BLACKWOOD Training is experiencing a sharp rise in individuals looking to transition from other careers to become plant operators, Project Plant has learnt.
The Stewarton-based training provider, which operates out of a 6.5-acre training yard and is part of the wider Blackwood Plant Hire group, has welcomed learners from a range of backgrounds in recent months, including former chefs, abattoir workers, kitchen porters, security guards, and retail assistants – with the oldest career switcher being 54.
The trend has been attributed to a number of reasons – most notably the rising cost of living, an increased understanding of the opportunities afforded in the plant sector, and the strength of the overall Blackwood brand.
Recent success stories include 21-year-old Daniel, a former dishwasher who is now operating dump trucks and excavators on site, and Blair, who is now a qualified 360 excavator operator after securing funding via a CEIS Ayrshire scheme which backs young parents looking to upskill to increase earnings to better support their family.
“We get all ages and backgrounds,” Peter Skelding, training manager at Blackwood Training told Project Plant. “I’ve had guys doing a telehandler course and the previous week they were working in a bookies!”
Many of those making the move into plant have commented that they wish they had done so earlier in their lives due to the rewarding careers and exciting opportunities on offer. However, Peter explained there is no wrong time to enter the industry. In fact, many trainees find that their experiences in previous jobs actually complement their new role in plant. A former chef, who recently passed through Blackwood Training, adapted to work on a live construction site quickly, noting the environment’s similarities with the safety-conscious, team-orientated, busy kitchens he previously worked in.
The trend of career switching is definitely something to be encouraged, not least because of pressing labour shortages. The CITB has estimated that the UK construction industry requires an additional 670 new plant operators every year until 2030 to meet demand.
Office manager Pauline Simpson explained that the business fields many enquiries from individuals interested in operator courses. They are invited along to try out different machines to see what route they’d like to go down. Often, people will ask about a particular course but later find out they’re better suited to something else entirely.
There are currently five apprentices at Blackwood Training. At the time of Project Plant’s visit, Ben, a former abattoir worker, was in the yard preparing for the build of a new store and ramp.
“We try and do as much with the apprentices as possible,” Peter Skelding added. “We guide the younger guys and give them the advice that we never had when we started (in our own careers). We want them to be humble on site – do a good job, have good time keeping, be respectful, always wear their PPE even if others aren’t, and be sociable. These are the things that are going to make contractors want to use them again.”
Blackwood doesn’t just welcome beginners. The company’s offering is structured for various skill levels across the construction and utility sectors. Novices can make use of intensive, multi-day foundation courses that teach plant operation from scratch, whilst more experienced operators can partake in condensed refresher courses honed to their ability. Advanced workers can make use of fast-tracked, single-day assessments to secure valuable accreditations such as CPCS and NPORS cards.
“We’re the only CPCS-accredited training provider in Ayrshire,” Peter said, with the ‘gold standard’ qualification being accepted on 95% of construction sites and seen as a mandatory requirement to operate on sites run by many Tier 1 contractors.
Blackwood is also the first training centre in Scotland to offer the NOCN-assured HFR (Human Form Recognition) Plant Proximity Safety course via Safety Shield, a specialist in next-generation, AI-powered safety solutions. Safety Shield made its ScotPlant debut earlier this year. The firm offers technology that utilises real-time camera feeds on machinery to enable risk detection, predictive analytics, and real-time auto responses to protect individuals, assets, and operations on site.
The course prepares operators to confidently manage Safety Shield’s human-machine interfaces, ensuring they are comfortable and understand the system, as opposed to potentially being reactive and guessing. Once passed, they are awarded formal certification.
“A lot of contractors are starting to mandate Safety Shield,” Peter added. “It could be the difference between getting work and not getting work. We think the majority of contractors are going to use it over the next five years, which is great for us being the first (in Scotland) because we are getting people trained on it right now.”
Further courses are expected to be added in the near future, as Blackwood Training continues to support the varying needs of the plant sector. A new website will also be launched towards the end of the year. “There’s a lot of satisfaction in delivering training for us personally,” Peter concluded. “It’s good to see people progress, especially those who doubt themselves. To see someone go from a job they disliked to an operator is great for everyone.”
• For more information about available courses, visit www.blackwoodtraining.co.uk/#training
