Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd

West Lothian-based business Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd has grown its team and created employment opportunities in the local area with support from West Lothian Council’s Economic Development team.

Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd is a specialist scaffolding contractor based in West Lothian, providing scaffolding services across Edinburgh, the Lothians and throughout Scotland. The firm works with a broad range of clients across the construction, commercial and domestic sectors, providing safe access solutions for projects ranging from smaller works, through to larger and more complex scaffolding projects.

The business has received a wide range of support from the Invest in West Lothian and Business Gateway West Lothian team to help it achieve its growth goals and overcome challenges.

As a small but growing business, one of the biggest challenges the business has faced has been recruiting and developing the right people. Scaffolding is a highly skilled trade and the pool of experienced people available locally can be relatively limited, which can make recruitment difficult.

Although Liam Graham, Managing Director of Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd, recognised the importance of bringing new people into the industry, he was cautious about the risk of taking on someone with little or no industry experience. New employees require training, supervision and time working alongside experienced members of the team before they become fully productive, while the business is carrying their wages and associated costs from day one.

After speaking to his dedicated Business Adviser Tahrir, Liam’s views changed on this.

Tahrir made Liam aware of the Employment Pathway Grant (EPG), which is funded by the Scottish Governments No One Left Behind Programme. With this exciting fund, eligible local businesses can receive funding towards creating new employment opportunities specifically for unemployed young people (aged 16–24) or eligible parents with dependent children who are West Lothian residents. Successful applicants receive 100% of the salary of the new employee (based on the employee receiving the Real Living Wage), for a minimum of 12 hours and up to a maximum of 40 hours per week for up to 3 months. Tahrir provided valuable support and helped Liam navigate the application process, saving him time and stress.

After successfully applying for the EPG, Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd was able to hire 10 new members of staff over two years and continue growing the business, without the significant financial investment. It also created exciting opportunities for young people in West Lothian, who may otherwise be overlooked due to lack of experience.

Liam says, “the support we’ve received from Business Gateway West Lothian and Invest in West Lothian has been extremely valuable to us as a small and growing business. Having someone make us aware of the funding available and guide us through the application process has allowed us to access support that we may otherwise have missed. For me, the real value of this type of funding is what can happen after that initial support. Taking some of the financial pressure away from bringing in someone with little or no industry experience gives a small business like ours the confidence and time to invest in that person properly.

We have seen employees come into the business with limited experience and go on to undertake formal scaffolding apprenticeships, progress through the CISRS qualification system and gain additional qualifications such as their Class C HGV licence. We continue to invest in their training and development as they become increasingly skilled and valuable members of our team.

I think that demonstrates the wider benefit of this type of support. The initial funding helps a business get someone through the door, but the investment does not stop when the funding ends. If that person is successful, we continue investing in their skills, qualifications and long-term career.

Hopefully, by demonstrating successful outcomes like these, schemes of this nature can continue to be made available to small businesses. They give employers the confidence to take a chance on someone who may not yet have the experience, while creating an opportunity for that individual to develop a skilled and sustainable career.”

Executive Councillor for Economy, Community Empowerment and Wealth Building, Susan Manion said: "It is fantastic to see a successful local business like Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd expanding its workforce and creating valuable employment opportunities for people in West Lothian. Small and medium-sized businesses are vital to our local economy, and this case study demonstrates the positive impact that targeted support can have in helping businesses grow with confidence."

"Through initiatives such as the Employment Pathway Grant, we can help employers invest in new talent while creating meaningful opportunities for local people to develop skills, gain experience and build long-term careers. I am delighted that the support provided by our Economic Development team has helped Tubetec recruit new staff, strengthen its business and invest in the next generation of skilled workers."

Ultimately, the support provided helped Tubetec Scaffolding Ltd strengthen its workforce, create employment opportunities and put the business in a better position to manage continued growth.

Click below to learn more about our Employment Pathway Grant or to contact us: