If you are a qualified as a scaffolder in the United Kingdom, then you are not limited to only working in this country, but you are also able to use your skills to find work abroad. Many types of scaffolding are universal, meaning that if you know how to use scaffolding in one country, it is likely that you will be able to erect and dismantle scaffolding in a variety of different places. If you are considering finding employment in other countries, you should read on to find out more.

Experience

If you want to work abroad, it is important that you gain experience in the United Kingdom first. The more experience that you have of working in the United Kingdom the more desirable you will be to employers who are hiring workers from abroad. Likewise, the more highly skilled that you are the more employers there might be who may be interested in working with you.

It is always best if you learn the scaffolding trade at home first, because this will allow you to work here when you come back to the UK. Best practice in this country is to observe high scaffold standards and to observe strict health and safety regulations. Having these skills under your belt before you move abroad for work will allow you to have an employment safety net when you come back home. On the other hand, if you learn how to do scaffolding whilst abroad, you may need to gain additional qualifications before you can work in the United Kingdom.

Where to go?

If you want to work abroad, you need to carefully consider where you might go. In terms of moving for work, it can be easiest to find work in another European Union member states, because there are fewer restrictions on freedom of movement and fewer restrictions on where citizens can work. However, most European Union member states obviously do not have English as their first language. Unless you are bilingual, you may want to think again before taking work on a foreign building site, unless you know that the main language used on the site will be English. Not being able to understand requests and instructions onsite could reduce your ability to work well with other members of your team. This could reduce efficiency and it could put people at risk.

Another alternative is to seek employment in an English speaking country. Be aware that many of these countries have stricter visa requirements, so you may only be able to gain temporary employment as a scaffolder. Scaffolding may not be considered a high enough priority skill to allow you to gain permanent resident status. Countries including Australia, New Zealand and Canada will all accept scaffolders on temporary work permits, and are therefore good places to look if you want temporary work abroad.

You should also consider the weather. If you struggle to perform manual tasks in high temperatures or freezing conditions, you might have to rule certain countries out completely.

Costs and Earning

A qualified scaffolder working in New Zealand may be able to earn as much as £14.50 per hour, and a scaffolder working in the Northwestern states of America would earn around the same. Scaffolders in the central states of the USA normally earn less than their counterparts in the Northwestern states, in a similar way to the way that scaffolders in the North of England earn less than those in the South East. This may affect where you choose to work.

Although you might earn less in these areas, you will also find that this also means that more jobs may be available for workers who are coming from abroad. Advanced Scaffolders in Australia can earn as much as £45000 per year, although workers from abroad will normally earn less than those who are native Australians. This compares to Advanced Scaffolders in the United Kingdom who will normally be capped at around £30000, unless they have taken on some additional responsibility as part of their role.

You should consider how much it is going to cost for you to move abroad for work. Many people move abroad because they think that this may give them more earning potential, but they fail to take into account the higher cost of living. For example, living in Sydney has a higher cost of living than living in Sunderland. Although the wages themselves may be a bit higher, you may need to make them stretch further. You should also consider the costs which are associated with moving home, including the costs of flights and hotels whilst you are looking for somewhere settled to live.

Finding a Job

The internet now means that it is much easier to find work abroad than it used to be. Look for job sites which are specifically tailored for those who are looking to work abroad because these will contain jobs which foreign nationals are able to apply for. These sites may also give some information about Visa requirements in each country.

Other sites are particularly aimed at those who are looking for gap year employment in a foreign country. These jobs are normally on a more temporary basis. Alternatively, some brave workers move to their country of choice and then start to look for employment once they are out there. In popular “working-holiday” destinations such as Australia and New Zealand, many of the bigger hostels have job adverts pinned up in their reception areas. It is likely that you will be able to find a job like this, but it is a high risk strategy that may not pay off. If you do decide to try to find work in this way, you should make sure that you have a contingency plan and enough money to survive until you do find work.

If you plan on doing this, you should also make sure that you have entered the country on the right sort of visa or obtained a working visa before you start earning, because failing to adhere to the country’s visa rules could lead to your being deported. Also check on what scaffolders insurance you might require and what scaffolders insurance costs.