Dear Sam
Activities of column footing are
Excavation earth work according to structural design to be done.
Laying base concrete 1;4;8 duly compacting.
Lay the steel bars according to design i.e. bar binder will bind the bars and after laying the footing steel ,erect the column steel on the footing.
After it lay cement concrete according to design in the ratio 1;1.5;3.
For RCC guide line visit web gharexpert see link below for column footing.
http://www.gharexpert.com/articles/Cement-Concrete-1644/Column-Frame-Structure-Building_0.aspx
There is no harm if gang man know the job of shuttering and laying concrete.