06.08.2007

Investing in the future

Most people in the lifting equipment world agree that there are simply not enough new people coming into the industry.

There are signs emerging, here and there, of more companies offering training to young people and being prepared to take the time and the expense to train people either from school or from other industries.

We have reported a number of times lately on companies such as Ainscough, Nationwide, Panther, The Platform company, AFI and Hewden offering new apprentice programmes and it is good to see that this is a growing trend.

In the UK Active Rentals of Scotland must surely win the award for investing in the highest number of young people and apprentices as a percentage of its total workforce?
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The latest entrants at Active: Robbie Finnie, Nicola McPherson and Robert Wilson

Around 25 percent of Actives payroll is currently made up of young people who have entered the industry with the company. The latest intake includes two apprentice service engineers, Robbie Finnie (17) and Robert Wilson (18), along with a trainee hire controller, Nicola McPherson (18).

Andrew McCusker, managing director of Active said:
“I have been very vocal over the last few years about the lack of investment in apprenticeships in our industry and think it is important for companies like Active to invest in young people.”

“The new trainees are due to split their time between attending North Glasgow College, while being “taken under the wing” of service manager Stephen Oswald, who will tutor them on a one to one as well as in ‘tool box talks’ with the other engineers.”

Meanwhile McPherson is also scheduled to attend college and other courses while gaining hands on tuition helping on the hire desk.

Vertikal Comment

The industry as a whole has gained a very poor reputation in recent years for bringing young people into the industry. The problem is compounded by the fact that we do little as a group to promote the benefits of working with cranes, access equipment, or other lifting gear.

As a result the average age of those employed, from crane operators to service engineers to salesmen is getting older, while the number of skilled professionals remaining in the business declines.

There are signs that more companies are beginning to offer school leavers the opportunity to learn the ropes in a professional and structured manner and this is good to see.

Industry associations around the world need to do more to encourage this, as well as spreading the message of the exciting career opportunities, both in terms of job description and reward levels that the industry offers. Whether it be in manufacturing, rental, distribution or dare I say it even reporting on it.