Getting the Fran Michna stamp of approval feels pretty important to the scaffolding team at NETA Training.
Delivering industry-specialist training out of the newly built All Access Academy in Redcar, they know they have one of the biggest and best scaffolding centres in the country.
But a nod from former scaffolder and NETA instructor Fran, well that seems extra special given his background as part of the NETA family and a face that will be recognisable to many following a lifetime of experience in the trade.
His reaction was just what they were hoping for, as given a tour of the facility that sits right alongside Redcar and Cleveland College, the 74-year-old from Yarm said: “I think it is marvellous, really impressive.”
In fact, he could imagine himself stepping right back into his safety boots and harness to show today’s delegates exactly how it should be done.
Unfortunately, he admits his body might object to the physical demands of the job these days, but his passion remains clear for a career that he started aged just 19.
He describes it as “the noble art of scaffolding”, an often overlooked but skilled vocation that, given the nature of the role and the banter that comes with it, he says isn’t for the fainthearted.
Making the most of every opportunity that came his way, Fran got to spend years travelling the world and even worked on tours as a roadie with some of the biggest names. The likes of Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and The Rolling Stones are just some of the stars casually scattered into the conversation as he shares memories of a life well lived.
Finishing his career as an instructor at NETA, as a well-known character and no doubt firm favourite among his students it took a couple of attempts for Fran to retire.
These days he is enjoying a much more leisurely pace of life at home with his wife Jan. A dad-of-two and granddad-of-three, he certainly has plenty of stories to tell.
Pleased to be invited to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the NETA-led All Access Academy at Redcar, he said: “It must be a few times bigger than the NETA scaffolding area where I started teaching in 1996.”
It certainly is. Part of plans to help tackle skills gaps in the likes of scaffolding, rope access, rigging and lifting and welding, the £4.7m All Access Academy was made possible with funding from the government’s Levelling Up partnership fund following a successful bid by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
Believed to be one of the biggest facilities of its kind in the country, the purpose-built 750 square metre training facility offers specialist commercial training, with three scaffolding training areas.
Responding to industry need, through the All Access Academy NETA is able to offer a range of CISRS scaffolding courses including COTS, Part 1, Part 2, advanced, basic and advanced inspection along with CPD.
What’s more it complements the development of the all-new £14.7m NETA Training centre off Princeton Drive in Thornaby due to open its doors later this year. With an investment of £4.5m in Thornaby Town Deal funding, the new facility will deliver training for school leavers, apprentices and commercial delegates, in the likes of welding, fabrication, electrical, mechanical, pipefitting, domestic and commercial gas training.
The up-and-coming NETA development is a priority intervention to bring long-term change and investment to Thornaby as part of its Town Deal with the support of the Thornaby Town Deal Board, delivered in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
A bit of a fan of astrology and describing himself as “your typical lefthanded Scorpio” it felt like quite a serendipitous time for Fran to visit as NETA is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
With a meticulous attention to detail and a startling ability to recall names and dates, while his own career is littered with incredible locations and experiences, he takes just as much pride in remembering the many students and delegates he saw excel over the years.
He said: “You have to have a sense of humour, and you have to have a rapport with students.”
He adds that it takes empathy and understanding too.
As for the scaffolding, having worked on everything from offshore oil rigs and shipyards to stage shows, he describes it as an artform. He said: “With scaffolding you can build anything.”
NETA’s scaffold centre co-ordinator, Brian Ward, said: “It was great to welcome Fran in for a grand tour of the All Access Academy.
“What never ceases to amaze me is Fran’s passion for the industry and those he helped mould and train during his time at NETA as well as his unique reaction to the new centre.
“Fran probably assisted most of the scaffolders in this area with their careers including mine with his understanding of the industry and extensive knowledge. It was fantastic watching Fran absorb the various spaces and offer his approval in the way only Fran can with his linguistic eccentricity!”
To find out more about the scaffolding training opportunities and full range of commercial courses available at NETA call 01642 616936, email info@neta.co.uk and visit: www.neta.co.uk/commercial-course-availability
