Get Roofing Skills for Life: Enter the 2023 BMI Apprentice of the Year Competition

Established in 2017, the annual Apprentice of the Year competition is part of BMI’s commitment to support and develop the future of roofing, with the roofing contest aimed at finding the UK’s most promising apprentices and future leaders in roofing. 

Open to roofing apprentices in both pitched and flat, BMI’s Apprentice of the Year competition allows you to showcase your skills to the industry, with the winner being awarded a generous cash prize of £1000 and the prestigious title of Apprentice of Year, as well as three years’ worth of training support from the BMI Academy. 

More than just a standard competition, finalists will be coached on a wide range of topics, ranging from presentation skills and social media for business through to estimating and making technical assessments, and the final assessment takes into account both performance and development over the 2-day event. 

“The competition was fierce, everyone deserved to win it”, said Steel Sweatland, Winner of Apprentice of the Year 2022 in Pitched Roofing. “You never know how good you are until you try, so it’s worth putting yourself out there.”

BMI Apprentice of the Year 2022 in Flat Roofing Malachi Wilkes notes that winning the competition has allowed him to inspire others in his business as well as his college, Juniper Training. “It’s fantastic to be a winner”, Malachi said. “To win this competition is a great opportunity and it’s the best thing I’ve done in my career so far. I’ve learnt so much from everyone here, and I’ve now got connections with the judges and the other finalists.” 

Entries for the 2023 competition will open during National Apprenticeships Week on the 6^th of February, and judges will be looking at several aspects of the apprenticeship. From roofing skills to teamwork to general business and leadership skills, the competition is open to apprentices nationwide, who want to test their skills against the best in the country and learn from renowned and highly experienced industry experts. Entries can be made online here and will close on 28th April 2023. 

Held over two days on 19^th and 20^th of July 2023 at the BMI Academy in Gloucestershire, the theme of this year’s competition is a bow to the topic of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, “Skills for Life”. Up to 20 finalists will be shortlisted and the entry requirements ask apprentices to demonstrate how their experiences have shaped their learning throughout their career, how they achieved learning a challenging skill, and how they have worked with others to develop their skill set. Those shortlisted will showcase commitment to the wider roofing industry and a dedication to helping others.  

Delighted to build on the success of the competition in previous years, Simon Dixon, Technical Training Manager at BMI Academy, is excited to welcome a new cohort of apprentices to the competition this July. “I have been a huge advocate for Apprentice of the Year since its inception and was fortunate to be a judge while in my former role at the NFRC”, says Simon. “I’m really looking forward to working with the finalists throughout, following the competition and playing an active part in nurturing the talent of UK roofing.” 

To find out more about BMI’s annual Apprentice of the Year competition, please visit https://www.bmigroup.com/uk/aoty