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The BMI Academy Embarks on a Country Wide Tour of Roofing Colleges for National Apprenticeship Week
The 16th annual National Apprenticeship Week starts today. Over the next 5 days, both businesses and apprentices from across the UK will come together to showcase the positive impact that apprenticeships are making to individuals, industries, and the wider economy.
With many industries currently facing a mass skills shortage, this year’s theme “Skills for Life” is incredibly fitting. The theme champions turning apprentices into the experts of tomorrow, to help them gain the skills and knowledge they need to pursue a rewarding career. Additionally, National Apprenticeship Week helps businesses develop talent and ensure that the UK industry flourishes for years to come.
As a roofing manufacturer, we know that apprentices are an integral part of the future of the industry. Our annual Apprentice of the Year event is just one example of our ongoing dedication to the support and development of roofers at all stages of their careers. To further support young roofers and those that teach them, for a second year running the team from the BMI Academy is touring the UK during National Apprenticeship Week to offer hands-on advice and tips, support and guidance to apprentices and engage in conversation with tutors, students, and industry professionals alike.
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BMI’s tailored support for apprentices, tutors, and colleges
BMI’s tailored support for apprentices, tutors, and colleges
Recognising the important role apprentices play in securing the future of our industry, we provide colleges and training centres with year-round support in the delivery of their apprenticeship programs and donate Icopal flat roofing and Redland pitched roofing products for their students to use for practical learning.
During this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, our BMI Academy team - consisting of Simon Dixon, Technical Training Manager; Paul Martin, Technical Trainer; Michael McHugh, Technical Trainer for Pitched Roofing; and Gary Larking, Training and Installation Manager for Flat Roofing, will be touring across the UK, all in the pursuit of providing roofing apprentices and college tutors with hands-on, tailored support, advice, and product presentations.
Supporting roofing from the ground up
Supporting roofing from the ground up
Equally, the quality and safety of working standards are improving too, which is further pushing for innovation in product development. These innovations in both working practices and product development mean that quality training has never been more important. BMI aims to provide in-depth support at all stages of a project as well as all stages of a roofer’s development, to ensure that all products are installed correctly, and all standards are met to their fullest.
At the BMI Academy, we also offer training to specifiers, contractors, developers, and merchants. This is all a part of the Academy’s pursuit to improve the roofing industry’s wider knowledge of industry standards and the use of new technologies and techniques through a mix of theoretical and practical courses.
During this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, our team is working closely with colleges and training centres who provide roofing apprenticeship opportunities, which we see as vital to the current landscape of the construction industry, with the aforementioned skills shortages being as prevalent as it is.
Enter the BMI Apprentice of the Year
Enter the BMI Apprentice of the Year
Open to roofing apprentices in both pitched and flat, the BMI Apprentice of the Year competition allows you to showcase your skills to the industry, with the winner being awarded a generous cash prize of £1,000 and the prestigious title of Apprentice of Year, as well as three years’ worth of training support from the BMI Academy.
National Apprenticeship Week Tour day one
National Apprenticeship Week Tour day one
Our tour kicked off on Friday, February 3rd with Paul Martin and Michael McHugh visiting Bolton College and South Devon College respectively, where they met with tutors and apprentices to offer hands-on technical advice, general roofing support and encourage the next generation of roofers to apply for this year’s BMI Apprentice of the Year competition. It also gave Michael a chance to learn what skills and knowledge the tutors and apprentices would like to gain from the BMI Academy, which is fruitful for designing new CPD and training programs.
The tour will continue this week with a tour of 10 further colleges and training centres. Here’s where the team will be heading throughout the week.
Monday 6th of February
Simon Dixon will be visiting Edinburgh College.
Tuesday 7th of February
Simon Dixon heads to Dundee & Angus College.
Michael McHugh visits Construction College Midlands.
Wednesday 8th of February
Simon Dixon visits Fife College in the morning and South Lanarkshire College in the Afternoon.
Thursday 9th of February
Gary Larking will visit Eastern Region RTG.
Simon Dixon heads to CITB Glasgow in the morning and Derwentside College in the afternoon.
Paul Martin is heading to Leeds College of Building
Friday 10th February
Simon Dixon heads to Newcastle College.
Paul Martin visits Simian Risk in Warrington.
Over the next few days, we will be posting updates from the BMI Academy’s tour around the UK as we visit colleges and training centres, so that you too can get a glimpse into what the roofing landscape of the future has to hold.
