A MAN with Down’s Syndrome who spent two years “begging” for a scaffolding job has finally landed his dream apprenticeship.
Todd Scanlon, 29, has been employed on by Coles Scaffolding Contractors Ltd., working for them two days-a-week.
Todd, from Swindon, Wilts., joins the other five members of the team on Mondays and Wednesdays.
And company owner Martyn Coles said Todd’s disability is not holding him back.
He helps to assemble the scaffolding and make sure it is safe and level.
The company has now adopted the slogan ‘No Stigma’, to show that Todd’s disability should not hold him back from having the same opportunity as others.
Todd said: “I like all of it except the heights. I like being at the bottom of the scaffolding best. It can be a bit scary going up high, because it can be shaky.
“I like helping Colesy, my boss. I wanted to be a scaffolder because I like to help people. I carry all the tubes [poles] – the 10-foot, the 16-foot, up to the 20-foot ones.”
Martyn, who has run the scaffolding company for the last five years, said: “We just want to show that he can do it. Everyone is entitled to work.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a disability, or you come from a broken home, or whatever. I’m more than willing to give everyone a chance.
“If you know him, you’ll know that he loves what he does. Anything you ask him to do, he’ll do it.”
Martyn added: “Todd does all the same tasks as us. He’ll get the tools ready to be loaded onto the van, and he’ll bring all the fittings out from the van at each site.
“He does a lot. So far, there hasn’t been any limits to what he can help with – and I don’t think there are going to be any.”
“He’s been begging me for a job for a long, long time.”
Martyn said: “About three months ago we started taking him on for a few shifts here and there, just to see how he got on with it.
“And as of October 1, we’ve now taken him onto our books two days a week.”
He added that he is now working with the Construction Industry Training Board (CIBT), who organise all his company’s apprenticeships, to train Todd up properly, and get him his Level 2 NVQ scaffolding qualification.
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