is the best way to inspire future talent.
Our collaboration with Emerantia and WiSA is another opportunity to put that belief into practice.
Sometimes supporting positive change doesn’t require a big campaign. Just an open door, a supportive team and the opportunity to get stuck in.
We’re proud to support Emerantia and WiSA. And if more scaffolding businesses can do the same, who knows how many doors we might open?
Find out more about WiSA at www.wiscaff.uk.
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