Local scaffolding company Scafit wins national title for training

David Crowley, Doug Pokiha and Nicki Crowley from Scafit celebrate winning the 2019 Skills Scaffolding Training Company of the Year Award. Photo / Lucy Drake

A holistic approach to training scaffolders has brought a local scaffolding company a national title.

Scafit Whanganui and Palmerston North has recently received the Skills Training Company of the Year Award at the annual Scaffolding, Access and Rigging New Zealand conference and Trade Show.

Managing director David Crowley said the company was proud to receive the award.

"We believe this approach is bringing immeasurable benefits to our team, their families and communities, and therefore also our clients and our company."

The conference and trade show, which Doug Pokiha and Crowley attended, was held over two days starting on August 8 at the Dunedin Town Hall.

"It's all about the team and about giving them the best opportunities and support for them to grow in such a wonderful profession like scaffolding," Pokiha said.

The company is made up of 35 scaffolders based in Whanganui and Palmerston North that work throughout the lower North Island.

Crowley said regardless of the positions within the company be it a scaffolder, trainee or manager "the company goal is to have all team members in a personal development plan".

This includes external training with the scaffolding training apprenticeship, working at heights, confined spaces and health and safety training with Site Safe and other organisations.

Soft skills training is, however, the company's primary point of difference that is provided to all staff. It teaches in-house professional development over four to five sessions.

It explores what make effective teams, communication, goal setting, team culture, leadership and the company's tikanga (values).

Nicki Crowley said it was an area of training that was missing in education and their staff had found this most beneficial.

"Doug has been instrumental in taking these skills into the on-the-job setting ensuring these learnings become new professional habits in line with our company culture and values," Crowley said.

"We want all of our team to be fit and well, both physically and mentally, which is why we have this wellbeing programme."