Apprentice of the Year
Get Skills for Life: Enter the 2023 BMI Apprentice of the Year competition
The BMI Apprentice of the Year competition is part of our commitment to support and nurture the future of roofing as we seek to find the UK and Ireland’s most promising apprentices and future leaders in roofing.
We’re looking for roofing apprentices to come together at the annual Apprentice of the Year competition and test their skills in front of a panel of industry judges. The winner’s will receive a generous cash prize of £1,000 (or equivalent) and the prestigious title of Apprentice of Year, as well as three years’ worth of training support from the BMI Academy.
The competition opens for entries on February 6th (during National Apprenticeship Week) and judges will be looking at several aspects of their apprenticeship, from roofing skills to teamwork, with a focus on business acumen, presentation and marketing skills. The competition is open to apprentices nationwide in both pitched and flat roofing. The closing date for entries is April 28th.
Successful applicants will be invited to the Apprentice of the Year final on the 19th and 20th 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 we’ll be asking entrants to demonstrate how their experiences have shaped their learning requirements throughout their career, how they achieved learning a skill and how they have worked with others to develop their skill set.
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Hear from our BMI Apprentice of the Year winners 2022
Simon Dixon - Training Manager at the BMI Academy
“I have been a huge advocate for Apprentice of the Year since its inception, “I’m really looking forward to working with the finalists throughout and following the competition and playing an active part in nurturing the talent of roofing in Ireland.”
Steel Sweatland - BMI Apprentice of the Year in Pitched Roofing 2022
“The competition was fierce, everyone deserved to win it! I really enjoyed the defect challenge, with the judges acting like real world customers. Winning Apprentice of the Year has given me the confidence I need to go far in my roofing career” said Steel.
Malachi Wilkes - BMI Apprentice of the Year in Flat Roofing 2022
“It’s fantastic to be a winner, it feels like I can inspire others in the business including those I work with at Rio and train with at Juniper Training. 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,” said Malachi.
The future of Roofing
Like many industries, the roofing sector is experiencing a skills shortage. This is why we’re committed to supporting the future workforce through initiatives like Apprentice of the Year and our work at BMI Academy.
Follow along as we stay in touch with our apprentices to see where their roofing career takes them, from joining industry associations to advancing in their careers and more
We’ll be seeking out the next BMI Apprentice of the year in pitched and flat roofing and opening the competition for entries early next year. In the meantime please take a look at the highlights from this year’s BMI Apprentice of the Year in our highlights blog.