I arrived in Australia in 2003, and one of my first jobs was with Independent Scaffolding Services. I started as a groundie and worked my way through basic, intermediate and eventually advanced scaffolding.
At the time, I certainly was not thinking that more than 20 years later I would be running my own Registered Training Organisation and teaching people who are entering the construction industry. Looking back, though, those early years shaped much of the way I train people today.
Learning construction from the ground up
Scaffolding taught me that safety is not something that exists only in a manual. It is happening around you every minute of the working day.
You need to think about loads, people working above and below you, materials stored at height, safe access, inspections and changing site conditions. When something is not right, the consequences can be serious.
Over time, I progressed from a groundie to an advanced scaffolder and advanced scaffold leading hand. I worked with tube-and-fit scaffolding, modular systems, drop scaffolds, swing stages and mast climbers. I worked days, nights and long rosters across commercial construction and major industrial sites.
From scaffolding to safety training
My career eventually moved from doing the work to helping other people understand how to do their work safely. The practical experience came first, followed by further study, safety qualifications and training and assessment qualifications.
That combination matters to me. Qualifications provide the required knowledge and training framework, while real industry experience helps me explain why the rules exist and what hazards can look like on an actual worksite.
Why experience matters in White Card training
White Card training should be more than completing an assessment and receiving a card. It is often a person’s first formal introduction to construction safety in Australia.
Students need to understand how to identify hazards, assess risks, use personal protective equipment, follow site procedures, communicate with other workers and report unsafe conditions. They also need to feel confident enough to stop and ask a question when something does not look right.
When I teach White Card in Adelaide, I use practical examples from my own time in construction to help make the information easier to understand. My aim is not only to help students complete the course, but also to help them arrive on site with a realistic understanding of their safety responsibilities.
Training in plain language
People arrive at training with different levels of education, English language ability and industry experience. Some have worked on sites before, while others are preparing for their very first construction job.
I explain the course content in plain language, encourage questions and relate the learning to situations students may actually face at work. Safety information is most useful when people understand it well enough to apply it.
Practical scaffolding tips and a knowledge check
Want to explore the practical side? Read my scaffolding tips and 16-question knowledge quiz, covering equipment handling, setup checks and calculations, with answers you can reveal as you go.
White Card training in Adelaide
FACT Adelaide delivers the nationally recognised unit CPCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry.
If you are preparing to enter the construction industry and need White Card training in Adelaide, you can view upcoming course information and enrol online.
View White Card training dates in Adelaide