BY: Dean McDonald, President, Vancouver Rigging Solutions

Across North America, companies involved in lifting, rigging, and crane operations are facing the same challenge: attracting and training the next generation of skilled professionals. Infrastructure demand continues to grow, projects are becoming more technically complex, and experienced personnel are retiring faster than they’re being replaced. Workforce development is no longer an issue for the future, it’s a current operational reality.

[Photo: Proceeds from recycling end of life wire ropes, slings, and damaged rigging are used to fund scholarships for heavy-lift training. Photo credit: shutterstock.com/Osandi Yenulya.]

That is exactly what led to the creation of Ropes for Riggers, a non-profit initiative focused on increasing awareness of heavy-lift careers while helping reduce financial barriers for people entering the trades.

The concept is straightforward: end of life wire ropes, slings, and damaged rigging are collected, and recycled through approved partners, and 100% of the proceeds are converted directly into scholarship funding for individuals pursuing education in heavy-lift-related training.

To date, nearly 50,000 pounds of retired rope and rigging have already been collected through early industry participation, demonstrating both the practicality and scalability of the model.

A Closed-Loop Approach From Within the Industry

Heavy-lift operations naturally generate retired rigging material as part of safe equipment lifecycle management. Ropes for Riggers leverages that existing reality by redirecting scrap material into workforce development rather than treating it solely as waste.

The process works as follows:

• End-of-life crane ropes, slings, and steel rigging are donated
• Materials are recycled through established partners
• Proceeds fund scholarships for individuals entering or advancing in heavy-lift trades
• Select damaged rope sections and damaged rigging are preserved as training aids for schools and training centers

Those training materials provide students with real-world examples of rope damage, improper handling, and failure modes, something that significantly improves hazard recognition and safety awareness before individuals enter active job sites.

In an industry where safety performance is closely tied to training quality, this added educational component carries long-term value.

Supporting the Entire Heavy-Lift Workforce

The initiative is designed to be inclusive across the heavy-lift ecosystem, supporting individuals pursuing careers such as:

• Crane operators
• Riggers
• Wire rope splicers and sling fabricators
• Rigging Inspectors
• Ironworkers
• Piledrivers
• NDT technicians
• Heavy construction trades connected to lifting operations

The objective is not limited to one trade discipline but instead focuses on strengthening the overall workforce pipeline that supports crane, rigging, wire rope, construction, energy, infrastructure, and industrial sectors.

Early Industry Participation

Early support from industry participants has been critical in demonstrating viability. Sterling Crane, in particular, provided significant early rope donations that helped establish the initial scholarship funding pool and operational momentum.

Visible participation from established companies helps normalize industry-wide involvement and encourages broader adoption. Workforce development tends to gain traction when it becomes part of normal operating culture rather than a one-off initiative.

Why Workforce Investment Matters Now

Several industry trends make initiatives like this increasingly relevant:

• Aging skilled workforce demographics
• Increased technical demands in lifting operations
• Continued infrastructure expansion
• Heightened safety expectations
• Persistent recruitment challenges across North America

Investing in training access and early industry exposure helps address these challenges directly. Providing financial support to students and supplying training institutions with real-world materials contributes to safer lifting practices and a more sustainable labor pipeline.

Ultimately, a stronger workforce benefits every stakeholder from contractors, crane companies, OEMs, inspectors, ports, foundations, industrial projects, and construction owners alike.

Industry Participation Opportunities

Companies interested in supporting the initiative can contribute by donating:

• Retired crane and cableway wire ropes
• Damaged slings or rigging
• Scrap steel lifting devices
• General Steel Scrap
• Cash donations

Collection can often be coordinated through regional recycling partners, frequently at no cost to the donating company. Participants typically provide material quantity, location, and timing, with logistics handled through the program’s recycling network.

Donors will have direct access to our network of scholarship applicants to ensure the education loop is closed and a hiring pool is available to them when their schooling is completed.

Beyond material donations, the initiative is actively seeking:

• Trade school connections
• Training center partnerships
• Regional advocates across North America, In particular Texas, Washington, California, Alberta and Quebec
• Industry organizations willing to help expand awareness

Broad participation will allow the program to scale geographically and support more training institutions.

Looking Ahead

The long-term objective of Ropes for Riggers is to increase awareness of heavy-lift careers across North America while ensuring training institutions have both educational materials and scholarship support available to students entering the field.

If the industry wants a stronger, safer workforce ten years from now, investment in training access today is essential. The unique aspect of this initiative is that the funding source already exists within normal operations by means of retired rope and rigging that would otherwise enter the scrap stream.

Redirecting those materials into workforce development creates a practical, sustainable approach to supporting the next generation of lifting professionals.

Learn More or Participate

Companies interested in donating scrap rigging or supporting the initiative can learn more by visiting www.vancouverriggingsupplyltd.com and clicking on “Ropes for Riggers Scholarship” or directly by contacting dean@vrsltd.ca by email.

Industry collaboration will determine how far this initiative ultimately reaches, but early participation suggests strong potential for growth across the heavy-lift sector.

This story appeared in the January/February issue of Wire Rope Exchange.